The "walkback" ---> CIA: Panetta doesn't believe Cheney rooting for terrorist attack

[jefferson_dem]

CIA: Panetta doesn't believe Cheney rooting for terrorist attack
Posted: 04:07 PM ET

(CNN) – A CIA spokesman is sharply downplaying Director Leon Panetta 's recent comments that appear to question whether former Vice President Dick Cheney is hoping for another terrorist attack against the United States.

"The Director does not believe the former Vice President wants an attack," CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano said in a statement to CNN. "He did not say that. He was simply expressing his profound disagreement with the assertion that President Obama's security policies have made our country less safe. Nor did he question anyone's motives."

The statement comes days after the New Yorker published an interview with Panetta during which he said Cheney's recent criticism of Obama – including the decision to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba – show the ex-vice president "smells some blood in the water on the national security issue."

"It's almost, a little bit, gallows politics," said Panetta. "When you read behind it, it's almost as if he's wishing that this country would be attacked again, in order to make his point."

Cheney's office released a terse statement from the vice president Monday responding to the comments, saying "I hope my old friend Leon was misquoted."

"The important thing is whether or not the Obama Administration will continue the policies that have kept us safe for the last 8 years," Cheney said.

Vice President Joe Biden also appeared to distance himself from Panetta's comments Sunday, telling NBC "I don't question motive."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/15/cia-panetta-doesnt-believe-cheney-rooting-for-terrorist-attack/

[Marsala]

1. And yet the amazing thing is that Panetta was barely attacked by Republicans for that

The official elected Republicans mostly refused to comment on a line that, however true, was a bit outside the usual boundaries of discourse.

[JuniperLea]

2. This is freaking scary...

I pretty much predicted this earlier today:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3923783&mesg_id=3923838

What kind of crap did Cheney get on seemingly everyone during his stink as Vice Spy?

[glitch]

3. I don't think it's blackmail, I think it's a protection racket. nt

[JuniperLea]

5. I think of a protection racket as blackmail... eom

[glitch]

12. I think of blackmail as having something bad on someone and threatening to expose it.

Protection rackets don't require the victim to have some dirty secret, blackmail implies that they do.

[JuniperLea]

13. According to the word origin...

We're both right! I love when that happens:)

blackmail

Main Entry: black·mail
Pronunciation: \ˈblak-ˌmā(ə)l\
Function: noun
Etymology: black + 1mail
Date: 1552
1: a tribute anciently exacted on the Scottish border by plundering chiefs in exchange for immunity from pillage
2 a: extortion or coercion by threats especially of public exposure or criminal prosecution b: the payment that is extorted
— blackmail transitive verb
— black·mail·er noun

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackmail

[glitch]

14. Cool! Thanks for looking it up. :) nt

[Demit]

4. Not that much of a walkback, really. Panetta still got it out there.

He still 'profoundly disagrees' with Cheney's attempt to badmouth Obama's policies. Good. Cheney lost this confrontation, I think.

[Cha]

6. Leon already covered that..he said,

"It appears"..

[Thrill]

7. Another pussy Democrat. Why not stick to your guns?

wimp. Cheney has basically been going around saying the same thing about Obama.

[RayOfHope]

8. I know. I wish someone would stand up and say "Yep. I said it. I meant it. So there"

or something along those lines ;-) No backtracking allowed.

[SamCooke]

9. Wow, I just lost all respect for this guy. nt

[rvablue]

11. Really?!?!?!?! Quel Surprise. You'd think after yesterday you'd be lying a little low? n/t

[Cha]

10. Well, one thing in Leon's column is

..it's aleady out there and cheney can watch his fucking mouth from now on..He's fucking emboldening the enemy.

Leon could have made that point.

[Diamonique]

15. So it's OK for Cheney to say that Obama is making us less safe...

but it's not OK for Panetta to say it appears that Cheney wants us to be attacked?

Fuck Cheney!

[flpoljunkie]

17. This is the kind of crap our feckless media promotes. They are just about worthless!

[flpoljunkie]

16. No, Dick, waterboarding does not 'keep us safe.' It creates more terrorists who want to kill us.

"The important thing is whether or not the Obama Administration will continue the policies that have kept us safe for the last 8 years," Cheney said.

[Arkana]

18. Fuck.

I thought Panetta had balls.

[Canuckistanian]

19. Sounds like a phone call was made

And some vague inquiries about "the health of your family" were asked.