8.12.2006
W.House Defends Cheney on Remarks About Democrats (Reuters.com)
By Steve Holland
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney was unaware arrests in an alleged terror plot in Britain were imminent when he accused Democrats of being soft on national security, the White House said on Friday.
Democrats have accused Cheney of trying to use the arrests of suspects in the British plot to Republican advantage in November congressional elections in which control of the U.S. Congress is at stake.
Cheney said on Wednesday the defeat of Sen. Joe Lieberman in Connecticut's Democratic primary on Tuesday over his support of the Iraq war could embolden "the al Qaeda types" who believe the United States would cut and run if put under enough pressure.
Early Thursday, British authorities announced two dozen arrests in an alleged plot to blow up airliners using liquid explosives on flights from Britain to the United States.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement on Friday: "Once again, GOP (Republican) leaders are using terrorism and our national security as a political wedge issue. It is disgusting -- but not surprising."
He added: "Even more disgraceful is that when Cheney made those comments, he had been briefed on the Britain terror plot. There are simply no boundaries for these people. In their minds, our national security and their continued hold on power are one and the same. And they will stop at nothing to keep it that way."
(More ... W.House defends Cheney on remarks about Democrats | Politics News | Reuters.com) ¶ 20:43
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney was unaware arrests in an alleged terror plot in Britain were imminent when he accused Democrats of being soft on national security, the White House said on Friday.
Democrats have accused Cheney of trying to use the arrests of suspects in the British plot to Republican advantage in November congressional elections in which control of the U.S. Congress is at stake.
Cheney said on Wednesday the defeat of Sen. Joe Lieberman in Connecticut's Democratic primary on Tuesday over his support of the Iraq war could embolden "the al Qaeda types" who believe the United States would cut and run if put under enough pressure.
Early Thursday, British authorities announced two dozen arrests in an alleged plot to blow up airliners using liquid explosives on flights from Britain to the United States.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement on Friday: "Once again, GOP (Republican) leaders are using terrorism and our national security as a political wedge issue. It is disgusting -- but not surprising."
He added: "Even more disgraceful is that when Cheney made those comments, he had been briefed on the Britain terror plot. There are simply no boundaries for these people. In their minds, our national security and their continued hold on power are one and the same. And they will stop at nothing to keep it that way."
(More ... W.House defends Cheney on remarks about Democrats | Politics News | Reuters.com) ¶ 20:43
