The silliness continues:
Vice President Cheney’s office offered its first public written explanation yesterday for its refusal to comply with an executive order regulating the handling of classified material, arguing that the order makes clear that the vice president is not subject to the oversight system it creates for federal agencies.
In a letter to Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Cheney Chief of Staff David S. Addington wrote that the order treats the vice president the same as the president and distinguishes them both from “agencies” subject to the oversight provisions of the executive order.
Addington did not cite specific language in the executive order supporting this view, and a Cheney spokeswoman could not point to such language last night. But spokeswoman Lee Anne McBride said the intent of the order, as expressed by White House officials in recent days, was “not for the VP to be separated from the president on this reporting requirement.”
Discuss.
Face
That’s because, according to which blog you read, it explicitly names the Prez and Vice-Prez 5-8 times as those included. That they now attempt to say otherwise is simply stunning.
I’m come to the final conclusion that Cheney could simply declare himself King tomorrow and half the Republicans would say “well, yeah, Article II bitches”. This shit just gets worse each day.
Paul Wartenberg
Then we have no choice.
Call the Vermont Legislature and have them revise their impeachment resolution from Bush to Cheney.
Jake
Defund the White House.
crayz
This truly is becoming laughable. These people will say anything, no matter how farcically dishonest, just to get away with their abuses.
Can the Democrats please grow a pair and impeach this entire crew before any more damage is done?
Wilfred
Good take here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070709/huq
The Other Steve
The Republicans have now turned on William F. Buckley
Is this the first sign of the apocalypse?
Tsulagi
So now moving away from their fourth branch of government argument and going with their all-time favorite…known truth.
Don’t see why they’re even bothering with these jackalopes. Why doesn’t Cheney just get the Tard’s poolboy to write another executive order stating “Whatever Cheney decides supersedes all.” Keep it simple.
Not like that hasn’t been the practice all along, or that the admin still has some “honor and integrity” image to protect. Not even the 28%ers are waving that flag anymore.
Tim F.
Q: How can you support these claims that the Executive Order which repeatedly names the veep doesn’t cover the veep?
A: It just doesn’t.
Q: Here are seven places where it does.
A: We know where you live.
God I wish that I was making this up.
Tony J
Yeahbutwhat?
Sssoooo… I can expect tomorrow’s press coverage to include numerous editorials and opinion pieces lambasting the White House for lying through its teeth?
No?
I’m shocked in advance.
strawman
If Cheney is advising the pres. from another branch of government (say in his capacity as president of the senate), would he still be able to claim executive priviledge? Maybe this should be encouraged.
Redhand
It occurs to me that Cheney bears a rather striking physical resemblance to Humpty Dumpty in Alice in Wonderland. They certainly think along exactly the same lines too:
Bruce Moomaw
What is there to discuss? They’re quite openly lying through their teeth because they know there will never be enough Senate Democrats to remove them from office for it. Period.
SPIIDERWEB™
Bush doesn’t run the country. Cheney sort of does, but Addington really does.
scarshapedstar
Remember, Liberals are elitists who lie to the people out of naked contempt.