http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/24/...eahy/index.html

Cheney curses senator over Halliburton criticism

Thursday, June 24, 2004 Posted: 7:19 PM EDT (2319 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Typically a break from partisan warfare, this year's Senate class photo turned smiles into snarls as Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly used profanity toward one senior Democrat, sources said.

Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who was on the receiving end of Cheney's ire, confirmed that the Vice President used profanity during Tuesday's class photo.

A spokesman for Cheney confirmed there was a "frank exchange of views."

Using profanity on the Senate floor while the Senate is session is against the rules. But the Senate was technically not in session at the time and the normal rules did not apply, a Senate official said.

The story, which was recounted by several sources, goes like this:

Cheney, who as president of the Senate was present for the picture day, turned to Leahy and scolded the senator over his recent criticism of the vice president for Halliburton's alleged war profiteering.

Cheney is the former CEO of Halliburton, and Democrats have suggested that while serving in the Bush administration he helped win lucrative contracts for his former firm, including a no-bid contract to rebuild Iraq.

Cheney's office has said repeatedly that the vice president has no role in government contracting and has severed all financial ties with the Texas-based oil services conglomerate.

Cheney was chief executive officer of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000. He resigned when he became George Bush's running mate.

Responding to Cheney's comment, Leahy reminded him of an earlier statement the vice president had made about him. Cheney then replied with profanity.

Leahy would not comment on the specifics of the story Thursday, but did confirm that Cheney used profanity.

"I think he was just having a bad day," said Leahy, "and I was kind of shocked to hear that kind of language on the floor."

Kevin Kellems, a spokesman for the vice president, said, "That doesn't sound like the kind of language that the vice president would use, but I can confirm that there was a frank exchange of views."

CNN's Steve Turnham contributed to this report.

Hmmm.... I didn't see Hannity, O'Reilly, etc. come out and say Cheney was "unhinged", "over the top", "crazy", "not very Vice Presidential", or anything. However, they all jumped on Gore today for a speech that spoke only of the truth. I give up.

Of course they won't. Instead Fox News and all the other conservative media outlets seem to act like it was justified. After all, Cheney said he felt better after he made his remarks. (That was on his interview with Fox News) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,123794,00.html

If it was the other way around and Leahy told Cheney FU, you would be hearing all types of outcry from the GOP and the White House.

The Washington Establishment is concerned about the partisan tone?

But seems like Dick Cheney just set the tone.

So much for bringing civility back to Government. :mad:

Congrats to Cheney for standing up to the slanderous lies.

Sen. Clinton: Cheney Needs Anger Management for 'F-Word' Outburst In the Northwest: Upbeat and personal with Hillary Rodham Clinton --by Joel Connelly "[Clinton] responded strongly yesterday to an incident on the Senate floor last week in which Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney walked away from Sen. Pat Leahy after unleashing a vulgarity involving the 'f-word.'... 'For the vice president [sic] to use his position, as president of the Senate [sic], to insult a senator and then be unapologetic about it introduces a level of discord into Senate procedure that is unfortunate.' The 'gentlewoman from New York' suggested that Cheney enroll in an anger management course."

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/180087_joel30.html

"A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious."...Aristotle.

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."...Jesus Christ

"Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations."...Thomas Jefferson

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms."...Samuel Adams

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."...Abraham Lincoln

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."...Teddy Roosevelt

"The Buck Stops Here."...Harry Truman

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."...Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."...John F. Kennedy

"Throughout history, government has proved to be the chief instrument for thwarting man's liberty."...Barry Goldwater

"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier!"...George W. Bush

"F*** Yourself!"...Dick Cheney

Bars of Soap for Cheney!

Anita sends us this incredible idea from none other than ABC Radio/Air America's Satellite Sisters:

The Sisters first thought there should be a Million Mom March on Washington to protest Dick Cheney's potty-mouth ... but after deciding that every mom they knew was way too busy for that sort of adventure, they then came up with a better idea: get every mom (or Dad) in America to send him a bar of soap, with which to cleanse his yap.

What do you say? We'll come up with a name for it - "Soap for the Dope" is nice. Here's his address (although I'm only guessing at the actual bunker number):

Soap for the Dope
ATTN: Vice President Richard Cheney
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Bunker 14-C
Washington, DC 20501

http://hoffmania.blogspot.com/2004_06_27_h...869474560971543

You know that F word can be so offensive and if the FCC hears you say it on the airwaves they can fine you 3 milllion dollars so how about if you are really mad at someone, say, "Go Dick Cheney yourself." Or if someone is bothering you say, "Go Dick Cheney off." And if you accidentally hit your thumb with a hammer, instead of the S word you can say, "Halliburton!"

Wife Says Cheney's Cursing Was Out of Character
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lynne Cheney said on Sunday her husband, Vice President Dick Cheney, was acting out of character when he used the "F-word" on the Senate floor last month.
She said the vice president's heated discussion with Sen. Patrick Leahy, in which he cursed the Vermont Democrat, was meant to be a private exchange.
"He was sorely tried, if I may say so, by someone attacking his integrity and then pretending to be his best friend. I think that's what set it off," Lynne Cheney said on CNN.
"The way Dick did it, it was a private comment. You wouldn't know it from the amount of publicity that it's garnered," she said.
Cheney was overheard telling Leahy to "go f--- yourself" after the senator said hello to him on June 22 following the taking of the Senate group photo. Leahy had earlier criticized alleged war profiteering by Halliburton, the oil services company Cheney once ran.
The vice president later told reporters he had no regrets about the outburst. Still, Lynne Cheney said her husband was not prone to cursing.
"He is such a good man, and more likely to say, 'Put a sock in it' if he's really tried," she said. "I can understand when people are pushed to extremes, that in a private setting they might say something unusual."

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?t...storyID=5637368