Angler

[Patrick Degan]

On NPR's Fresh Air programme, Terry Gross is interviewing Bart Gellman, author of Angler, his new book about how Darth Cheny made himself the most powerful vice president in American history, in which is detailed, amongst other gems, how Cheny consciously lied and manipulated congressmen and intelligence experts into making a phony case for war in Iraq as a demonstration project for regime change. Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, who was one of Gellman's sources for the book, relates how he was wavering on the war until Cheny took him to a private residence, laid out all the maps and data which still didn't convince, then told Armey in strictest confidence that he, Cheny, had absolute information that Saddam Hussein was personally directing Al Qaeda operations with Osama binLaden and that Iraq was far advance in the project to miniaturise an atomic bomb, and that was what convinced Armey —who had been friends with Cheny for two decades and trusted his word as close friends are wont to do— to vote for the war. Armey states now he was lied to and that he wished he had voted against the war resolution.

Other items on the docket include how Cheny manipulated the tax proposals coming out of the White House to reflect his supply-side views and went out of his way to find every last loophole to mine out any legal justification behind the Chimp's signing statements which essentially tell Congress that the president isn't bound to the laws congress passes, and how Cheny wormed his way into an observer's role at NSC meetings.

[CaptJodan]

I heard some of it on the way home today, though only parts. It was interesting to hear about how he manipulated Dick Army (right spelling?).

[CaptJodan]

Moron Edit: It's spelled correctly right up there in front of my fucking face.

Armey. Sorry.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Is 'Angler' his secret service code name?

[anybody_mcc]

Is 'Angler' his secret service code name?

I think so. The author was also on Daily Show yesterday, even the scarce details that were mentioned there kind of surprised me. I thought that the Bush administration just lied officially, but they met privately with other politicians (even Republicans apparently) and lied to their faces. Not that it surprises me that much, but still.

[RedImperator]

The tragedy is that Armey was a rock-solid conservative Republican who could have provided political cover for the Democrats and skeptical Republicans to vote against the war. Deadeye Dick's lies may well make him the single most responsible person for the entire war.