Oct. 2, 2008

VP Candidates Assess Dick Cheney

CBS Evening News: Biden And Palin Answer Katie Couric's Vice-Presidential Questions

  • Play CBS Video Video Biden, Palin On Dick Cheney

    Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin share their thoughts on the best and worst parts of current Vice President Dick Cheney's career. Katie Couric reports.

  • Video Biden, Palin On Past VPs

    Which U.S. vice presidents have impressed Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin? Katie Couric finds out.

  • Video VP Noms On Favorite Movies

    Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin share their favorite movies with Katie Couric.

  •  (CBS)

(CBS)  Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin have put in some very long days preparing for their Thursday night debate. To give voters a better sense of who these candidates are, and where they stand on a number of issues, CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked Biden and Palin some "Vice Presidential Questions. In this installment, they explain what they think are the best - and worst - things Dick Cheney did as second-in-command.

Click here to read more of what the vice-presidential candidates had to say and see our series, "Presidential Questions."




Katie Couric: What do you think is the best and worst thing that Dick Cheney has done as vice president?

Joe Biden: I'm not being a wise guy here ... that I don't know what he's done. I mean, there's not many things I'd pick that I thought he's done that have been good. But I admire his strength. I admire his willingness to take positions that are completely contrary to popular opinion. But I think that what he's done has been just, I don't think Dick Cheney trusts that the American people can make judgments that are in the interest of the country. But the thing I think he's really, really has done: I think he's done more harm than any other single high elected official in memory in terms of shredding the constitution. You know, condoning torture, pushing torture as a policy. This idea of a unitary executive, meaning the Congress and the people have no power in a time of war, and the president controls everything. I don't have any animus toward Dick Cheney but I really do think his attitude about the constitution and the prosecution of this war has been absolutely wrong.

Sarah Palin: Worst thing, I guess that would have been the duck-hunting accident, where you know, that was an accident. And that I think that was made into a caricature of him. And that was kind of unfortunate.

So, the best thing though, he's shown support, along with George W. Bush, of our troops. And I've been there when George Bush has spoken to families of those who have suffered greatly, those who are serving in the military. I've been there when President Bush has embraced those families and expressed the concern and the sympathy speaking for all of America in those times. And for Dick Cheney to have supported that effort of George Bush's. I respect that.

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Add a Comment See all 115 Comments
by blitzder October 4, 2008 2:33 PM EDT
You gotta admire all these Republican spin masters, they can look you straight in the eye (like Palin during the debate) and brazenly lie, and then repeat the lies often enough till the public comes to accept it as fact. Ex: the tax imbroglio,etc.

Unimaginative, corrupt, arrogant, misleading and misrepresentative really describes todays party of Lincoln. THEY NEED TO TAUGHT A LESSON THIS NOVEMBER. VOTE THEM ALL OUT.
Reply to this comment
by norcalruss October 4, 2008 1:18 AM EDT


10. Bush Light and
Dan-Quayle-in-dress

9. Beauty and
the Beast

8. McBush and
His McMuffin

7. Snow White and
Grumpy

6. Dumbo and
Bimbo

5. Igloo and
7 houses more-or-less

4. B00bs and
Wrinkles

3. ****** and
Airhead

2. Geritol and
Mooseburger

1. Numb Nuts and
Furburger


Reply to this comment
by jehawaii October 3, 2008 9:43 PM EDT
Please Katie interview me instead!
So tired of Palin''s excuse for flubbing so badly in the Couric interview, ..She is not a part of main stream media, she is not a part of the Washington Elite, there was a filter between her and the American people...."you Know" the truth is just did not have a "***" answer. In the debates she stuck to her script and did not "answer questions that Biden or Ifill wanted"
Please Katie interview me! I could have given answers to those questions! Im not Washington Elite, or a governor, just an "average Jane".
If I did not live in Hawaii I am sure Id be a hockey mom, but heck Im a hula Mom. So give a real average American the chance (anyone) at an interview then stack it up against her answers! Any woman, so that we dont have to pull punches like Biden did. Just so that Palin doesn''t become the icon for future female presidential candidates.
Reply to this comment
by sbnilsson October 3, 2008 8:01 PM EDT
With Obamas program 95 percent of all American families would get a tax cut. He offers three times more tax relief for the middle class than McCain does. This fact will be decisive in the election.
Reply to this comment
by ISCHOONOVER October 3, 2008 2:03 PM EDT
Are you for real? The future of this contry is on the line. Our reputation around the world needs rebuilding, we are fighting two wars, facing a financial crisis the world has never seen and 1/4 of americans are out of work, but we should vote for Governor Palin because she is hot. What an idiot.
Reply to this comment
by emarcus1977 October 3, 2008 1:43 PM EDT
The goal is to enlighten.........please save yourself, think of your family, your country......vote for Palin...cause she is hot and of course a natural leader.
Reply to this comment
by emarcus1977 October 3, 2008 1:28 PM EDT
Posted by cecilia333 at 10:17 AM : Oct 03, 2008

so what.....................I grew up in
Detroit....is that third world enough!!!!!!
Reply to this comment
by emarcus1977 October 3, 2008 1:24 PM EDT
Carter is like Barry O not Palin. YOu should take a comprehensive reading course. Carter like Barry seemed like change especially after ford and nixon.
But he spent most of his presidency kissing every dictator''s *** in the world and gave the finger to his own people.
Reply to this comment
by cecilia333 October 3, 2008 1:17 PM EDT
I was born in a third world country, we had dictators. In all this Bush years I asked why are the American people not seeing that their president has become a dictator. McCain sounds just like Bush, another dictator. He doesn''t like to be contradicted. By the way, since December 2004, I am a proud US citizen, this is my first presidential election and I volunteer in the campaign, not only just give my point of view. All Americans should do their part.
Reply to this comment
by emarcus1977 October 3, 2008 1:12 PM EDT
Polish off our copy of Mein Kampf jaydee102
the camps first.......then the ovens. HEIL Barry

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