Cheney visit: Vice President Dick Cheney spoke today at a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Sam Graves. CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR VIDEO. Vice President Dick Cheney came to Kansas City today to raise campaign cash for 6th District Congressman Sam Graves.
Cheney lavished praise on the four-term congressman, but he spent the bulk of his 24-minute address applauding President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq.
It was, he said, exactly the right move at the right time.
No better evidence is the lack of a follow-up attack to the Sept. 11 hit six years ago, he said. The leadership of al-Qaida was betting on America caving in after a few years of battle in Iraq, but that hasn't happened, the vice president said.
"That's a bet the terrorists are going to lose," Cheney said. He added later, "The fight goes on, and America's support will not waver.
"A preemptive withdrawal would validate al-Qaida's belief that we lack the stomach for the fight ... even clearly when it's in America's security interests. America accepted a duty. This is hard and honorable and worth completing."
Cheney spoke to about 230 Republicans with Graves at his side at the Downtown Marriott. Aides to the congressman said about $275,000 was raised for his 2008 re-election battle against likely Democratic opponent Kay Barnes. The total raised is less than the $340,000 Cheney generated the last time he stumped for Graves, in 2004.
Cheney also offered a nod to President Bush's pick for attorney general, saying Michael Mukasey of New York has support on both sides of the partisan aisle.
The vice president began his remarks by talking about his one-time job as a Wyoming congressman. Because the state has so few people, it sends only one member to the U.S. House.
Sure, it was a small delegation, Cheney noted. "But it was quality."
That rang a bell with some reporters in the crowd, who said Cheney used that line in a previous KC visit.
A little fact-checking here would be appreciated
A little fact-checking here would be appreciated in this report.
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.
Al Qaeda leadership, including Osama Bin Laden, was based in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda masterminded and carried out the 9/11 attacks.
Post-9/11 there has been exactly one terrorist attack: the anthrax letters sent to ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Post, and two Democratic Senators. Those letters infected 22 people and killed 5. No one has every been prosecuted nor has anyone claimed responsibility.
Prior to the U.S. invasion, al Quaeda wasn't present in Iraq under Saddam's largely secular rule.
The U.S. found no WMDS, no long-range missiles, no advanced weapons capabilities and no plans for striking the U.S. Iraq was no threat to the U.S.
The vast majority of attacks against U.S. troops aren't perpetrated by al Qaeda, but Sunni and Shiite insurgents.
This has all be documented before.