Trib to Cheney: Skip Fox News and answer some questions

April 11, 2006

Considering that the [tag]Chicago Tribune[/tag] editorial page is pretty reliably conservative — it endorsed Bush twice — its exasperated editorial today was particularly welcome.

The conservative Chicago Tribune editorial board apparently is fed up with Bush administration’s explanations of its involvement in the ever-expanding CIA leak case. In an editorial on Tuesday it declared that Vice President Dick [tag]Cheney[/tag] had “been in his bunker long enough. It’s time for him to answer some questions — and not in the friendly venue of Fox News.”

Instead, he should appear at “an unscripted news conference” where he would take all questions from reporters.

After detailing the latest revelations about “Scooter” [tag]Libby[/tag] claiming that he had authority from Cheney and President Bush to leak a highly misleading portion of an intelligence documents to reporters in 2003, and denials from the White House, the Tribune observed, “So someone is lying. It could be that Libby acted on his own in leaking the information. It could be that Cheney told him to do so without the president’s approval. Or it could be that Bush was behind the leak. Those are questions that the Cheney ought to step forward and answer, along with questions about the unmasking of Plame.

The point of the editorial was effectively to call Cheney out, arguing that a “no-holds-barred news conference” would go a long way towards providing the country with information it deserves.

Needless to say, it’s a long shot. After all, where has Cheney turned for his recent interaction with “journalists”? Let’s see, from the last couple of months, Cheney has been willing to talk to [tag]Fox News[/tag]’ Tony Snow, CBS’s Bob Schieffer, Fox News’ Brit Hume, Laura Ingraham, and Rush Limbaugh. That’s it. Not exactly a confrontational bunch.

A press conference to help clear the air? Explain his role in the criminal investigation of the White House? Justify his role in authorizing the leak of classified information? I’m not holding my breath.

Then again, editorials like this can help push a media narrative, especially if there are hints that the White House is willing to throw Cheney under the bus.

New meme: Cheney needs to hold a press conference. Pass it on.

Cheney needs to hold a press conference. Pass it on.

Only if it is to announce his resignation. I don’t think we need to hear his spinning of events or worse, outright denials and “no comments during an on-going investigation…”.

As for the Tribune “calling Cheney out”, Pah! Where the hell was the Tribune editorial board during the Swift-boating of Kerry? During the run-up to the war with Iraq? Gutless corporate lackeys – the bunch of ’em.

  • “… the White House is willing to throw Cheney under the bus.” – CB

    Maybe after the election if they lose both houses, as a scapegoat. But Bush is not going to admit any policy errors before then, and that is just what Cheney leaving would imply.

    Still, I don’t even buy that scenario. Cheney’s being VP is the best reason not to impeach W.

    Of course, we could always impeach Cheney first 😉

  • I’m with Gridlock. No one lies more brazenly, boldly and consistently than Cheney. A press conference, even a “no holds barred” one, would only result in the usual “I can’t comment on that for security purposes” (Cheney likes using corporate-sounding words like “purposes”) as well as a few genuine howlers that only the blogosphere would note.

    When will the press realize that it’s not the opening question that puts Cheney and Bush on the spot, but FOLLOW-UP questions, which almost never get asked?

  • I’d only agree to a Cheney press conference if he would agree to fire his shotgun into the faces of five prominent Republicans before taking any questions.

  • I won’t hold my breath, if this is any indication.

    WASHINGTON – Greeted with a loud chorus of “boos” and some cheers, Vice President Dick Cheney threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ Major League Baseball home opener on Tuesday.

  • But Joe, I bet be’d have been a big hit if instead they’d had him shoot the hot dog cannon!

  • I guess because it was 2 months ago, it doesn’t count but Cheney did go on the Newshour with Jim Lehrer back in February. Although Lehrer asked intelligent questions, his lack of follow-ups made the interview only slightly more confrontational than his lovefests with Hume, et. al.

    http://mediamatters.org/items/200602090001

  • I’d watch the news conference if Cheney commits seppuku first. I always wanted to see what his lying guts looked like.

    Otherwise, I’ve got more important things to do.

  • Imagine the scene from the movie “Dave” when he (the faux president)admits wrongdoing, suffers an attack and dies.

    This is the kind of press conference that Cheny should hold.

    And Bush needs to munching on pretzels during his next one, too.

  • The Washington fans, thanks for giving Cheney some much needed feedback.
    Pretty soon even the quail will start booing him.

  • The conservative Chicago Tribune reads the polls. It knows that a Democratic tsunami is coming unless Bush’s approval rating gets better. The CIA leak case is working against BushCo and the Republican Party needs “a fall guy” for Bush. The underlying logical of the Tribune is this: Either Cheney can make case or Cheney can be that fall guy. The GOP knows that fear is in the air and it’s easy to smell as to passing by an Indiana pig farm.

  • serves me right, Joe, for going to the Yankee home opener. i missed my chance to make the same point.

    ok, i only wrote that to say that i went to the yankee home opener.

  • Chay-ney, Chay-ney, Chay-ney.
    One paper calling him out is not enough, Wheaties or not. He’s got some splainin too.

    What we do get from Richard these days is more like:
    erm, yes. No. I think what I’ve said speaks for itself. And my statements then are still more or less what I said at the time. So what I said is what I think is still the kind of information the American people need to know– So they can make informed decisions, based on what we, you know, thought at the time that they needed to know.

  • Greeted with a loud chorus of “boos”

    Whoa.

    I just watched the link to the video at Crooks and Liars. I thought that this was going to be just a few people, but it sounded like the whole damn stadium. It seriously sounds like every person in the place is booing him.

    I was going to write a Montgomery Burns joke in here, but it seems they were clearly booing the man, not the pitch.

    Holy shit.

  • Make Cheney sit in a room and answer every question that Helen Thomas can think of until she is done.. That would work for me. These men are crooks and they really thing the American public are idiots. Well…I don’t think so. I am so angry that I can’t even sleep!

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