Cheney at National Press Club
Jun 3rd, 2008 by Micah Tillman | 2 Comments |
Paraphrases of Vice President Cheney at the National Press Club yesterday:
On the gas tax:
Lowering it is an excuse for politicians to pretend they’ve done something about the price of oil without actually fixing the problem: the law of supply and demand works, and developers in the US are being kept from using the supplies available in the US (e.g., off-shore drilling, ANWR).
On the most difficult thing he’s had to deal with as VP:
The press, given his role as (primarily) an adviser to the President. Since he runs nothing (unlike a cabinet Secretary), all he can do is advise. But he can’t talk about the advice he gives after the fact. Which means he can’t talk to the press about what he does. Which makes him seem secretive.
On being compared to Darth Vader:
Mrs. Cheney says it “humanizes him.”
On whether he’ll write a book:
Maybe. Says he always said he got this job because he didn’t write about his previous.
On being related to Barack Obama:
It’s true, but says he doubts Obama would want a family reunion before November. Cheney might “whisper in his ear, and change his whole view of the Middle East.” (Quoting as best I can remember.)
On his family tree:
Mrs. Cheney also discovered that he is descended from Cheneys on both his father’s and mother’s sides — and he’s not even from West Virginia. (Audience laughs in the, “ouch”/”I can’t believe he just said that” way. Cheney says, you can say things like that when you’re not going to be running for office.)
Moderator delightedly declares him to have been a “charming” guest. (I believe “charming” was the word.)
HA! This amuses me. :D
I was surprised to be amused as well. VP Cheney ain’t usually the amusing type. . . .