Sen. McCain: Panetta Should Retract His Comments on Cheney Immediately

[Tab]

Source: Fox (Greta van Susteren)

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Did you hear this? CIA director Leon Panetta says former vice president Dick Cheney wants America to be attacked. What provoked this statement? Well, it all started with former VP Cheney's speech on May 21st. The former vice president said banning enhanced interrogation methods would make America less safe and called it "recklessness cloaked in righteousness."
...
Now, we asked Senator John McCain about the Panetta-Cheney showdown. Here's Senator McCain.
...
VAN SUSTEREN: Senator, the big talk in town today is CIA director Leon Panetta in The New Yorker says about Vice President Cheney that Vice President Cheney almost suggests he's wishing that the country would be attacked again in order to make his point. What do you think about the director's statements about the vice president?

MCCAIN: I think the director's statements are totally uncalled for. The director has a big job, and one of them is to try to lift the morale, which is very low over at the CIA. He shouldn't be saying this about a person he's known for many years and knows better. I don't know why he's doing it. He should retract it immediately.

VAN SUSTEREN: Well, it's interesting that Vice President Cheney gave a statement of FOX in which he says, "I hope my old friend Leon was misquoted." Are they friends, do you know? I mean, like -- because, I mean, these are very pointed words in the former vice president's direction.

MCCAIN: Well, this is a big town and a small town, and people get to know each other over the years. Both the Leon Panetta, as chief of staff at the White House, and Dick Cheney is holding many positions, including both of them having been members of Congress, of course they know each other well. And that's why this statement of Director Panetta is so uncalled for and unfortunate. He knows better. He's not a new guy in this town.

VAN SUSTEREN: You know, it's -- Vice President Cheney, or former vice president Cheney, says he hopes he was misquoted, but it goes on a little bit further in which Director Panetta says about the former vice president that Cheney "smells some blood in the water on the issue of national security." So it does seem to be more than just sort of an accidental statement.

MCCAIN: Oh, I think it's less than accidental, and that's why I think that Director Panetta should apologize and retract because, again, he knows better. But look, I didn't agree with the vice president on this issue of interrogation methodology and I strongly disagreed with him. But to question the vice president -- Vice President Cheney's dedication to the security of this nation, is really way out of bounds.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you think that it's wise, or do you have any problem with the vice president speaking out on issues of national security?

MCCAIN: I think that the vice president is deeply concerned about his reputation and place in history. He thinks that it's being is characterized, and he believes that he was right in the position that he took. I respectfully disagreed over interrogation techniques. But that in no way should bring us into question his integrity, his love of this country and his commitment to its security. And that's what Leon Panetta has done now, and it's totally uncalled for.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,526562,00.html

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The point of this article, of course, is McCain's (not unsurprising) call for retraction, but I did find it interesting how he characterized what Cheney is doing - all concerned about his (Cheney's) place in history.

Yo, Dick, the time to correct your place in history is when you're making it, not after the fact.

[kedrys]

1. Newsflash, Johnny

Nobody cares what you think. Refer to that election back in November 2008. Get lost.

[saigon68]

3. Trying to rehab the draft dodger (5 deferrments) cheney

[karynnj]

6. This is ridiculous - McCain is still a respected US Senator

and the media has been rehabilitating his reputation damaged in the campaign - mostly through some very bad actions of his own making. I think I've disagreed with him on nearly every issue, but he still has the right to speak out - just as Al Gore and John Kerry did.

Here, attacking the messenger is not the right action. The fact is that McCain has the position, gravitas and personality to call Panetta on this. Panetta's statement was wrong because it assumes he knows what it is in Cheney's mind. Cheney's comments had to to be attacked on their merits and on their likely impact. The stupid thing with this comment is that it made it easier (on just this issue) for the right to defend Cheney. That took a LOT of doing.

That comment is likely one of the worst gaffes from anyone in the Clinton administration.

[Serial Mom]

10. Get your facts straight - it was Leon Panetta not podesta!

And Panetta never said he thought that is what the dick-man wanted - he said it is sounded as if he almost wanted an attack.

Then check your facts again - Gore DID NOT speak out on dubya or his mis-adminstration for about 2 YEARS! For cheney to begin to do it less than 3 months after Obama took office is JUST WRONG! Panetta did the interview and comments the day cheney gave his nasty speech at the neo-con HQ!

And I am tired of people here on DU defending mcsame - "he is a still a respected" yeah, right - in whose eyes - he deserves respect for his suffering for this country in war, but his does not deserve respect for going after rich women and never having a real job - he never has and never will be able to relate to the common person!!

[karynnj]

11. I did NOT defend Cheney - nor did I compare him to Gore

I did use the wrong name - it is early in the morning and both begin with "P", but YOU though are every bit as wrong though in taking what I wrote on Cheney as defense of what he said - there is NOTHING that supports that - and it is a disgusting charge. There was no intended comparison of Cheney and Gore.

The comparison I made was between McCain and Kerry. Kerry never stopped speaking on issues even for the balance of 2004. I added in Gore later to add support to the fact that losing a Presidential race - as McCain, Gore, and Kerry did does not mean they should no longer have a voice or should "go away". The fact that Gore actually won and Kerry might have as well does not make a difference here. The fact that Gore did go away - was his own choice - which he had every right to make. McCain, who has chosen not to go away and remains a Senator is the same situation Kerry chose.

Whether YOU respect McCain or not is as important as whether freepers respected John Kerry. The fact is that a large number of people still see him as a respected voice - and opportunities like this - where he gets to take the high road and call a Democrat out on behaviour that looks over the top to many people helps him become more so.

The fact is that Panetta's comment was over the top. It would fit in on DU, but not for a prominent Democrat.

[Serial Mom]

15. I never inferred you were defending the dick-manl

Where in my comments could you possibly think that I thought you were defending cheney???? Disgusting charge?!?! - Where - and what?!?!?

I inferred you defended mcsame! And if you respect him and want to defend him, go somewhere else. I had this discussion when mcsame supposedly took the "high road" one time during the campaign and it doesn't belong here. The person discussing what a "high road" mcsame was taking had his threads deleted BECAUSE after all this is the Democratic Underground!

And what a sorry excuse to get a name completely incorrect - it is early in the morning and both begin with "P" - LOLOL!!! So you are the one that was wrong, not me!

[karynnj]

26. You are completely violating DU rules here

The fact is that I admitted I inadvertently typed the wrong name -- and I changed it. The fact is that your entire Cheney/Gore paragraph does completely say - not infer - SAY - that I was defending the Cheney comments. Your rudeness here is simply bad behavior. The fact is that nothing I posted here or elsewhere calls in to question whether I am a Democrat - and there is NOTHING to justify your attack.

The fact is that I have had very very few posts ever deleted - the only ones were in subthreads where the entire subthread was deleted.

You also completely missed my point on McCain - the point was here he was given the opportunity to be the one taking the high road and he used it. He did not take the high road in 2008 - he ran a very low road nasty race. You can go back and look at any posts I wrote in that period. This is an opportunity for people to see him the way he was seen in 2000 - erasing the negative behavior.

You might have noted that I said I never agree with McCain. The fact is that he still has the ability to be heard by some in the middle and this entire story hurts the Democrats. I hated the RW attacks whenever Kerry spoke after 2004 that attacked not what he said but his right to be heard. The post I responded was a Democratic parallel.

[Serial Mom]

32. Ohhh, I'm scared, you are threatening me with rules violations????

If you happen to read any of the other threads here, NOBODY agrees with your comment that "McCain is still a well respected..."


:rofl:

[karynnj]

34. No I was simply calling you on your rudeness and distortions

The fact of the matter is that there would be some who agree with what I said -

THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA AND IN THE COUNTRY who still respect McCain. I would not expect that to be the case here.

I also said that this story makes Panetta look bad. I think there are others who cringed when they heard that. (I thought it Cheneyesqe.) Do I think that a majority opinion here - no, but I have no problem with living up to my own standards.

I still thing it is that it is wrong to say that because he lost, he should go away. It sounds like a petulant child. I wrote that his ACTIONS in 2008 did diminish him - but I do think that situations like this have let the media attempt to repaint him as their view of McCain 2000.

But, you are now the sole person on my ignore list. Before I did this, I used search to see what I miss - and found I would miss little in the way of content or information by ignoring you.

[kiranon]

27. Thank you for setting it straight. n/t

[rurallib]

18. I, for one, have absolutely NO respect for John McCain

For about 50 reasons I wish not to go into here. Being a senator does not automatically confer respect. Being a decent human being is a start. And John McCain is one hell of a long ways from being a decent human being.

[condoleeza]

33. Neither a decent human being or a respected Senator.

I mean, really, McCain said this: "But to question the vice president -- Vice President Cheney's dedication to the security of this nation, is really way out of bounds."

Security is hardly what he was dedicated to, more like dedication to the bankruptcy of this nation.

[katanalori]

35. I used to have respect for McCain.....

because he spoke out against torture. Because he served in the Military. But then he betrayed us to such a degree, that all respect went out the window. That was the day he chose Palin to be his running mate.
Totally unforgivable.

[msongs]

23. you refering to the McCain who is a serial adulterer and was repub pres nominee in 08? nt

[karynnj]

30. I did not say he deserves it - but it is easy to see that the media

has given him that respect and that there is a significant part of the population that agrees. It also is a part that we should consider - McCain is hated by both the left and the right, it is the middle who still might listen to him.

[Iowa]

38. Oh please....

"McCain is still a respected US Senator."

No he's not. This is a guy who uses his experience as a POW like Giuliani uses 911. Take away the POW part and you have a lifetime of dishonorable behavior by a sleazebag who is adept at sucking up to money and power. McCain is Norm Coleman with a military record.

"Panetta's statement was wrong because it assumes he knows what it is in Cheney's mind."

No. Panetta was RIGHT because he presumes to know what's on Cheney's mind. We all know what's on Cheney's mind - Panetta got that right. The truth is a powerful weapon.

"That comment is likely one of the worst gaffes from anyone in the Clinton administration."

No... it's actually a refreshing change from the usual wimpy, cringing, hand-wringing, wussiness we're used to seeing from Democrats. We need more of it, not less.

The thinking you are proposing here is the epitome of weakness. Cheney hasn't slithered back under his rock precisely because of the wimpy approach you're suggesting.

[TankLV]

42. WTF?!?! trying to defend the WAR CRIMINAL?!!!! Panetta is COMPLETE RIGHT on this one, dearie...

Panetta is telling the TRUTH on this one!!!

Where the FUCK have you been for the past eight year?!?!!


the DICK is trying to fucking SCARE the shit out of again - but this time IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE!!!

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Tell you what. Panetta gets three minutes of face time on Dave's show tonight and THAT'S IT!

[jaxx]

4. He forgot to call her "my friend".

[bdamomma]

5. apologize for what? for telling the truth?

[Xipe Totec]

7. Or else what? n/t

[No Elephants]

8. Greta is lying. Panetta said Cheney sounds almost as though he wants the US to be attacked. Be-

sides, Republicans have said a lot worse about Democrats.

I hope Panetta flicks his chin, a time honored Italian message.

[Raster]

9. This group of illegal and immorals--bush*, cheney*, rice and rumsfeld--did not care about what they

were doing at the time. They always thought they could wash away their crimes in the murky waters of history. After all, it's worked so well in the past.

[Turborama]

12. Turborama: McCain Should Crawl Back Under His Rock Immediately

n/t

[indepat]

13. Can we just all agree that nothing Cheney has said or done or will ever say or do should call into

his integrity or love of country? :P

[struggle4progress]

14. I don't remember McCain asking Cheney to apoplogize for his attacks on Obama

:shrug:

[Jester Messiah]

16. Jester Messiah: McCain can go Cheney himself. [nt]

[Jefferson23]

17. LOL, when pigs fly.

[Robb]

19. Heh. McCain is the GOP's only "big gun" they can trot out on this

...and it's not a very big gun at all. :rofl:

[DallasNE]

20. Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran

Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly. Because Janet Reno is her father.

John McCain is a fine one to be talking about what others have said. His comments above are mean spirited and goofy. Frankly, what Panetta said was long overdue. It captures the essence of Dick Cheney.

[MrMickeysMom]

25. eewwwhhh... the "essence of Dick Cheney"....

Good on Leon!

To McCain, I say, "Fuck you, my friend!"

[LiberalFighter]

21. McCain should retract his tongue from Cheney's ass.

[VaYallaDawg]

22. Dick who? John who?

[get the red out]

24. Neanderthal News

Why should we care what kind of propaganda is broadcast on the Neanderthal News Network anyway? In order to watch it regularly and not puke someone has to either be on serious drugs, like their idol Limbaugh, or just coming home from the weekly Militia meeting.

Van Susteren is a whacko Scientologist con-artist who would lip-lock any ass that paid her. And John McCain is probably still scared of Sarah Palin. So they are kissing up to the neo-con puppet master on Fox? What else is new.

I just hope Panetta doesn't cave to this junior high level faux outrage. He told the truth and we get precious little of that in this country. I am sick and tired of Democrats bowing down to a dying party, they are the f-ing Whigs at this point and Dems just keep bowing and blathering in fear like they learned to do when the jack-boot of 911 was put on their necks 8 years ago.

Does Cheney want this country to suffer another huge terror attack, HELL YES! He salivates at the very thought. We are talking about a guy that tortured to force false information out of people so he could justify invading Iraq and killing thousands of human beings; is he supposed to care about anyone?

[mbperrin]

28. Well said!

Thank you.

[denverbill]

29. Ok, McCain. As soon as you retract everything you said during the campaign about Obama.n/t

[TankLV]

31. The first Democrat who tells these self righteous asshole rupukes to GO TO HELL

whenever one of these self righteous HYPOCRITS demands an apology for DARING TO CRITICIZE THEM, gets my vote for LIFE...

[rschop]

36. re; The director has a big job, and one of them is to try to lift the morale

From prior post:

"MCCAIN: I think the director's statements are totally uncalled for. The director has a big job, and one of them is to try to lift the morale, which is very low over at the CIA. He shouldn't be saying this about a person he's known for many years and knows better. I don't know why he's doing it. He should retract it immediately."

Let’s see, the CIA deliberately and intentionally allowed the al Qaeda terrorists to murder 3000 people on 9/11.

And now iron clad evidence has come out right from the US governments own documents found on the government's web sites and from government sources that prove this, and then the CIA hides 13 of the "high value" al Qaeda terrorists from all view to anyone else in the world so they won't tell the horrific secrets to the American people that would bring down the CIA, and they have low morale?

NO SHIT DICK TRACEY!

See my Journal for of all the details on this story!

[DCBob]

37. Remember the one about the gorilla and the lady...

McCain is a pathetic senile loser.

[sutz12]

39. I'd really rather retract Cheney....nt

[laylah]

40. McCain should do what the

Native Americans of old did...crawl off, find a Saguaro, and meet his maker...just sayin'

[mountainvue]

41. Panetta shouldn't fly in any small planes

anytime soon. To quote Cheney himself, "Go fuck yourself" Dick.