Thread: Cheney says he doesn't care what the American people think

And to think, these are the people who launched a war on Iraq to establish democracy there...

Originally Posted by Kushna Mufeed

And to think, these are the people who launched a war on Iraq to establish democracy there...

Wow, that is irony.

To bad we don't have any documents or anything that start with something like "We the people..." or "for the people, by the people, of the people"

That is actually horribly misquoted. He did say "So?" when asked the question, but his response after that and to being asked about whether he cared were more elaborate than just a "So" or a "No." It was still the same general message from both, elaborated or not, but the responses weren't that simple.

In the actual interview, he didn't actually say the word "No", if I remember correctly.

Originally Posted by ExoByte

That is actually horribly misquoted. He did say "So?" when asked the question, but his response after that and to being asked about whether he cared were more elaborate than just a "So" or a "No." It was still the same general message from both, elaborated or not, but the responses weren't that simple.

In the actual interview, he didn't actually say the word "No", if I remember correctly.

I heard the interview, and it was not misquoted, and certainly not "horribly" so. He did say the word "no," so you do not remember correctly.

The full answer was:
CHENEY: No. I think you cannot be blown off course by the fluctuations in the public opinion polls.

Misquoted my ass. Just watch the video and tell me which words were incorrect.

Calm your ass down. Then I simply didn't remember correctly as I mentioned at the end of my statement. But it matters not, because its still misquoted as you didn't provide the full statement in the original quote.

I hate the guy too, but misinformation on either side is a problem.

Originally Posted by ExoByte

Calm your ass down. Then I simply didn't remember correctly as I mentioned at the end of my statement. But it matters not, because its still misquoted as you didn't provide the full statement in the original quote.

I provided the full video which included the original quote. Some people like to actually watch a video before commenting on it.

I have seen the video, which I've mentioned before. I simply made a mistake, I did say "If I remember correctly." This argument is pathetic, though it is entertaining seeing you get in a tither over a simple mistake.

The Majority of americans and Iraqies want the occupation of Iraq to end.

Originally Posted by ninja9578

Wow, that is irony.

To bad we don't have any documents or anything that start with something like "We the people..." or "for the people, by the people, of the people"

I know right! If only we had those! I guess the politicians would totally care about us then.

I saw that interview, and I loved his response. His point was that he is a leader and that effective leadership in a democratic republic works based on what makes sense to the leaders and not polls. I would have said the same thing. The interviewer made her comment as if public opinion should be enough to change the current policy. It is not. What has to be done has to be done. The people get to speak by not electing people who think like Cheney. That is how it works. I don't want poll driven leaders. I want true leaders.

Originally Posted by skysaw

I heard the interview, and it was not misquoted, and certainly not "horribly" so. He did say the word "no," so you do not remember correctly.

I just watched the video, and yeah, Cheney's a weasel, but presenting the exchange as, "You don't care what the American people think?" "No." is either deliberately misleading or a case of wishful listening. It seemed pretty clear he was saying, "No, that's not what I'm saying," not "No, I don't care." A faithful rendering of his response would be more like, "No, I think you cannot be--blown off course, by the fluctuations in the public opinion polls." The hesitancy is pretty significant.

Does Cheney care what the American people think? Only the ones in his tax bracket, I'd wager, but Exo's right, misinformation doesn't get us anywhere.

I have to agree with UM to some extent. The people normally only have power over their elected officials in an election(outside of an open revolt). In theory, congress should be very responsive to public opinion (House elections take place every two years) and, therefore, willing to oppose the president in order to get public-pleasing laws passed and wars ended. In theory, this should make the president and his advisers amenable to public opinion polls, but it isn't guaranteed. The president does have veto power, after all.

We're also talking about the vice president here. The vice president's authority is dubious at best. In theory, the vice president would have no reason to care about public opinion at all, since he can't act on his desire to oppose it or promote it. Without the power he currently wields, there would be no reason to really care what he thought either.

In this instance, however, Cheney does have considerable power, and his statement was an insult to 2/3 of the entire country. Opposition to public opinion isn't right in and of itself, and opposition to the Iraq war is not a "fluctuation." It's been solid for the last year, despite the "surge." To call it such implies that the people, by and large, are caught up in some kind of mass cowardice. In other words, we lack the intelligence or moral principles to agree with the war. He's said it before (he doesn't want us to "lose stomach for the war"), and he'll say it again.

I agree with UM that his response was perfect. AND, when he said no, he was not saying "no, I dont care", he was saying "no, this is what I think".

He's one of the living dead, animated only by pure evil.

HEY YOU GUYZ! WATCH DIS VIDEO AND TELL ME WAT U THINK (The badd spelling and all caps is for dramatice effect)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I (Its about cheney)

Originally Posted by dragonoverlord

HEY YOU GUYZ! WATCH DIS VIDEO AND TELL ME WAT U THINK (The badd spelling and all caps is for dramatice effect)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I (Its about cheney)

I've seen that. It definitely shows that the administration acted like a bunch of salesmen in getting us into Iraq, but that was the only way they could make the necessary war happen. It also shows that they did afterall expect what ended up happening. That is some excellent understanding of international relations Cheney showed. It makes me believe in the long term strategy even more.

...that was the only way they could make the necessary war happen.

Just out of curiosity, what makes you think that, UM?

Originally Posted by R.D.735

Just out of curiosity, what makes you think that, UM?

The war would have been too hard to sell if the administration had mentioned (in 2002 or 2003) the rough waters we would reach and are now in. If the public had understood where things would end up being for a long time, the public would have had a lack of belief in the mission, as they do now that they know about this difficult and chaotic transition phase. The public opposition would have pressured too many poll driven politicians in Congress to vote against authorization for the war. If that had happened, the war most likely would have never happened because there would have been too much disorder in the government for a president to get Congress voting against authorization and then send troops any way. He would have been recalled out of office.

If the administration explained the ultimate benefits of the war, wouldn't the public and congress have willingly supported it, even knowing the ultimate costs?

UM, everyone pretty much agrees that the war was a mistake now, including a lot of people who supported it to begin with.

Originally Posted by R.D.735

If the administration explained the ultimate benefits of the war, wouldn't the public and congress have willingly supported it, even knowing the ultimate costs?

I don't think they would have believed in the ultimate outcome if they had been told about the transition phase, which is exactly what is causing so much doubt now.

Originally Posted by Moonbeam

UM, everyone pretty much agrees that the war was a mistake now, including a lot of people who supported it to begin with.

Oh, they do? Then I change my mind now. I am against the war.

Good I knew you'd come to your senses.

This was when Clinton was the president, so he would have picked another company to rebuild Iraq.

Originally Posted by ninja9578

This was when Clinton was the president, so he would have picked another company to rebuild Iraq.

It was pre-9/11 and Hussein was still being given chances to comply with the ceasefire.