More STRAIGHT TALK from the VEEP

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:21pm

"We all had a good laugh last month when Dick Cheney’s office argued, in all sincerity, that the Vice President could ignore executive orders because he’s not part of the executive branch of government. Eventually, the Bush gang dropped the argument from their talking points, but until after they’d humiliated themselves.

Yesterday, CBS News’ Mark Knoller sat down with Cheney for a fairly long interview, which included this follow up to last month’s absurdities: (transcript via Nexis)

Q: There was an aide in your office who said that one of the reasons you weren’t abiding by that executive order was that you’re really not part of the executive branch. Do you have — are you part of the executive branch, sir?

CHENEY: Well, the job of the Vice President is an interesting one, because you’ve got a foot in both the executive and the legislative branch. Obviously, I’ve got an office in the West Wing of the White House, I’m an adviser of the President, I sit as a member of the National Security Council. At the same time, under the Constitution, I have legislative responsibilities. I’m actually paid by the Senate, not by the executive. I sit as the President of the Senate, as the presiding officer in the Senate. I cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate. So the Vice President is kind of a unique creature, if you will, in that you’ve got a foot in both branches.

Q: But you are principally a part of the executive branch, are you not?

CHENEY: Well, I suppose you could argue it either way. The fact is I do work in both branches. Under the Constitution, I’m assigned responsibilities in the legislative branch. Then the President obviously gives me responsibilities in the executive branch. And I perform both those functions, although I think it would be fair to say I spend more time on executive matters than legislative matters.

Keep in mind, as of June 28, Cheney reportedly rejected this whole approach, and said he disapproved of the fourth-branch argument. Indeed, the Office of the Vice President has insisted over and over again in recent years that it’s entitled to certain liberties as part of the executive branch.

And yet, he’s still unwilling to answer the question directly?"



LINK

Updated On: 8/1/07 at 01:21 PM

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:27pm

Sounds like he's trying to pick and choose as it benefits him. He wants to be part of the executive branch when he wants to invoke privilege, but detaches himself from it when it makes his life uncomfortable.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:37pm

And Republicans and the media squawked about what the definition of "is" was...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:39pm

It's the Conservative Christian approach to the branches of government. Basically, he's in the executive branch when he wants to be and he's in the legislative branch when he wants to be. It's simple, really.

[DG]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:41pm

MisterMatt - if it is indeed the Christian approach, then he should just go for the Holy Trinity and declare himself a part of the Judiciary, as well.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:43pm

"It's the Conservative Christian approach to the branches of government. Basically, he's in the executive branch when he wants to be and he's in the legislative branch when he wants to be. It's simple, really."

And if you count his input into the hirings and firings of Federal Prosecutors, he's in the Judicial as well.

It's the GOP TRINITY!

ETA: Great minds think alike DG.

Updated On: 8/1/07 at 01:43 PM

[DG]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 1:44pm

JAG - birds of a feather . . .

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 3:10pm

I must admit the Veep sets a fine example for his supporters to follow.

Never answer a direct question. No matter how simple it is, or how easily it could be answered.

Posted: 8/1/07 at 4:37pm

If they have nothing to hide, why are they hiding EVERYTHING?