Cheney Hauls In More Gifts Than Bush

Reporting Gifts, President Received $12K, VP $22K; Both Are Millionaires

(CBS/AP)  President Bush likes to fish, so people aiming to impress him often go that direction. Last year alone, he was given three rods and three reels along with assorted other equipment to the tune of more than $2,600. That's in addition to at least eight other rods he's received as gifts during his presidency.

On the other hand, Mr. Bush is only an occasional golfer. But that didn't stop his friend and 2004 campaign finance chairman, Mercer Reynolds, from giving the president a $915 set of new clubs and covers last year.

Mr. Bush turned 60 in 2006, which helped him clean up in the gift department.

He received at least 20 worth a total of $12,364, according to the financial disclosure forms the president and vice president are required by law to file each year. The reports, made public Tuesday, give a broad picture of officials' wealth — listing assets, non-governmental income, transactions and financial arrangements as well as gifts in an attempt to provide some transparency about potential conflicts of interest.

"And how about this from the White House Medical Unit?" asks CBS News correspondent Mark Knoller: A book titled "Lightly on the Land: The Sea Trail Building and Maintenance Manual." It came with a shirt, hoes and chainsaw sharpener. Total value: $440.

There is no limit on the size of gifts a president or vice president can receive from a U.S. citizen. They must report only those valued at $305 or more — as well as multiple presents over $100 from the same giver, if their cumulative total exceeds $305.

The president's take might look familiar to many men: a pile of ties, shirts and socks, plus a lot of sports equipment. Athletic shoes, jackets and shirts were popular buys for Mr. Bush in 2006.

His staff gave him two wooden benches, made for $1,600 from trees on his Texas ranch, for Christmas as well as cufflinks on his birthday in July.

Vice President Dick Cheney sprung for a $658 wireless weather station as a Christmas present for his boss, known to enjoy getting outdoors to hack at brush or ride trails. The president received another of the devices, this one a $157 model, from Bush mega-fundraiser James Francis Jr. and his wife, Debbie, a longtime friend of Laura Bush. Knowing where the commander in chief gets his thrills — on his bike — Cheney also gave President Bush a $400 personal trainer and cycle computer for his birthday.

Apparently the president and his No. 2 were thinking alike. At Christmas, Mr. Bush presented Cheney with $667 worth of instruments to measure temperature, barometric pressure and tides.

Cheney's gift haul was sizably bigger than the president's.

He received at least 15 presents totaling $21,674 in 2006, many reflecting the vice president's Wyoming roots and love of outdoor pursuits. They included three fishing rods of his own worth $2,975, $615 leather hunting boots, a $400 cowboy hat and a $7,200 bronze sculpture of a Cheyenne warrior. That was the most expensive gift reported by either President Bush or Cheney, says Knoller. The White House's senior staff ponied up $778 to buy him an iPod and compact disc collection.

It is unclear from the reports whether President Bush or Cheney are much better or worse off financially than a year ago because officials are required to list each asset's value only in very wide ranges, rather than precise numbers. But the documents suggest little substantial change in 2006 from years past, in both the value and type of their holdings.

Mr. Bush earns about $400,000 a year as president, while the vice president makes slightly more than $200,000. Both are wealthy men outside those generous salaries, but Cheney is far richer.

The president and his wife, Laura, are worth at least $7.54 million, including the 1,583-acre ranch in Crawford, Texas, valued at $1 million to $5 million.

President Bush reported having at least $3.6 million in Treasury notes, $710,000 in certificates of deposits, $168,000 in checking and money market accounts, $151,000 in retirement accounts and at least $1 million in investments held in a blind trust. He disclosed owning GWB Rangers Corp., worth $116,000, a tree farm worth $776,000 and mineral rights valued at up to $15,000 on property in Reeves County, Texas.

Cheney and his wife, Lynne, listed assets including at least $10.5 million in bond funds and more than $5.1 million in equity funds. The vice president reported more than $1.5 million in checking and money-market accounts, as well as an undeveloped property in McLean, Va., outside Washington, worth $1 million to $5 million.

He also reported at least $3.7 million in retirement benefits and stock options.

[torocaca]

"The Clinton's backed up the U-haul to the White House when they left, taking hundreds of items that legally were the property of the U.S. and all of us. These hillbillies were caught in the act and forced to return the items. THIEVES."
Posted by mbcsmith at 09:47 AM : May 16, 2007

Yeah, right! If you believe that then you will believe that, while at Halliburton, Cheney was a client of the escort service of DC Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

It's appearing in several blogs and was mentioned on the Letterman show tonight. It would be poetic justice that, after all the criminal ***** this pair has pulled, this proves to be true. LOL!! At least it will be entertaining.

Search on "cheney prost titute" (take out the space).

[colonieny]

This is a shocking non story reported to fill air, negatively. Can you imagine CBS doing the same to Clinton and Gore. They surely had gifts, and must have had one more than the other.

CBS reports. "GORE HORDE OUTSHINES THE PREZ ! MRS. CLINTON FUMES AS THE TRUCKS LOAD PRESIDENTIAL GIFTS." NEWS AT 6 WITH KATIE CURSIVE.
FOLLOW BY...PIZZA BOMBERS WERE JUST A RAG TAG BUNCH, WHAT'S THE FUSS ? AS MS. PELOSI AND CBS.
FOLLOWED BY...SINGLE SHOOTER KILLS 36 AT UNIVERSITY. IS IT TIME TO BAN ALL GUNS ? WHAT WENT WRONG AT THE WHITE HOUSE TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN ? WHO WAS ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL ?

For the single shooter, banning guns. For a whole bunch of ISLAMIC Terrorist in our neighborhood with tons of guns, no threat. Just Pizza guys. Wow. Downplay those terrorist. (sung to the tune of Swing LOW SWEET TERRORISTS)

THE KEY::: READ THIS """""""


It is very difficult to confront real EVIL for liberals, lefties and CBS, better to confront guns, second hand smoke and transfats.

[randalds]

"Reporting Gifts, President Received $12K, VP $22K; Both Are Millionaires"

Of course neither of them are reporting all of the "gifts" from the oil companies, war contractors and pharmaceutical companies deposited in off-shore bank accounts. I mean surely no one thinks they did this job just for their paltry salary! Not when there are kickbacks and bribes to be had at the expense of the American taxpayers like the prescription drug hand out to the drug companies, the "Energy Policy" which was nothing more then multi-billion dollar corporate welfare and worst of all this whipped up war for profit in Iraq! Hell that last one alone probably netted them $100 million each easy!

[randalds]

The Clinton's backed up the U-haul to the White House when they left, taking hundreds of items that legally were the property of the U.S. and all of us. These hillbillies were caught in the act and forced to return the items. THIEVES.
Posted by mbcsmith at 09:47 AM : May 16, 2007

This is one of the biggest right wing urban legends. Of course like most urban legends there's not even one shred of truth to it. The Clinton's took nothing that wasn't theirs and any myths to the contrary are just that, myths.

[colonieny]

this is a news story ?

How about talking about the Kennedy Family Trust FUND in TAHITI, where they hide all their fortune from the death tax ? They will not lose the farm over taxes, will you ?

The BIAS of the CBS news people is , well ... astouding.

CAIR is pushing through a bill via DEMOCrats to make us all subject to CIVIL liablity if we report a suspect MUSLIM who may be ? planning to kill us in a terrorist attack. Say, scouting out a nuclear site. Report, and we get sued ? This is not right. We need to be the eyes the ears of our own security. What would they have the KINKO guy do, be arrested ? That is why we can not trust the Democrats with our security.

[infidel_us]

The bias of this organization and the MSM in general is amazing.....and sickening!

Kerry, Pelosi, Kennedy....they're all millionaires. How came we never hear about their personal finances or gifts?

Also, to all you "blood for oil" nitwits who believe Bush & Chaney are profiting from the war......ummmmm, it doesn't seeem like it to me.

[dssans]

bogusbones -

Very worthy words from an extraordinary President...but if we paid the elected officials what they could be getting in "private practice" would we have all thses problems or is it just a fact of nature that certain people will screw you for what ever they can get?

[dssans]

gasp3 -

I would if I was young enough...but I'm just beyond their age requirements of 41 years old...and my step-son and my wife have both served in the Armed Services, my wife served in both the Army AND the Air Force (one of few people in the world to serve in 2 branches of the Armed Serives which I'm proud of!!!) so don't chastise a fellow blogger about sacrifice for the nation until you have done the same.

[bogusbones]

I have the consolation of having added nothing to my private fortune during my public service, and of retiring with hands clean as they are empty.
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Count Diodati, 1807
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

How appropriate.

[infidel_us]

Another CBS hit piece disguised as newsworthy. The bias of this organization and the MSM in general is amazing.....and sickening!

Kerry, Pelosi, Kennedy....they're all millionaires. How came we never hear about their personal finances or gifts?

Also, to all you "blood for oil" nitwits who believe Bush & Chaney are profiting from the war......ummmmm, it doesn't seeem like it to me.

[dssans]

bogusbones -

Yes many of us have forgotten about Afganistan...where the "real fight" against terrorist is probably being fought.

[gasp3]

Americans come to your senses...unite and get out of Iraq...over 3400 hundred young American lives robbed and were still counting....somebody here wrote that life is too short....your right about that..but while you defend the barbarian pretender or rather the moron"commander guy"....young lives are being cut short because nitwits like you don't recognize that the illegal war was lost before it even started..and if u feel so strongly about keeping the troops in Iraq and exposing them for the sitting ducks that they are...why aren't u running to ur recruiting office and join the poor ba*tards in the lost cause....f&*"ke& hypocrite!!

[dssans]

antoniof123 -

I can understand some of your rant against the curent admin...but the ecomony is cyclical...there will be good times and bad times no matter who is in power....Clinton rode the wave out of Bush #1 term to great highs...but as he was leaving office things were going in the tank... not going to talk about any thing that happened on late 2001 as that was an abnomrality that focused tha country on the present problems facing us. We have always had people in the world that did not agree we the US. We had the "Cold War", were we were lined up in the Fulda Gap, tank to tank waiting for the word. Now we have an enemy with no country.. one who is willing to give his life for greater glory in the afterlife...(and yes I have read the Koran and studied Middle East History for 2 years and am still a Bush supporter). Their whole civilivation is built on a heriarchy of who has the power...that is why the Sunnis are up in arms...they have had the power(though they were a minority throughout Sadaam's reign) now they are on the outside looking in...which has led them to insurgency. They really have no idea or concept of democracy...they came from nomads where the strong survived and the rest persihed in the sand...Ala Akbar....God is great...(forgive me for the spelling, it's been many years) There is more to this conflict than just Sadaam and these issues need to be addressed...Persian versus Arab, oil equity, etc.

[bogusbones]

dssans

I am not advocating, as some do, impeachment. I think that after these men are replaced after the election of 2008, there will be more scrutiny and possibly legal action. We're in such a fragile state as a nation, we should maintain our course. I only ask for a little negotiating from both sides to get us through this impasse on the Iraq war. I will warn, as I have many times in the past, there's still Afghanistan.

[antoniof123]

You know I miss Bill Clinton, durning his time we had a great economy, no war, and lots of good jobs still left in this country. Now with a Republican congress and President we have low paying jobs, war, and uncertain economy.

I know why the neo con republicans are so worried about Hillary getting elected. If she does and things turn around then we will have proof that it was Bill he could have done so much more had the facist pigs left him to do his job rather then issue over 1,000 subpoena%u2019s yet while their hero for the first 6 years they issued 4. That is right 4 and now just the metion of a subpoena and they go straight to the attorney's. Why is that Clinton was able to bring everything they needed and yet nothing was found.

Congress now ask for one thing and it just keeps getting better and better. This group of facist pigs is the worst that has ever been in this great country. I for one will never vote for a facist pig again.

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, never again.

[antoniof123]

You know I miss Bill Clinton, durning his time we had a great economy, no war, and lots of good jobs still left in this country. Now with a Republican congress and President we have low paying jobs, war, and uncertain economy.

I know why the neo con republicans are so worried about Hillary getting elected. If she does and things turn around then we will have proof that it was Bill he could have done so much more had the facist pigs left him to do his job rather then issue over 1,000 subpoena%u2019s yet while their hero for the first 6 years they issued 4. That is right 4 and now just the metion of a subpoena and they go straight to the attorney's. Why is that Clinton was able to bring everything they needed and yet nothing was found.

Congress now ask for one thing and it just keeps getting better and better. This group of facist pigs is the worst that has ever been in this great country. I for one will never vote for a facist pig again.

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, never again.

[dssans]

bogusbones -

I agree with much of what you said...they are the representatives of the people and should be brought forward to relate their beliefs on a subject when the time is appropriate. Now is not the time. There were some errors made...the removal of Sadaam created a bigger vacuum than probably was expaected and only players in the area to fill the void were to of the members from the "Axis of Evil"....My personal opinion is that we went in too light, tried too show too much compasion, tried to ask debate and questions rather than make a decision and execute...(sometimes literally). The US military, for all it's great strength, can not become "warm and fuzzy" overnight to project that image on the Iraqi people, nor should they. My father always said the easiest things for our adversaries to recognize that if we send troops and tanks there was still a diplomatic possibility...if we send ashaphlt and yellow paint we are going to turn you into a parking lot.

[skyhawk761]

Thank you Skyhawk761....maybe we should run?
Ooops...I'm unemployed....my checkbook can't afford it!
Posted by dssans at 11:41 AM : May 16, 2007

dssans, don't worry our beloved leaders in Washington have created the most jobs ever. I hear it from them every day. The only problem is that with you having been a CEO, you are over qualified for these new jobs,Taco Bell, 7-11, MacRats, etc. Seriously, the common man or woman cannot run for office anymore because it takes millions to run for an office that pays $140,000.00 a year. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with that picture?

[bogusbones]

I feel our country is strongly supporting our troops. Our country and our troops have been wrongfully and some will say illegally put into the Iraqi situation. There is so much acrimony out there regarding the sum total of decisions and activities of this Administration, from top to bottom. Every Administration has their own brand of corruption and wrong doers. Our current Administration has shown their colors by the class of people they've put in office, the ideological decisions they've made and the manner in which they've proceeded on their own seemingly private agenda. If Clinton was taken to task for his White House impropriety, shouldn't this crew be held to the same standards?

[dssans]

tejasdemo -

given the options that we had in both elections AT THE TIME.... I would gladly vote the same as I did....I truly have to admit the Al Gore has raised himself very highly on my list of people that I would like to see Pres....I still DO NOT like many of his views but he has definitely started promoting a positive message and given the candidate that he may run against...I could see myself actually voting for him...(Confirmed Republican who voted for Reagan in his first possible vote).