WASHINGTON, DC—Telephone logs recorded by the National Security Agency and obtained by Congress as part of an ongoing investigation suggest that the vice president may have used the Oval Office intercom system to address President Bush at crucial moments, giving categorical directives in a voice the president believed to be that of God.
While journalists and presidential historians had long noted Bush's deep faith and Cheney's powerful influence in the White House, few had drawn a direct correlation between the two until Tuesday, when transcripts of meetings that took place in March and April of 2002 became available.
In a transcript of an intercom exchange recorded in March 2002, a voice positively identified as the vice president's identifies himself as "the Lord thy God" and promotes the invasion of Iraq, as well as the use of torture in prisoner interrogations.
A close examination of Bush's public statements and Secret Service time logs tracking the vice president reveals a consistent pattern, one which links Bush's belief that he had received word from God with Cheney's use of the White House's telephone-based intercom system.
Officials privately acknowledged that there is reason to believe that the vice president, as God, urged Bush to sign legislation benefiting oil companies in 2005.
"There's a lot of religious zeal in the West Wing," said a former White House staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "It's possible that the vice president has taken advantage of that to fast-track certain administration objectives."
An ex-Treasury Department official and longtime friend of Cheney was asked to comment on the vice president's possible subterfuge. "I don't know. I certainly don't think it's something [Cheney] planned," he said. "I do know that Mr. Bush was unfamiliar with a phone-based intercom, and I suppose it is possible that Dick took advantage of that."
A highly placed NSA official who has reviewed the information released Tuesday said Cheney masked his clipped monotone, employing a deeper, booming voice.
Said the NSA source: "It sounded as though the speaker, who identified himself as God, stood away from the intercom to create an echo effect."
On Capitol Hill, sources are expressing surprise that Cheney, a vice president with more influence than any other in U.S. history, would have resorted to such deception.
"The vice president has a lot of sway in this administration," said a former White House aide. "But perhaps when President Bush was particularly resolute and resistant to mortal persuasion, the vice president chose to quickly resolve disputes in his favor with a half-decent God impression."
For many, the revelation explains Bush's confusion in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
"I was very surprised by the president's slow response in New Orleans," political commentator Bill Kristol said. "The president told me that he was praying every day in his office, but had received no reply. I had no idea what he meant, but of course, it all makes sense now."
At the time of Katrina, Cheney was on a fly-fishing trip, from which he returned on Sept. 1.
According to highly placed White House sources, Bush's senior advisers are trying to shield the president from the news. Aides are concerned that too harsh an awakening might shake Bush's faith, which has been a central part of his life for nearly 20 years.
"It's hard to tell the leader of the free world that he has been the butt of an elaborate and long-term ruse," a former staffer said. "Maybe it would be easier to take if it came from Cheney's God voice."
Dorsk 81: this is why I support the separation of Aces eyebrow's, something that ugly should never be joined
Mayabird:You see what this place does to us? It's like how Eskimos have their 16 names for snow. We have to precisely define what shafting we're receiving.
"Do we think Israel would be nuts enough to go back into Lebanon with Olmert still in power and calling the shots? They could hook Sharon up to a heart monitor and interpret the blips and bleeps as "yes" and "no" and do better than that, both strategically and emotionally."
Dakarne wrote:Well, the impeachment is needed regardless anyway...
Either way, it still seems somewhat plausible, given GWB's level of stupidity...
.......Wait......... what?
So we've stuped to the level of basing political decisions based on The Onion?
Wow.
On another note, I almost belived it. The Onion, funny, but not necessarly the most (for lack of a better word) credible of resources.
shark42bait: you are evil...
shark42bait: i admire that in a woman.... I'm a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in an AWESOME rack!
"if you want to get out of a speeding ticket short skirts and crying are still the way to go" Kairy on "mythbusters"
LimePink: "Um, Mr. President? I was doing a suduko puzzle, and based on the hidden co-ordinates in the grid, I think Osama Bin Laden is either here : points on map: or here :points to another spot within 5 miles:. Also, Jay-Z killed Tupac Shakur and the lost treasure of Atlantis actually turned to the glacier that sunk the Titanic."
So we've stuped to the level of basing political decisions based on The Onion?
Wow.
On another note, I almost belived it. The Onion, funny, but not necessarly the most (for lack of a better word) credible of resources.
No, I make political decisions based upon the percieved intelligence of the person...
GWB is more than stupid enough to fall for such a trick if it's done correctly.
C'mon can you honestly say you've never fallen for a pratical joke? Realizing afterward how dumb it was... If you haven't I applaud you...
It does say in the artical that GWB isn't "familar" with that type of intercom system. Which I find highly doubtful considering he has been in office for almost 6 years. At any rate, it's an honest mistake just becuse he's a bit gullible doesn't make him stupid. I have tricked my profs into beliving they didn't give me a grade for a paper that in reality i didn't do. That doesn't make them stupid or any less qualified to do their job. It just means they are a bit gullible.
Give the man a break will ya? I doubt many people can do that job with out compleatly breaking down.
Last edited by Rukia on Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
shark42bait: you are evil...
shark42bait: i admire that in a woman.... I'm a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in an AWESOME rack!
"if you want to get out of a speeding ticket short skirts and crying are still the way to go" Kairy on "mythbusters"
LimePink: "Um, Mr. President? I was doing a suduko puzzle, and based on the hidden co-ordinates in the grid, I think Osama Bin Laden is either here : points on map: or here :points to another spot within 5 miles:. Also, Jay-Z killed Tupac Shakur and the lost treasure of Atlantis actually turned to the glacier that sunk the Titanic."
C'mon can you honestly say you've never fallen for a pratical joke? Realizing afterward how dumb it was... If you haven't I applaud you...
Well, I'm mostly paranoid anyway...
Give the man a break will ya? I doubt many people can do that job with out compleatly breaking down.
I suppose it's the almost unlawful invasion of Iraq that just irritated me. Or maybe the fact that he also roped Britain into invading as well, leaving plenty of blood on our country's hands. We've got enough as it is with our bloody (in both senses of the word) history.
I suppose it's the almost unlawful invasion of Iraq that just irritated me. Or maybe the fact that he also roped Britain into invading as well, leaving plenty of blood on our country's hands. We've got enough as it is with our bloody (in both senses of the word) history.
Unlawful my ass. And Britain is a big kid he can think for himself. Obviously Tony Blair thought it was justified just as George Bush did.
But we have now strayed off topic so if you'd like to continue this, you can pm me. I'm always up for a good debate.
shark42bait: you are evil...
shark42bait: i admire that in a woman.... I'm a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in an AWESOME rack!
"if you want to get out of a speeding ticket short skirts and crying are still the way to go" Kairy on "mythbusters"
LimePink: "Um, Mr. President? I was doing a suduko puzzle, and based on the hidden co-ordinates in the grid, I think Osama Bin Laden is either here : points on map: or here :points to another spot within 5 miles:. Also, Jay-Z killed Tupac Shakur and the lost treasure of Atlantis actually turned to the glacier that sunk the Titanic."
Dorsk 81: this is why I support the separation of Aces eyebrow's, something that ugly should never be joined
Mayabird:You see what this place does to us? It's like how Eskimos have their 16 names for snow. We have to precisely define what shafting we're receiving.
"Do we think Israel would be nuts enough to go back into Lebanon with Olmert still in power and calling the shots? They could hook Sharon up to a heart monitor and interpret the blips and bleeps as "yes" and "no" and do better than that, both strategically and emotionally."
Rukia wrote:On another note, I almost belived it. The Onion, funny, but not necessarly the most (for lack of a better word) credible of resources.
The fact you almost belived it says everything dosn't it?
ha ha ha....
point taken
shark42bait: you are evil...
shark42bait: i admire that in a woman.... I'm a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in an AWESOME rack!
"if you want to get out of a speeding ticket short skirts and crying are still the way to go" Kairy on "mythbusters"
LimePink: "Um, Mr. President? I was doing a suduko puzzle, and based on the hidden co-ordinates in the grid, I think Osama Bin Laden is either here : points on map: or here :points to another spot within 5 miles:. Also, Jay-Z killed Tupac Shakur and the lost treasure of Atlantis actually turned to the glacier that sunk the Titanic."
