Cheney: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican

Nothing is a better illustration of the GOP's closed-tent mindset than what was revealed during Newsweek's interview with Dick Cheney.  The sitting Vice President admitted that he was notably frustrated with some in his party, such as Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), that have been speaking out in opposition to the Administration's policy in Iraq.

Here is that portion of the interview:

Q Senator Hagel said some pretty harsh things aboutthe administration yesterday. He said, there was no strategy. He said --

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  It's not the first time.

Q Well, he said it was a -- the "ping-pong game with human beings."  Do you have a reaction to that kind of comment?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I thought that Joe Lieberman's comments twodays ago before -- it was when the Armed Services Committee had GeneralPetraeus up for his confirmation hearings were very important. And Joebasically said that the plan deserved an opportunity to succeed that --I think this was Joe, if it wasn't Joe, one of the other members did --that we're sending General Petraeus out with probably a unanimous ornear unanimous vote, and that it didn't make sense for Congress tosimultaneously then pass a resolution disapproving of the strategy inIraq.

Q So you don't think Senator Hagel -- and now you dodged completelyresponding to his comments -- but they're not helpful to the cause andto the mission?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Let's say I believe firmly in Ronald Reagan's11th commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican. Butit's very hard sometimes to adhere to that where Chuck Hagel isinvolved.

Aside from Cheney no longer considering Hagel a Republican, this interview underscores what the Bush-Cheney Administration has done to the GOP.  If you recall back to 1996, the party nominated a traditionally conservative political veteran who knew how to both respectfully disagree and act like a true elder statesman.  Bob Dole showed both class and maturity during that campaign.  Although he lost the election to a very popular incumbent president, Dole set a very good example for his party.

Today, the situation is totally different.  The Bush-Cheney combination has set a terrible example as leaders of the Republican Party.  The fact that Republicans are not allowed to even criticize their own is a testament to how closed-minded and closed-tent this party has become in the opening stanza of this young century.

Comments

[George]

Too bad for mr VP that Hagel has more credibility in his finger nails than Cheney could ever have.

[Administrator: Todd]

I really do not know why the White House has not put a leash on Cheney. Every single time he agrees to an interview, the Vice President says something stupid that hurts Republicans. Strategically speaking, if I were the White House I would keep him out of trouble.

[George]

I'm pretty sure it's their version of good cop/bad cop.