The former Vice President Dick Cheney has reemerged to lay the groundwork for his upcoming memoirs, indicating in some “informal” conversations that former President Bush moved away from his advice in his second term. There is no question that Cheney is steaming about the Bush refusal to issue a full pardon to Scooter Libby, and that anger apparently extends to some other decisions reached by Bush. From the Washington Post:
“In the second term, he felt Bush was moving away from him,” said a participant in the recent gathering, describing Cheney’s reply. “He said Bush was shackled by the public reaction and the criticism he took. Bush was more malleable to that. The implication was that Bush had gone soft on him, or rather Bush had hardened against Cheney’s advice. He’d showed an independence that Cheney didn’t see coming. It was clear that Cheney’s doctrine was cast-iron strength at all times — never apologize, never explain — and Bush moved toward the conciliatory.”
And the memoirs will indeed take a run at the Scooter Libby disagreement.
Last month, an account in Time magazine, based on close access to Bush’s personal lawyer and White House counsel, described Cheney’s desperate end-of-term efforts to change Bush’s mind about a pardon. Cheney, who has spent a professional lifetime ignoring unflattering stories, issued a quietly furious reply. In the most explicit terms, he accused Bush of abandoning “an innocent man” who had served the president with honor and then become the “victim of a severe miscarriage of justice.” Cheney now says privately that his memoir, expected to be published in spring 2011, will describe their heated arguments in full.
Some interesting stuff that will place this complex relationship in a new light. Cheney apparently feels strongly that Bush softened on him, and that should make for some very interesting reading.
Read the Time magazine story here.
Read the Washington Post story here.
Bill Manzi.com 
Mr. Mayor:
Breaking up is haaaarrrddd, tooooooo, dooooo …
-FM
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Your Honor,
Probably not as bad as yours.
I notice your slight of hand here using the magician trick of political misdirection.
Obama is sinking in the polls. People are rising up at the Socialist takeover of Health Care. The Cap and Trade abortion is sinking and the war in Afghanistan (The good war)is bringing a rise in casualties and may prove to be a generation thing and your children are going to inherit a multi-trillion debt and you ignore this obvious embarrassment created by your ‘friends’.
I don’t blame you but you can’t fool me.
I wait for your next ‘Obama talks Health Care’ entries.
Jules
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Your Honor,
I might have followed up on your Bush/Cheney entry, but you referenced the Times and Washington Post, notorious Bush/Chaney haters. How is that ‘fair and balanced.
I see you awakened a sleeping demon in Fred.
Jules
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Jules,
Notwithstanding the fact that the ‘good war’s increased casualties are due in large part to a diversion of the military to Iraq by the Cheney/Bush cabal, combined with the debt passed on to Obama and our children by the Cheney/Bush cabal — what point are you trying to make again?
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Jim:
If you ever figure out the answer to that question, make sure and let us ALL know!
-FM
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Jim,
My point: You and Fred must move into the Obama administration. Or maybe you guys did and found no difference.
Jules
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Comrade Jim:
Have you gotten the recent memos? There are lotteries to serve on the new Death Panels, and if you’re high enough up in the Socialist hierarchy, you can pick whose Death Panel you’ll be on. I’ve already signed up for Jules, but I’m not yet sure I’m going to get it: too many people on the list ahead of me. But, I remain hopeful …
There’s also a rumor we’ll be able to waterboard them too. But that’s just a rumor, so keep it under your hat for now.
-Comrade FM
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Jules:
So if you’ve noticed no difference, you now love Obama just as much as you loved Bush?
I’m confused, but I’m so glad to hear about your change of heart!
-FM
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Fred,
The only lotteries I’ve heard of recently are the MegaMillions and PowerBall. I’m hopeful to win one of them so I can become a rich conservative and better understanding of their philosophies, but then I’d have to watch fauxnews….
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Jim, Are you going to share those winning with Fred and e?
Jules
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Jules,
Geez, what do I look like, a philanthropist?! 😉
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Ji,
I want to share in Fred’s winnings.
Jules
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Comrade Gordon:
If I win, I’m sure there will be more than enough taxes to go around …
-FM
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