Vice President Cheney – “a lot rides on our President’s understanding of the security policies that preceded him. And whatever choices he makes concerning the defense of this country, those choices should not be based on slogans and campaign rhetoric, but on a truthful telling of history.”

Translation – “Sir, since you are President Campaigner, Community Organizer, may it be known that talking points to Cindy Sheehan won’t provide defense for our shores….”

Vice President Cheney – “For me, one of the defining experiences was the morning of 9/11 itself That was Flight 77, the one that ended up hitting the Pentagon. With the plane still inbound, Secret Service agents came into my office and said we had to leave, now. A few moments later I found myself in a fortified White House command post somewhere down below.”

Translation – “This could happen to you too, albeit the fact that the ‘secret’ command post is not so secret anymore….?”

Vice President Cheney – “Our government prevented attacks and saved lives through the Terrorist Surveillance Program, which let us intercept calls and track contacts between al-Qaeda operatives and persons inside the United States. The program was top secret, and for good reason, until the editors of the New York Times got it and put it on the front page. After 9/11, the Times had spent months publishing the pictures and the stories of everyone killed by al-Qaeda on 9/11. Now here was that same newspaper publishing secrets in a way that could only help al-Qaeda. It impressed the Pulitzer committee, but it damn sure didn’t serve the interests of our country, or the safety of our people.”

Translation – “Fighting terrorism is hard enough, having the Bolshevik press against us; although predictable, is an evil to overcome…”

Vice President Cheney – “Over on the left wing of the president’s party, there appears to be little curiosity in finding out what was learned from the terrorists. It’s hard to imagine a worse precedent, filled with more possibilities for trouble and abuse, than to have an incoming administration criminalize the policy decisions of its predecessors.”

Translation – none needed….