Cheney: Romney 'only' man for foreign policy

KASIE HUNT, Associated Press

Friday, July 13, 2012

WILSON, Wyo. (AP) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney told Republican fundraisers Thursday night that Mitt Romney is the "only" man who can make the right decisions in unexpected foreign policy crises. The presumptive 2012 Republican presidential nominee called Cheney a "great American leader" — and didn't mention former President George W. Bush in a 20-minute speech to a country club reception.

Cheney said serving under four presidents taught him that a surprising international crisis is inevitable.

"When I think about the kind of individual I want in the Oval Office in that moment of crisis, who has to make those key decisions, some of them life-and-death decisions, some of them decisions as commander-in-chief, who has the responsibility for sending some of our young men and women into harm's way, that man is Mitt Romney," Cheney said to applause.

It was a strong endorsement from a man who has come to represent the neoconservative foreign policy wing of the Republican Party. Until Thursday, Romney had avoided appearing with Cheney or with Bush.

While Romney avoided mentioning the former president in remarks that were open to the press, he invoked Bush in a question-and-answer session with donors at a private dinner at Cheney's home. In remarks overheard by reporters standing outside the clubhouse, Romney contrasted what he called "President George W. Bush's freedom agenda" with President Barack Obama.

Cheney, who generally avoids retail politicking, is still a controversial figure because of his hawkish foreign policy stances and support for enhanced interrogation techniques — like waterboarding — that many consider torture. Obama banned those techniques after he took office.

Donors gathered Thursday night under a tent next to the driving range at Teton Pines Country Club, a golfing community where Cheney has a home. After Cheney introduced him, Romney praised the former vice president as "a great American leader."

Romney criticized Obama's domestic policies on health care and spending. "But the foreign policy mistakes, I believe, may be even longer lasting in their negative impact on the country," he said, but he did not specify those policies. In the past Romney has attacked Obama's policies on Iran, China and Israel, although he has praised the president for authorizing the raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden.

Romney raised more than $4 million with Cheney, long a strong fundraiser in part because of his popularity among the conservative Republican base. The Cheney-sponsored events in this resort area near Yellowstone National Park represent a welcome endorsement for Romney, who is eager to win over more of the party's base.

Cheney was hosting Romney at a private dinner at his Wyoming home after he posed for photos with Romney and the fundraisers who had flown from all over the country for the event. They were drawn either by Cheney or by the dramatic beauty of the mountains in this resort valley. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a national campaign finance co-chair, was in attendance, as were bundlers from Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma and New York, among other places.

Oklahoma City oil magnate Harold Hamm, frequently mentioned in Romney's standard campaign speech as an inspiring rags-to-riches example of American entrepreneurship, also attended. Hamm drove a truck to put himself through college before striking it rich in North Dakota.

"Harold's doing just fine, by the way. How you doing, Harold?" Romney called out, as the crowd laughed. "Forbes publishes his net worth on a regular basis."

Hamm is No. 78 on Forbes' list of the world's billionaires, worth $11 billion, according to the magazine.

Attendance at the dinner with Cheney cost $30,000, though many had already contributed that much before Thursday night's event. Cheney's red-doored home is at the end of a cul-de-sac and overlooks the golf course and the Grand Teton mountain range. The Secret Service had set up metal detectors on the back lawn in preparation for the dinner, and a tent for the dinner was erected near the 18th hole of the golf course close to the clubhouse.

Romney doesn't have a close personal relationship with the former vice president. While he speaks regularly with former President George H.W. Bush, Romney seldom refers by name to the most recent Bush to occupy the White House. On occasion he goes out of his way not to say Bush's name out loud and simply calls him "the predecessor" to Obama.

Romney has embraced Cheney in the past. Last year, he told an Arizona town hall that Cheney's "wisdom and judgment" would provide a model for choosing his own vice president.

Many of Romney's policy advisers were officials in the Bush White House. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently endorsed the former Massachusetts governor. On Thursday, Romney aides refused to comment on reports that Rice is a top consideration for vice president. Earlier this month, Romney's wife, Ann, said her husband was considering choosing a woman as a running mate.

Romney's visit with the GOP sage came as he was in the final stages of picking his No. 2. Cheney is familiar with the process: He was charged with leading Bush's vice presidential search in 2000 and ended up vice president himself. Romney has tasked longtime aide Beth Myers with leading his own vice presidential search.

Cheney has long struggled with cardiovascular disease, suffering a heart attack in 2010, his fifth since the age of 37. Now 71, he received a heart transplant earlier this year at a more advanced age than most patients.

Cheney's daughter Liz also attended Thursday's fundraiser. She recently bought a house in Wyoming, sparking questions about whether she plans to run for office. Her father was elected to six terms as a House member from the state.

More like this story

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Looks like a vote for Romney is a vote for an invasion of Iran. If Republican decision-makers are still taking Cheney seriously, a Romney presidency will include unjustified ground war, which means redistributing wealth from our wallets straight to their buddies' defense companies through secret, no-bid contracts. Billions of dollars will disappear into the desert, unaccounted for. Just like Iraq.

Meanwhile they'll make volunteer soldiers and National Guardsman fight the war on the cheap. Those defense contractors can't waste precious profits on body armor. They EARNED that no-bid contract, right? Just like Iraq.

Then, after the Republicans use the military to bolster their git-r-dun tough-guy cowboy image (maybe Romney will use his golden parachute to land on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to the sound of Lee Greenwood and Chinese fireworks), they'll spit on the soldiers who come home in need of education and health care, and call them wimps, just like they're doing right now.

And when it all goes wrong, like we all know it will, they'll blame "liberals."

The current incarnation of the Republican party is not conservative. They're wasteful. And now we're talking about the most serious waste of all... the lives of the young families who volunteer for military service. It's a travesty.

We're not going to get suckered into this again. Are we?

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Might be a better alternative than Obama. If he gets reelected, we can look forward to a continued invasion of illegal invaders walking through our borders as well as a war against Israel.

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Same fantacies as Sequoia...

JCLifer 10 months, 1 week ago

Cheney is not the one who has a problem with the Jewish people.

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Funny how Grace and the GOP scoff at the idea of "fairness" for the average person. If we're talking about we the people using our elected government to get a fair shake for the average person (you know, the real "risk takers" in our economy) as against powerful corporations who want to bleed us dry and sock it away in foreign accounts, then "fair" is a dirty word.

But when we're talking about powerful corporate warmongers using political connections to loot the Treasury at the expense of military families... well, goodness, we better be "fair." Better not be too intemperate in our comments.

That Sequoia sure is mean to poor old Haliburton. So unfair!

There are a couple four-letter words I'd like to use to describe what the conservative "movement" has done to our country, its traditions, its values and its ACTUAL HUMAN people on behalf of a few powerful individuals. "Fair" ain't one of them.

asb 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Is a constant demonization of progressive politics, to the point of painting them as a nearly satanic force for evil, fair? Sequoia's summary is brutal, but is also quite objective if one accepts the wrong in the leadup and rationalization for the Iraq war. Sorry Grace, you can't swing your cruel hammer against the left in nearly every post and then cry foul when a succinct and accurate appraisal of the neo-con and Teaparty American tragedy is laid before you. To paraphrase my favorite lefty bumper sticker, at length; They steal nearly half your wealth, make war against people with no previous ill will towards us strictly for a slightly higher profit, devalue knowledge and science enough to drop your nation way down in the technology race, dodge much of their taxes, send many of your jobs overseas, swallow and digest the wealth of small businesses, and generally do what they please with your money and government while calling any notice of all this class warfare, and frighten you about non-existant boogymen and evils so completely that you sill vote for them.

newone 10 months, 2 weeks ago

so when is the truth not fair?

Paroquet 10 months, 1 week ago

Heck, I'm pro retroactive abortion, negative population growth, and punishing people for not using birth control.

Kinda puts me on the sidelines, and at war with the Catholics and Evangelicals.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Okay, so now you want to play the game: "What if?" Are you serious? Let's see: What if Obama, during an hypothetical next term, finds a way to make the possession of handguns absolutely impossible? What if Obama, during a hypothtical next term, cuts the military to only 2% of it's present strength, thereby causing huge unemployment and an even deeper depression follows? What if Obama, during a hypothetical next term, orders the abortion of all potentially damaged children and then finds a way to expand the law and make retroactive abortions a matter of fact? What if Obamda, during a hypothetical next term, finds a way to enact the retroactive abortion of all over the age of 67? What a silly postulate you provide us, Seqouia.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

So is the original post by Seqouia. The difference is, I KNEW that some of my questions were silly, jjust as silly as Seqouia's "what if".

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

John, you're the one being frivolous. Obama has given no indication that he would do any of those things. No one on the left is begging him to do those things. You're making all those things up.

Whereas there is a strong contingent on the "movement" right that has been vehemently pushing a ground invasion of Iran. Real conservatives know that an invasion of Iran would be a terrible, terrible mistake.

During the 1990s, Paul Wolfowitz, John Bolton, Bill Kristol, etc. pushed George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton to invade Iraq. See for yourself. Look who signed this letter, and when:

newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm

George W. Bush put these signatories into his administration, and we got the Iraq War the far right was itching for LONG before September 11, 2001.

The same thing is happening now.

Make no mistake: A Romney presidency will mean a ground invastion of Iran.

Don't be a fool.

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Fear tactics? Really? Let's look at their own words.

Here's another opinion letter by the Project for the New American Century advocating "regime change" to turn Iran into a "liberal democracy" by urging the Bush administration "to demonstrate that its commitment to democracy in the Middle East extends to U. S. policy toward Iran."

newamericancentury.org/iran-20040224.htm

Sound familiar?

The same "think" tank that brought you the Iraq war wants to bring you the Iran War.

The only ones who win are the defense contractors who get the no-bid contracts that stay classified so we can't see how much tax money we poured into them.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Okay, so your diatribe is against President Bush. . . . he is no longer president. Now, you really want to play comparisons of past presidents?

FDR: socialist policies and give away programs to "help" end a depression that, all economists proclaim, was well on its way to ending and that FDR's policies may have lengtheend the recovery.

Truman: (as much as I liked him personally) dropped the Atomic bomb.

JFK: Bay of Pigs attrocity, more socialist programs, Francis Gary Powers attrocity (no protection of our military), Viet Nam.

Johnson: Even more and larger socialist programs, LARGER Viet Nam, Peace Corps, he was on the verge of bankruptcy when entering office and yet, due to even larger appearance in Viet Nam, Lady Bird (legally because it was her and not him) made a fortune buying Bell Helicopter stock. Hmmmmm

Carter: Gave away our interest in the Panama Canal, because he didn't think it was fair that Panama signed an agreement in perpetuity when the Panama Canal was built by the U.S!

How much more "what if" and comparing things of the past do you want?

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

This is not about Bush. This is about Romney, the conservative "movement," and the past repeating itself.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Okay, so you are not a trained historian so I will give you a free lesson. The "past" never "repeats itself."

Nothing is ever identical as to events in the past. Therefore, your postulate is absolutely silly.

You used President Bush in your diatribe to justify your thinking as to what kind of presidency we would experience with Romny. By invoking the Bush name you invited a comparison of the past. . .

Neither you nor anyone else has a crystal ball and can look into the future. All we know for sure (us conservatives, at least) is that we do NOT want another Obama term because of the damage he has done.

As to the rest of what I wrote, I stand by. You make fun of people simply because they are conservative. You make fun of and call conservatives names because they disagree with you. Then you turn around an write of how mean, unfair, etc etc. etc. ad nauseum, conservatives are.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Uh . . . Hank . . . do you not know that Samuel Clemons was a novelist and humorist? By their very nature, humorists and novelists do NOT deal in reality.

There is no comparison between Sequoia's posts and Grace's. While I do not always agree with Grace nor do I always agree with anyone in here, it is still apparent that the liberal faction(s), at the end of the rhetoric, when their lack of reality finally comes to an end, they resort to name calling. You have done this in the past and have continued to do so . . .

asb 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Uh, John, do you not know that most of Fox's "reporters," Limbarf, Beck, and the rest of FRight wingnut fear media deal far less in reality than Clemons did routinely, and you have no trouble parroting their filth.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

ASB: There you go, proving what I wrote earlier. You cannot win a debate with logic and facts so you accuse me of doing something I have never done.

I do not think I have watched the FOX affiliates more than 3 or 4 times in my life, nor do I listen to a FOX radio station; ergo, I do not "parrot their filth."

Thanks, Grace, for catching my typo. I would not want some of the liberals using such a typo as a way of denigrating me or other conservatices in the future. LOL

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

I don't make fun of people for being conservative. I am conservative myself.

I do criticize people whose loyalty to the conservative "movement" and their desire to be against Obama or against "liberals" overcomes their willingness to see the reality that is right in front of their nose.

But there is nothing "fun" about it. This isn't a game to me. This is serious. In the case of war with Iran, it is deadly serious.

I've never criticized "conservatives" for being "mean" or "unfair." Show me where I've done that. All our posts are archived. I dare you. Talk about a straw man.

You must be confusing me with the "liberals" that the conservative movement tells you how to argue with. When you're able to step to me with an original thought instead of a misuse of the term "straw man," we might get somewhere. No, I've only ever criticized conservatives for joining an ideological "movement."

Conservatives don't join movements. We try to see things as they truly are. I didn't buy the lie that we needed to invade Iraq. I didn't buy the lie that Sarah Palin was qualified to hold high office. I don't buy the lies that Obama is a tax-and-spend "liberal." (That's a topic for a different article, but I'm sure we'll get there between now and November. Stay tuned.).

Maybe Romney wouldn't invade Iran. But, he said he is a "severe" conservative, and there are plenty of self-described "severe" conservatives at the Project for the New American Century and elsewhere who want to invade Iran. I don't really know what "severe conservative" means, but I do know that the last time we had a Republican in the White House, he took his foriegn policy advice from the PNAC. And now Romney is taking advice and money from Cheney and his buddies. THE SAME PEOPLE. That's all the evidence I need. I have no desire to take the chance of finding out when our kids are getting their deployment notices and it's too late.

We've seen this movie before, and I've seen enough.

It is time for real conservatives to take back the Republican party. Until they do, Obama is the only conservative choice.

RobHunterJohnson 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Grace, If President Obama spent 6 trillion, who spent the 10 or 11 trillion we spoke about in another post? Rob

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Oh, this one is gonna leave a mark...

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

And you know that, how?

By the way, Is a ground invasion of Iran any different that what is going on in Afghanistan right now? How is it any different or any worse that the agreement vetted by POTUS that we will provide a military presence in Afhhanistan for the next 10 years (at least)?

Please, do not call me a fool when you are the one willing to vote to continue the same garbage we have had for 4 years over someone more conservative (barely I will admit) based purely upon a "what if" scenario.

Before you even go there: George Bush is no longer POTUS. If lObama is going to end the "war" we are presently fighting, then he missed his chance BEFORE he signed the agreement obligating us for 10 more years of military presence in Afghanistan. . . .

By-the-way, you imply that only President Bush had people urging him to act, move, or begin things in a certain way. Please, do not be so naive to believe that EVERY president has not had the same type of advisors -- at least President Bush's advisors were not socialist and communist. . . .

You, who have all the answers for the woes you proclaim Jefferson City has, now explains how you and your cohorts on here can solve all the problems of this country as well. . . . if only everyone would listen to you! Then you call others who disagree names like "fool" or proclaim Graceful; to be some kind of id*^t or other vile things. . . . all because we do not agree with you.

Then you proclaim the conservatives are mean, unkind, and unfair. You are a real piece of work, Sequoia, you and your cohorts are true pieces of work. . .

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

You don't have to agree or disagree with me. The movement right's desire to invade Iran is right out there for all to see. They don't hide it.

If you don't see the difference between fighting a war in Afghanistan and fighting a war in Afghanistan AND Iran, then, yes, you are a fool. Not because you disagree with me, but because you put your need to be anti-Obama ahead of basic common sense.

Certainly every president has advisors. I'm sure Obama had people advising him against the raid that killed OBL, or who advised him to send ground troops into Libya, or who advise him to invade Iran.

I'm thankful that now in these times of crises we have a president who has the guts to take smart chances but who is still responsible and careful enough to reject obviously bad ideas.

I wish I could be confident that Romney would be so smart and careful. But if he's taking advice from Dick Cheney, then I have no confidence in that whatsoever.

We have a clear choice in this election. The liberal foreign policy of Dick Cheney and the Iraq War, or a truly conservative foreign policy that killed Osama Bin Laden and quietly turned the tide in Libya while sparing our military families another desert adventure.

Take your pick.

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

When do we invade Syria and Egypt?

I thought Obama was gonna get us out of the Middle East and close Guatanamo as soon as he got into office? What happened to that plan? Why are we now in Afghanistan?

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

My goodness you are good with building straw men arguements. You KNOW that Obama is a liberal, he even claims to be liberal, but you want to squirrel things around in an attempt to steal votes by confusing people. That is almost as good as Illinois democrat politics of having the dead vote.

Believe me, I have seen (actually been involved) in several wars. The point was nnot that we should or should not invade Iran. The point was you have no way of knowing what a Romney term would bring.

It was also interesting that you chose to ignore explaining your Obama buddy's reluctane to get out of Afghanistan and who, instead, chose to EXTEND the war in Afghanistan by 10 years.

Yes, you and your buddies like to build straw men and then, when that doesn't work, resort to name calling.

asb 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Illinois democrats and their poorly documented dead voters, as much as I've lampooned them over the years, can't hold a candle to the cracker states' constant attempts to disenfranchise live traditionally democratic voters. And really? Several wars? You must be a general or a super spy. Obama has chosen to honor our commitments in Afghanistan, which I'll always hold against him, but you'd have him cut and run? You and YOUR ilk (a superior snark to buddies) define the art of red herrings, strawmen, and fear baiting, all smothered in a fine sauce of name calling. No hypocracy here eh?

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

You start name-calling again . . . do you have any idea at as to how denigrating and offensive the term "cracker" is? I feel that you probably do and use it to inflame things rather than deal with logic and truth.

"Cut and run"? Cut and run from what? Russia's problems in Afghanistan should have been sufficient warning to us not to get involved. "Cut and run" from what? You and your liberal cohorts made it very clear that the troubles in Afghanistan were not our troubles. Why now do you now support the loss of our (U.S.) military personnel? You really should not mix metaphors; "red herring" was a term used to denote communist era straw men. Again, all you and your liberal buddies (a legitimate word, has no connotation to "ilk" or other demeaning names) regularly build straw men to avoid answering the question. Now you would have us believe that Obama "chose to honor our commitments in Afghanistan" by EXTENDING our military presence? I was not aware that we (the U.S.) had committed to a specific length of time nor to a specific conclusion? Please explain than instead of building straw men. By the way, no, I am not a "gdeneral" or a "super spy." However, this is furthier indication of your historical knowledge (virtually nil), if you do not know that there have been multiple wars in which our military has been involved in the last 50 years. By the way, another example of denigrating statements and name calling when you do not like to debate in a logical and truthful manner.

Littleinvestor 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Guard and Reserve members in Missouri and I suppose other states are being notified that Congress intends to cut their pay in half. Would make a war with Iran "cheaper."

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Yes, we are hosed either way the election goes.

So sad...

newone 10 months, 2 weeks ago

I agree JCLIfer, both are going to mess things up even more, but at least with the Democrats they won't be killing thousands of service men and women in a war that should have never happened to begin with. Just have to pick the lesser of two evils and right now Obama has my vote again!

spelchek 10 months, 2 weeks ago

"Just have to pick the lesser of two evils and right now Obama has my vote again! " -- What part of terrible economic growth and 8.2% unemployment do you like? Which part of billions spent on "shovel ready jobs" that never came to fruition did you like? Which part of getting taxed (largest middle class tax hike ever) for not buying government health care do you like? Which part of Obama criticizing Romney for risking his own money while Obama is risking yours do you like? -- Insanity: doing the same thing over again and expecting different results

dokeus6 10 months, 2 weeks ago

What gets me about your posts grace is that you think every one is blind. You think that we can't go find the truth about what is really happening in the news on the internet. Typical right wing trappings. Think the typical American is ignorant and we will pull the wool over there eyes.

dokeus6 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Only in your world grace, only in your reality is anything that you post is true.

Littleinvestor 10 months, 2 weeks ago

If Grace shows up at our place, we'll be ready for her. Actually, a small group of us have a contingency plan for the rebellion/revolution we believe is coming, including food, shelter, fuel and a variety of ways of protecting ourselves from the rest of you. We're hunters with farming backgrounds and fully capable of living off the land and under the radar as much as possible.

connor 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Why I do not agree to any involvement in a foreign conflict especially sending our children in as has been done in Iraq, Afghanistan, and recently at least in the air over Libya. I think it is pretty funny that someone could say it is strictly a GoP maneuver to do so after the last few years.

I also find it funny that so many lefties like to point at military spending as so great when on a national basis we spend more on pensions, education and healthcare individually per area than we do on defense. So far for 2012 we have spent 1 trillion on Pensions, 1.1 trillion on healthcare and .9 trillion on education. defense spending is at .9 trillion currently but almost always falls behind education by the end of the year.

Defense spending is the only spending of the three the federal government actually has a basic Constitutional right to participate in if you want to get right down to it.

Since the "Golfer in Chief" Openly admitted to working towards gun control "Under the radar" John's comments are more accurate than many want to admit. At least in that regard.

He (The Golfer) also stated that a civilian force was needed that was "Just as strong as the military" So again not a far jump by John's what if scenario for military reduction there either.

So on one hand you can claim the GoP is sliding money to the defense industry or you can look at the facts and realize that both parties are sliding most of our money into Cadillac public service pensions, useless money holes of educational spending and redistributed healthcare costs. Along with either the GoP's favorite military industrial complex or the Progressive Democrat's favorite Green Energy companies that go bankrupt taking our money with them.

connor 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Typical liberal dismissal of the truth. It's the only way they can follow their path without the double standards making them tear their own eyes out.

RobHunterJohnson 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Grace, Reagan-Bush1 left Clinton 4 Trillion in Debt,(1/93) Bush 2 inherited 5 Trillion,(1/01) and Obama inherited 10 Trillion. (1/08). Lets do some math factored by Presidents, that is where your 10 trillion came from, and Bush 2 left one GiNormis mess as well when he closed up shop! Do you plan on using Medicare? Rob

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (crfb.org/), the percentage increase in average annual federal spending during the Obama administration is 2.4 percent. That's the lowest since President Truman.

Get that? Obama has been the most fiscally conservative president since Truman. That's the fact. Don't buy the lie.

We didn't need to invade Iraq. Sarah Palin wasn't qualified. Obama is not a reckless spender.

We're not stupid. You can't keep lying to us like this.

connor 10 months, 2 weeks ago

LOL Average Federal Spending? Try Discretionary spending you know the part where he gives a company money before it goes bankrupt because one of his financial supporters or bundlers is invested in it.

Or uses it to support yet another executive order to by pass congress so he needs the funds.

RobHunterJohnson 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Grace, I still wondering about you, so many others like you (Tea Party) and MEDICARE? Rob

RobHunterJohnson 10 months, 1 week ago

Grace, Thanks for the reply. I have to agree with Hank, Medicare will be there for you and all of us. You are just one illness, or one car wreck from a finacial catastrophy. Supplemental insurance for Medicare part B (my Mother) is a $450+ a month, and by the way I have to turn her air conditioning down everytime I go over. I also turn FOX TV down too! Rob