It's obvious how that's not an "I didn't do it". I'm guessing the absence of an outright denial means there's evidence to be found that would indicate he *did*.

It's funny how he insists that the DoJ had approved it so often, despite upper-level DoJ indications that the whole staff was willing to quit over the program. His claim here that "there was nothing new about it" (it clearly being the program) could be trouble for Gonzalez later up the road. He doesn't seem to deny here that the visit was about the TSP (despite the interviewer handing him a prime chance to do so). Odd.

"Mr. Cheney, do you remember anything about anyone anywhere yesterday?"

Mr. Cheney: "I don't recall"

"Mr Cheney, how is it possible to have forgotten what just happened?"

Mr. Cheney: "I don't recall your question"

"Mr Cheney, your feigning..."

MC: "If I recall, you're going to Gitmo soon..."

He doesn't recall if he sent them to the hospital. The operative word is "hospital."

Raise Hell!!

What the heck, are they smoking bales of weed at the WH and DOJ or something? None of them can remember anything. Of course. it could also be that terrorists have infiltrated their brains and erased their memories.

Something tells me there's more to this than the Vice President is acknowledging. Just a hunch, though.

Thank God Arlene Specter is on the case!!!

Proper headline:

"Cheney does not deny dispatching AGAG and Card to Ashcroft bedside."

If he had a basis to deny, don't ya think he would have remembered that by now?

As others point out, Cheney just confirmed Gonzo's a liar.

Cheney denies he said things even when there is a video record. So, not recalling is more of an innovation for him, inspired perhaps by his admiration for the sterling peformances of his buddy Al Gonzales.

I think Cheney just threw Gonzo to the perjury wolves by confirming(by not denying) there was not another program.

Why does Cheney feel compelled to give an interview now?

Please tell me that "The dog ate my brain" defense is not going to fly. How can these people, at these levels of power and responsibility, expect us to accept such a bullshit excuse? Once the evidence comes out. "Oh, I did it, you say, and you have evidence? Well, all right then, I did it, I guess." When are the Democrats going to hold a vote on HR 333 and impeach Dick Cheney? When are the Democrats going to grow a spine and realize that the republic is at stake?

Wow. Cheney just destroyed the "technical" and "legalistic" distinction that AG's defenders were relying on. That had to sting.

I wonder if Cheney will "recall" when we execute hime for war crimes, murder, treason, and crimes against the U.S. Consitituion.

You guys are so cynical. What meeting is Cheney being asked about? See, Cheney may or may not have sent Gonzo to see Ashcroft about the TSP. But, as Gonzo has explained, his meeting wasn't about the TSP.

So, obviously, the meeting Gonzo had wasn't the same one that Cheney may, or may not have, sent him on. With that one, he uh...., may, or may not have, got stuck in traffic or something.

See how simple?

KING: So, you just don't remember -- anything?

CHENEY: Well, Larry, I may need something to jog my memory a bit. Would you mind if I took a few drinks, here, and then shot you in the face? It would be a tremendous help.

KING: You came into the studio, armed?

CHENEY: No, not at all. I'll get a weapon from one of my Secret Service detail. I do have my own liquor, though.

.

The problem with Cheney's use of TSP here is that it is more parsing. "I was a big advocate, and it had already been approved 12 times." This says nothing about the contentious program X.

However from Comey's oral and written testimony, there was a singular NSA program and it was obviously not called TSP.

Oral:
SPECTER: So the president backed you up. And it was necessary to make changes in the terrorist surveillance program to get the requisite certification by the acting attorney general -- that is you?

COMEY: And I may be being overly cautious, but I'm not comfortable confirming what program it was that this related to.

Written=
Schumer: You testified that during the visit to Attorney General Ashcroft’s hospital room on the evening of March 10, 2004, Mrs. Ashcroft was present when you first arrived and also later when Messrs. Gonzales and Card arrived.
 Did you reveal classified information in Mrs. Ashcroft’s presence?
No.
 Did either Mr. Gonzales or Mr. Card reveal classified information in Mrs. Ashcroft’s presence?
Mr. Card did not. I do not recall whether Mr. Gonzales mentioned any aspects of the matter that would be considered classified, including the name of the program – which was itself classified, as I recall – when addressing Mr. Ashcroft.

One program, with a classified name.
That name was not TSP, judging by Comey and Mueller (He also refused to acknowledge words TSP) testimony.

This whole TSP bullshite is a fake construct to allow this admin to continue lying.

Yup, something of a smoking gun. AG claims that his hospital visit to Ashcroft did not pertain to the Terrorist Surveillance Program. Cheney contradicts him.

I happen to recall that cheney is a lying mf scumbag. Thank you.

TPM mentions that king implies that cheney is lying. where is that scene on the tape? i could not find it.
sure, we know that cheney is lying, but for a softie like king to say it on TV would be a new ballgame.

when king asked cheney about his famous "last throes of resistance, the VP more or less admitted that he had been wrong.
why didn't king say- well, you were so wrong about that, so why should we believe anything you say!

It's the newes White House lingo:
I don't recall = I am guilty as sin but won't admit it.
That was a YES.

Thanks to NBC's Kelly O'Donnell, we have the president's (much more verbose) evasion on this topic on file. In short, while Cheney says "I don't recall", Bush says, "I'm not going to talk about it. I think the stink comes from Bush.

Think Progress has the link:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/17/bush-comey-dodge/#comment-3808960

"Q: There’s been some very dramatic testimony before the Senate this week from one of your former top Justice Department officials who describes a scene that some Senators called stunning, about a time when the warrantless wiretap program was being reviewed. Sir, did you send your then chief of staff and White House counsel to the bedside of John Ashcroft while he was ill to get him to approve that program, and do you believe that kind of conduct from White House officials is appropriate?

"BUSH: Kelly, there’s a lot of speculation about what happened and what didn’t happen. I’m not going to talk about it. It’s a very sensitive program. I will tell you that one, the program was necessary to protect the American people and it’s still necessary, because there’s still an enemy that wants to do us harm, and therefore I have an obligation to put in place programs that honor the civil liberties of the American people — a program that was, in this case, constantly reviewed, and briefed to the United States Congress. And the program, as I say, is an essential part of protecting this country, and so there will be all kinds of talk about it. As i say, I’m not going to move the issue forward by talking about something as highly classified subject. I will tell you, however, that the program was necessary.

Q: Was it on your order, sir?

BUSH: As I said, the program is a necessary program that was constantly reviewed and constantly briefed to the Congress. It’s an important part of protecting the United States, and it’s still an important part of our protection, because there’s still an enemy that would like to attack us, no matter how calm it may seem in America, an enemy lurks and they would like to strike. They would like to do harm to the American people, because they have an agenda. They want to impose an ideology. They want us to retreat from the world. They want to find safe haven, and these just aren’t empty words. These are the words of al Qaeda themselves, and so we will put in place programs to protect the American people that honor the civil liberties of our people and programs that we constantly brief to Congress."

Code word: flag, as in the one we'll reclaim by following this story.

Oh, how I wish Bush had said, "The stink comes from Bush."

Alas, the quote was "I'm not going to talk about it.

Re: glennpdx

If Bush has lost Larry King, he's lost Middle Viagra.

Where's Ashcroft on all this? I know he was medicated but I'm sure he could add something too this.

--"I was a big advocate of the Terrorist Surveillance Program, and had been responsible and working with General Hayden and George Tenet to get it to the President for approval."

Ah, now we know why Tenet got the Medal of Freedom, it was for helping Bush and Cheney, and Tenet himself to violate their un-respective oath of office to uphold the US Constitution.

Hey, why don't we just re-name it - the Medal of NO Freedom. Tenet just wanted to spit on all the dead buried in Arlington. I sure for Tenet, sacrifice is only for the poor and stupid, and every CIA agent who has ever died in service, did so with Tenet spitting on him.

I like how he looked down while answering the question and then immediately looked at Larry when done. If that didn't constitute a tell I don't know what would.

SC: bent, as in Cheney telling the American people to get bent.

Well, waterboard Cheney Halliburton. (Dictator Bush has ruled that waterboarding is not torture and is an acceptable CIA tactic, so my comment is allowable.)
Cheers,
Lori R. Price
Mgr., Citizens For Legitimate Government
http://www.legitgov.org/

Cheney instructed Bush to call Mrs. Ashcroft and then send GOnzo and Card to strong-arm Ashcroft before all the top attorneys at DOJ quit. That's how it works over there. Recall how Cheney instructed Bush to stay away from D.C. after 9/11 while he ran everything. It's true.

As for all these different program names, can't we cut the BS and call it what it is/was: The Warrantless Domestic Spying Program (WDSP).

code: MEMORY = I Won't Recall

Sure sounds like good old Spiro Agnew to me.

Watch Cheney's eyes as he begins to comprehend the question King is asking and realizes he has to lie--- the blinking accelerates markedly. (He also clenches his jaw as the realization sinks in). Interestingly enough, this is probably an indication that Cheney is human.

Yes, if you can't count on Larry King for a meaningless softball interview, who can you trust? I think Cheney will be sticking with Limbaugh for any remaining interviews.

Cheney and his secret energy task force are responsible for the iraq occupation because the only reason they engineered the invasion of iraq was to "privatize Iraq's oil. He is a war criminal and belongs in prison.

Every Democratic presidential candidate must be asked these questions: (1) If you are elected, will you waive executive privilege for any and all documents and for testimony of any and members the Bush II administration? (2) If you are elected, will you investigate & prosecute any and all members of the Bush II administration for any and all violations of the law?

It is important to remember that only the sitting President can assert executive privilege. Hence, the next President can shine a bright light on Bush II, punish wrong doing, and make absolutely certain that the historical record is complete.

"I don't recall"? That's a hoot.

Can't wait to see what Jon Steward does with this one.

If you can't finesse an interview with Larry King, you're in deep deep trouble.

The entire Bush Administration should be impeached, convicted, and thrown into prison while awaiting excution for treason! How about a series of failed excutions? Oops! Rope a little too long! Or, damn! Not enough electricity to be fatal! Just enough for bad bu