Cheney Takes the Bush Case to Television
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY
Published: March 2, 2004
WASHINGTON, March 2 — To offset a focus on the Democrats during their busiest primary day of the election year, Vice President Dick Cheney spent an unusual amount of time in public today, sitting for three nationally televised cable interviews.
The appearances gave Mr. Cheney an opportunity to counter months of Democratic criticism of President Bush by explaining and defending administration positions on a variety of major issues, from rebuilding efforts in Iraq, to the transfer of power in Haiti, to the push for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages.
But the interviews, done early today, on MSNBC, CNN and Fox News Channel were also part of a White House strategy to restore public confidence in Mr. Cheney. Recent public opinion polls have shown his popularity falling, in part as a result of his strong support for waging war against Iraq, his insistence that weapons of mass destruction would be found and his past leadership of Halliburton, a company widely criticized for its role in post-war Iraq.
To that end, he dismissed suggestions that he has become a drag on the ticket, confirming that he intends to run again with President Bush in November.
"I think the fact that you become a lightning rod is, it goes with the turn," Mr. Cheney said on MSNBC. "There's no way you can do one of these jobs, now for three years going on four years, without stirring up certain controversy. People agree or disagree with decisions the president makes or recommendations I make, and that's the nature of the business."
As for serving a second term under Mr. Bush, he said: "If I thought I were a drag on the ticket, I'd be the first to recommend to him that, that he needs to consider alternatives. That's not been the case. He's decided he wants me to run again."
Mr. Cheney's appearances also came just two days before the Bush campaign is expected to roll out a major television advertising effort in 17 battleground states, including commercials on selected cable outlets, including the Speed Channel, which shows Nascar races, and Fox News Channel.
Throughout the primary season, Democrats have encountered little resistance in their attacks against President Bush. A preview from Mr. Cheney suggested that is about to change.
Responding to a question on Fox, he criticized Mr. Kerry for favoring cuts in spending on defense, intelligence and major weapons programs and for equivocating on his support for military action in Iraq. He praised Mr. Kerry for serving in Vietnam, saying, "We honor him for that."
"The question, though, that you have to ask a would-be president is what kind of decisions he would make in that capacity about national security," Mr. Cheney said. "I would say, based on 19 years in the U.S. Senate, Senator Kerry's record is one that I think many Americans would have trouble supporting."
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