CHENEY NOW HIDES HIS CRITICISM OF REAGAN

As the nation mourns the death of Ronald Reagan, the Bush administration is
sending Vice President Dick Cheney[1] to memorialize the 40th President
Wednesday on Capitol Hill. Cheney's kind words now, however, stand in
contrast to his words while Reagan was president.

Last week, Cheney said, "during the decisive years of the Cold War, I saw
the conviction and the moral courage of Ronald Reagan"[2]. Yet it was Cheney
who, as a top leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Reagan was
"tolerating a decision-making process in the upper reaches of the
Administration that lacked integrity and accountability"[3].

He also chastised Reagan's defense policies - the same policies
conservatives are trumpeting as Reagan's lasting legacy. Cheney said at the
height of the Cold War that if Reagan "doesn't really cut defense, he
becomes the No. 1 special pleader in town." Cheney urged Reagan to cut
defense spending, saying, "the president has to reach out and take a whack
at everything to be credible," and told the White House that "you've got to
hit defense"[4].

Six years later, Cheney followed through on his statements by changing the
same Reagan defense policies he now touts. In 1990, he bragged to Congress
that as Defense Secretary he "cut almost $65 billion out of the five-year
defense program" and that subsequent proposals would "take another $167
billion out." He highlighted, "we're recommending base closures," "we're
talking about force structure cuts" and "we've got a military construction
freeze"[5].

Sources:
1. "Public Viewing to Last 34 Hours" WashingtonPost.com, 6/08/04.
2. Vice Presidential Speech, White House Website, 6/4/04.
3. National Journal, 8/08/87.
4. Washington Post, 12/16/84.
5. Congressional Testimony, 2/1/90.