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Cheney Admits 'Wrong' on Iraq
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ShareJuly 31, 2007 5:54 PM
ABC News' Jennifer Duck Reports: Vice President Cheney rarely admits he's wrong. But when asked by Larry King if he was wrong in May of 2005 when he said the insurgency was in its "last throes," Cheney responded, "I think my estimate at the time -- it was wrong; it turned out to be incorrect."
"I thought there were a series of these milestones that would in fact undermine the insurgency and make it less than it was at that point. That clearly didn't happen. I think the insurgency turned out to be more robust," said Cheney in an interview that will air on CNN Tuesday night.
But Cheney doesn't think he is wrong on the Iraq policy and a number of other issues. King asked, "Don't you ever say maybe I'm wrong?" Cheney responded emphatically, "No, I think what we do is we look at it in terms of trying to decide what's the right thing to do, and weigh the evidence."
Cheney defended embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales whose resignation Democrats have called for following contradictions in congressional testimony over the firing of US attorneys and the Bush administration's domestic spying program.
"Al is a good man, a good friend, in a difficult assignment," he said.
However Cheney couldn't recall if he sent his "good friend" Gonzales, then White House counsel, and then-White House chief of staff Andy Card to a hospital in 2004 to push the spying program on then-Attorney General John Ashcroft. Ashcroft was in the hospital recovering from surgery after pancreatitis.
"I don't recall that I gave instructions to that effect," Cheney answered. "But certainly I was involved because I was a big advocate of the Terrorist Surveillance Program, and had been responsible and working with General Hayden and George Tenet to get it to the President for approval. By the time this occurred, it had already been approved about 12 times by the Department of Justice. There was nothing new about it."
The Vice President also voiced support for his former aide Eric Edelman who is now undersecretary of defense. Edelman was recently criticized over a spat with Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., who requested detailed contingency plans for withdrawing troops if Congress were forced to end the war. In a letter to Clinton, Edelman said she was reinforcing "enemy propaganda" by asking for pullout plans.
"I agreed with the letter Eric Edelman wrote," Cheney said. "I thought it was a good letter."
Cheney wouldn't speculate on whether the President will eventually pardon I. Lewis Scooter Libby, another former aide to the Vice President.
July 31, 2007 in Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (10)
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omg the world is coming to an end. Cheney admitted he was wrong and therefor human. God help us all may be there is hope yet. ( sarcasm intended)
Posted by: claude westervelt | Jul 31, 2007 9:19:26 PM
Gee, his mistake made him a few more million in Halliburton stock. We should all have such "mistakes"
Posted by: Buck Fush | Aug 1, 2007 7:09:34 AM
For someone who has no ambition to run for president therefore does not care about public opinion, it is still amazing to see how he would never admit to anything. It is an insult to those who put their lives in the line of fire in Iraq every day. Yes, they volunteer to join the armed forces. But, it is the responsibility of the commander in chief and his advisers to use the good wills and the resources of his country even more carefully. The country might be strong, but the resources are not unlimited. Respecting those solders' commitment to our country by admitting to great miscalculation and failure will be a good start. Don't forget who are the ultimate boss of this country, the people. President and vice-president are responsible to the people, and should listen to us. It's time to bring them home.
Posted by: Doug | Aug 1, 2007 9:22:15 AM
Wow! I never thought I would see Dick Cheney speak those words.
Posted by: Sean O'Brien | Aug 1, 2007 9:23:48 AM
you know what it is to late for them to admit to any wrong doing. they know before going in that this was wrong.i am not impressed with Cheney's statment. They will not change anything they will not listen to anyone.his own staff will some of them told him how many troops it would take to win this war and bush and cheney did'nt listen. that's why the extra troops are working. and bush and cheney want to pat themselve's on the back because of there success. please..it is just like bush and cheney to take credit for something they did'nt do. greg boone
Posted by: gregory boone | Aug 1, 2007 10:24:44 AM
His refusal to recognoze his mistakes is not really suprising. He is obviously in a severe state of denial and at this point he actually believes what he says as a psychological defense mechanism. If he were to accept reality, he would have to accept the fact that he lied and helped send 3600 troops to their deaths and tens of thousands more to the hosital and permanent disabilities. Could you possibly live with yourself knowing you had done that?
Posted by: LAguy | Aug 2, 2007 12:52:32 AM
That was typical gobbledygook non-denial denial from an administration that specializes in misinformation and deception. Invading Iraq was a bad idea and the excuses given for doing so were wrong. But Cheney will only admit to being wrong about the strength of the insurgeny...kinda sorta maybe. The man is a pathological liar and megalomaniac and he has far too much power.
Posted by: windrider | Aug 2, 2007 8:37:28 AM
Now that he admit that he is wrong, is he going to repay the taxpayers what it cost us in the Iraq war? Return his profits from Haliburton to the treasury.
Posted by: marc | Aug 2, 2007 10:07:00 AM
He "doesn't recall." It seems no one on the Bush-Cheney Crime Syndicate can recall anything important, can they. If they're senile and can't remember anything, they should be removed at once. I think they're simply lying to cover up their crimes.
Posted by: Kristen | Aug 4, 2007 9:37:26 PM
So Marc wants to know if Cheney is going
to repay the taxpayer what it cost us in the Iraq war.A more fitting question would hae been when will he and Bush go on trial
for the murder of thousands of innocent
Iraqis' and the deaths of hundreds of American troops.
Posted by: Solhaug | Aug 5, 2007 8:33:47 AM
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