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Corn on "Hardball": Panetta vs. Cheney

In the latest issue of The New Yorker, CIA chief Leon Panetta says of Dick Cheney:

I think he smells some blood in the water on the national-security issue. It’s almost, a little bit, gallows politics. When you read behind it, it’s almost as if he’s wishing that this country would be attacked again, in order to make his point. I think that’s dangerous politics.

Cheney today struck back, saying, "I hope my old friend Leon was misquoted."

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Hours later, the CIA put out a statement:

The Director does not believe the former vice president wants an attack. He did not say that. He was simply expressing his profound disagreement with the assertion that President Obama's security policies have made our country less safe. Nor did he question anyone's motives.

This explanation hung on a thin reed: that Panetta had said that it was almost as if Cheney wanted another attack, not that he actually desired one. Still, it did look as if Panetta had been brushed back by Cheney.

And Chris Matthews, Michael Isikoff, and I sliced and diced this episode on Hardball:

You can follow David Corn's postings and media appearances via Twitter by clicking here.

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Corn on "Hardball": Panetta vs. Cheney

Cheney in effect is saying "HEY TERRORISTS we are weaker now, hit us now and it will be easier than when George and I were the big kahunas".

It sounds like an invitation.

Not good for anyone to be saying.

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Cheney vs Panetta

Mr. Corn,

In light of the CIA's statement that CIA DIrector Panetta did not truly mean Ex-Vice President Cheney wished to see a terrorist attack on the USA; but that Cheney disagreed with the current thinking on defense against such a tragic happening might it now be fair to not condemn him with a chorus of bipartisan attacks?
It follows that your position can be summarized as:
Ex-Vice President Cheney might not be guilty of wanting a terrorist attack; but no one has proved otherwise.

Mr. Corn, your contempt for Cheney notwithstanding, you can and should do better than that.

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Panetta should stand by his original quote.

Given the disclosure of the torture memos from Cheney's office it's pretty clear those interrogation techniques (i.e. torture) did not make America safer. The last 8 years have been driven by fear drummed up by Cheney and the rest of them. Panetta should have stood by his original quote.

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THE OLD GOP IS NOW KNOWN AS CRAP

During the last 8 years the Cheney-Bush Autocracy redefined GOP = CRAP Communist Republican Anti-American Party for their betrayals of America while they sold out millions of American jobs and the wealth of America to communist china.

Today the newest CRAP leaders Cheney-Limbaugh-Gingrich-Palin have created the era of hatemongering, taking rhetoric to a their new water-boarding level.

Thus Panetta had to have been threatened with water-boarding by the new CRAP leadership.

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Cheney vs Panetta

I have never felt Cheeney (yes, this is the correct spelling), had any interest in this country or its' safety.
Lies, torture, deceit, war crimes; what more criminal activity do you require to see this is one of the guys who should locked up at Gitmo.

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His name is "dick" for

His name is "dick" for reason. His parents must have been clairvoyant. If there were an attack of any magnititude, it would have had to have been planned prior to Obama. In the end, the fact they have us going at each other over this is a shame, I don't ever remember reading anything like this being done to FDR in WWII, it would be treasonous! why the hell isn't he on trial for treason?

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Great comment, haha, yes his

Great comment, haha, yes his parents must have been clairvoyant. He is truly a dick.

Speaking of Dick, and his friends, a confederacy of dicks, what's up with Cheney and his Trilateral Commission friends, and all these creepy cronies at Bohemian Grove, Skull 'n Bones etc., and all these secret freak groups? Is it just grown men acting the fool or is there some other weird, covert agenda? Or is that "Conspiracy Theory?" GASP. Nah, I guess it would be soooo gullible of me to imagine something as far-fetched as wealthy, powerful people getting together and having a diabolical plan. Yeah, that could NEVER happen.... I must be a conspiracy buff. Should I have the blue pill or the red pill?

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This is why I don't watch

This is why I don't watch mainstream American TV... all overinflated egos and sensationalism.

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Really distressing.

It is really distressing to see these two men squabble. Personally, I think the former vice president should embrace his retirement and perhaps go fishing. casino online

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