Cheney was upset that Bush didn’t pardon Libby — president’s memoir
George W. Bush’s memoir, “Decision Points,” is full of newsy tidbits, and there’s a lot of material about his relationship with his vice president, Dick Cheney, whom Bush considered dumping from the 2004 ticket.
In the book, which hits bookstore shelves on Tuesday, Bush describes how upset Cheney was at him for his refusal to give a full pardon to Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the senior Cheney aide who got caught up in the Valerie Plame scandal and who in 2007 was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Bush commuted the sentence, but refused entreaties to give Libby a full pardon.
Bush writes that in the closing days of his time in the White House in early 2009, Cheney pressed his case that Libby should be pardoned, and was angry when Bush refused.
“I can’t believe you’re going to leave a soldier on the battlefield,” Cheney told Bush.
“The comment stung,” Bush writes. “I had never seen Dick like this, or even close to this. I worried that the friendship we had built was about to be severely strained, at best.”
Bush tells NBC’s Matt Lauer in an interview to air tonight that their friendship survived the dispute. “I’m pleased to report we are friends today,” Bush said.
Bush, Cheney meet for first time since leaving office
Former President George W. Bush and his former vice president, Dick Cheney, got together Thursday for the first time since they left office in January 2009.
The meeting took place at Cheney’s house in McLean, Virginia, just three days after the former vice president suffered a mild heart attack and was hospitalized overnight. An ABC News camera captured the moment. “Mr. President, welcome,” Cheney said as Bush stepped from the back of a sport utility vehicle.
“Looking good,” Bush said.
“Holding up alright,” Cheney replied.
“Looking good,” the former president said again as the two shook hands warmly.
“Could be worse,” Cheney said.
The meeting came on the eve of a gathering of Bush administration alumni in Washington.
HBC.
Interesting to note that after the Christmas day bomber was taken into custody, Rasmussen reported that 58 percent thought waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques should be used to extract information from the terrorist who tried to blow up an airplane full of people.
My oh my…how things change when people are threatened on their own soil.
But that isn’t the reason I don’t feel safer today. You can play that game of thinking for a person if you want to, but you would be wrong.
As for prosecuting anyone, it won’t happen. It isn’t justified and the American people don’t want it either. There are a lot of democrats who will go down with that sinking ship if it goes that way.
Oh, just my opinion…as always.
Report: Cheney disagreed with Bush over Libby
So it has come to this: Dick Cheney is said to be angry at George W. Bush over Bush’s decision not to grant a pardon to Scooter Libby over the Valerie Plame affair.
That is according to long-time Cheney watcher Thomas DeFrank of the New York Daily News. DeFrank reported that former vice president Cheney repeatedly pressed Bush to pardon Lewis “Scooter” Libby, arguing that Scooter deserved a full exoneration.
Former President Bush had already kept Libby out of jail by commuting his 30-month prison sentence.
“He tried to make it happen right up until the very end,” one Cheney associate told the Daily News.
After repeatedly telling Cheney his mind was made up, Bush became so exasperated with Cheney’s persistence he told aides he didn’t want to discuss the matter any further, DeFrank wrote.
The unsuccessful full-court press left Cheney bitter. “He’s furious with Bush,” a Cheney source told the Daily News. “He’s really angry about it and decided he’s going to say what he believes.”
UPDATE: We’re hearing that while Cheney lobbied for a Scooter pardon and disagreed with the ultimate outcome, it might be exaggerating to describe him as furious with Bush. We’re told the two men remain close and have talked a number of times since Bush left office on Jan. 20.
thank,s for your return comments,eric h, i can slow down now that,least for the near future i will not be carried of to prison for unfavourable conservative statements.i think what you failed to mention was the democratic chicago style jobs allocation,that initially caused the problem in plasme/wilson drama. also wilson was always very proud that his wife had a “desk”job at cia,he told everybody. hope the weather is improving up there now.hopefully you now can come out of the BUSHES.PS remember when you do to keep holding yout hand out ,thats the order of the day now.
George you are still there? Give us a break please. We know that Mr Obama is proving even worst than your draconiac rule, please give him another two years to sort out the mess you left for him!
Rex Minor