Judge Orders Cheney Interviews Released, Cable News Producers Salivate

speculation

by Robert Quigley | 11:54 pm, October 1st, 2009

» 4 comments

For one thing: color. Turns of phrase, hesitations, a few swear words à la Cheney’s Patrick Leahy confrontation; these things are red meat for the cable cycle. One or two choice lines among hundreds of pages of documents could keep a dozen roundtables busy for hours. Remember “wise Latina?” Leave the obscure provisions for the blogosphere; stacks of Cheney investigation documents are begging to be boiled down to five bullet points, tops.

Cable cynicism aside, a shift of focus from health care to the deeds and misdeeds of Dick Cheney could be a boon for CNN and MSNBC, groping in the dark since Obama’s election. By bringing the national consciousness back to the bad old days of the Bush administration — and this could be a great excuse to remind everyone just how bad those old days were, and then some — the troubled networks could dig up clips of some of their best reportage and remind America why it used to need them.

Fox presumably would miss out in all of this, but it could play the media critic and pounce on all of the “important” stories other networks are missing out on, and lead the charge to defend Cheney’s reputation.

This isn’t a done deal yet — Sullivan’s decision can potentially be overturned by a court of appeals, and the DoJ is likely to fight on, given its fears of a chilling effect this decision could have over future investigations.

But if it stands, you know what you’re in for. In the you-can’t-make-this-up department, The Washington Post records that “At one point, the Justice Department argued that future officials might not want to talk to investigators if they knew that such interviews might ‘get on ‘The Daily Show” or be used as a political weapon.” Truth is, Jon Stewart is probably as fair a hatchetman as they could hope for.

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CaptainAmerica

Here’s a typical left wing article on Mediaite. Funny how the author fails to mention that his ‘messiah’ was at 65% approval back in May (when he says Cheney in a CNN poll was at 38%). Since then the ‘chosen one’ has dropped below 50% approval.

Cheney and Bush keep looking better and better everyday when compared to JIMMY CARTER II.

He also failed to mention the headlines at the time about Cheneys approval ratings going up as he attacked Obama, but hey, if he pointed that out it would hurt his “cause”.

And if CNN and MSNBC got ahold of these they would somehow start drawing ratings?! LOL They’ve been attacking Bush/Cheney this whole year (and leaving the chosen one alone). Thats why FNC is beating CNN/CNNHN/ MSNBC COMBINED in the ratings.

And as Obama continues to make this country far less safe, his ratings will continue to decline. He’s already shown he can’t stand up to the Russians (missile defense) and he’s losing the war in Afghanistan. Also, he’s letting Iran push us all around. He’s a weak weak President.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dan-Scerpella/1022068347 Dan Scerpella

This obsession with the Valerie Plame Affair continues to amaze me. Special Counsel Fitzgerald knew almost immediately who leaked Plame’s status to reporter Robert Novak. Richard Armitage a former Dep Secretary of State who was not an enthusiastic Bush supporter. The idea that the Bush Administration leaked Plames name to endanger her and her anti Bush husband is laughable. Leaking a CIA operatives name is a felony yet Armitage was never charged. And Joe Wilson’s credibility self destructed after his testimony before congress was proven to be false.

I guess continuing this poltically motivated obsession with Cheney beats explaining rising unemployment, defitcits, the national debt, Irans increasing boldness, and an economy that still hasnt turned around.
CaptainAmerica

Great points Dan and too bad Robert didn’t do a story on why the Plame’s were never charged with LYING BEFORE CONGRESS. They should both be in jail.
ImNotBlue

Remember… the Plame incident is important. The ACLU currently taking photographs of multiple CIA interrogators to show to detainees and prisoners, so they can “point out if someone hurt them,” isn’t. Sure, the current project is going after CIA agents who are ACTUALLY covert… but Plame is, um… might hurt a Republican… so it’s worthy!

Pah-thetic.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/20/AR2009082004295.html