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Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency
Dick Cheney is the most powerful yet most unpopular vice president in U.S. history. He has thrived alongside a president who from day one had little interest in policy and limited experience in the ways of Washington. Yet Cheney’s quiet, steady rise to prominence over a span of three decades occurred largely behind the scenes. Now veteran reporters Lou Dubose and Jake Bernstein reveal the disturbing truth about the man who has successfully co-opted executive control over the U.S. government, serving as the de facto “shadow president” of the most dominant White House in a generation.
Cheney has always been an astute politician. He survived the collapse of the Nixon presidency, finding a position of power in the administration of Gerald Ford. He was then elected to the House of Representatives, and later he earned a spot in the cabinet of the first Bush presidency. But when he became George W. Bush’s running mate, Cheney reached a new level of influence. From the engineering of his own selection as vice president to his support of policies allowing torture as a permissible weapon in the “war on terror,” Cheney has steered America consistently rightward. In Vice , Dubose and Bernstein uncover startling revelations, including
• the extraordinary intimidation of CIA officials by a vice president bent on obtaining intelligence to support a foregone the invasion of Iraq
• details on Cheney’s secret energy task force, including his meeting with Enron chief Ken Lay months before Lay was indicted–and how Cheney went to court to erode the powers of Congress
• how Cheney helped to kill 2003 diplomatic overtures from Iran to discuss concessions on its nuclear program and policy toward Israel
• Cheney’s role in engineering multibillion-dollar military contracts in Iraq to benefit Halliburton, the company he once ran
• eyewitness reports from prominent Republican and conservative sources who go on record for the first time to tell the truth about how Dick Cheney has hijacked the American presidency
In the words of one of Cheney’s colleagues from the “Dick keeps his own counsel. He’s completely in control. He’s completely sure of himself in everything he does. It’s what got him to where he is the most powerful vice president to ever hold office. It’s also what’s bringing about his downfall.” In Vice, we get an unprecedented exposé of how Cheney operates and what his vice presidency will mean to America–now and in the future.
Cheney has always been an astute politician. He survived the collapse of the Nixon presidency, finding a position of power in the administration of Gerald Ford. He was then elected to the House of Representatives, and later he earned a spot in the cabinet of the first Bush presidency. But when he became George W. Bush’s running mate, Cheney reached a new level of influence. From the engineering of his own selection as vice president to his support of policies allowing torture as a permissible weapon in the “war on terror,” Cheney has steered America consistently rightward. In Vice , Dubose and Bernstein uncover startling revelations, including
• the extraordinary intimidation of CIA officials by a vice president bent on obtaining intelligence to support a foregone the invasion of Iraq
• details on Cheney’s secret energy task force, including his meeting with Enron chief Ken Lay months before Lay was indicted–and how Cheney went to court to erode the powers of Congress
• how Cheney helped to kill 2003 diplomatic overtures from Iran to discuss concessions on its nuclear program and policy toward Israel
• Cheney’s role in engineering multibillion-dollar military contracts in Iraq to benefit Halliburton, the company he once ran
• eyewitness reports from prominent Republican and conservative sources who go on record for the first time to tell the truth about how Dick Cheney has hijacked the American presidency
In the words of one of Cheney’s colleagues from the “Dick keeps his own counsel. He’s completely in control. He’s completely sure of himself in everything he does. It’s what got him to where he is the most powerful vice president to ever hold office. It’s also what’s bringing about his downfall.” In Vice, we get an unprecedented exposé of how Cheney operates and what his vice presidency will mean to America–now and in the future.
278 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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354 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 11, 2007
Not the best written book I've read in a while, but an some what expose on our Vice President. In a nutshell, Cheney is an unhinged paranoid lunatic who hates democracy wrapped up in a body that looks like a mushroom. Many people have suspected this already, but this book lays out the proof.
While we Americans have been blissfully unaware, Dick Cheney has spent the last 30 years of his life persistently working to undermine our constitutional system of checks and balances to enhance the power of the executive. Cheney has his (carefully hidden) fingerprints on the sleaziest schemes that have plagued the Ford, Reagan, and Bush administrations (Iran-Contra, anyone?), as well as a key role in destroying the moderate Republican wing. He's also created a climate of fear and backstabbing that has Bush, his staff, and the Republican arm of congress forced to do his bidding or face political assassination. Basically all that is evil in the current administration comes from Cheney, and any sign of actual humanity (e.g. immigration reform) comes from Bush. Makes you hate Bush slightly less, and Cheney much more.
While we Americans have been blissfully unaware, Dick Cheney has spent the last 30 years of his life persistently working to undermine our constitutional system of checks and balances to enhance the power of the executive. Cheney has his (carefully hidden) fingerprints on the sleaziest schemes that have plagued the Ford, Reagan, and Bush administrations (Iran-Contra, anyone?), as well as a key role in destroying the moderate Republican wing. He's also created a climate of fear and backstabbing that has Bush, his staff, and the Republican arm of congress forced to do his bidding or face political assassination. Basically all that is evil in the current administration comes from Cheney, and any sign of actual humanity (e.g. immigration reform) comes from Bush. Makes you hate Bush slightly less, and Cheney much more.
June 28, 2008
I write this after reading just a few pages and looking ahead at a few places: This book is maddening, infuriating. Where is the outrage in our nation at these jackels feasting on us!?!
Great book, but I have stopped reading at page 34. I CAN'T STAND IT ANY LONGER!
Where is the outrage? Why isn't this man in jail? Why are we allowing this man to take our country from us?
Great book, but I have stopped reading at page 34. I CAN'T STAND IT ANY LONGER!
Where is the outrage? Why isn't this man in jail? Why are we allowing this man to take our country from us?
January 8, 2019
Incredible breakdown of the Machiavellian antics and maneuvers made by Dick Cheney, both in and out of the White House.
This was released while he was still (V)POTUS, and doesn't seem to be connected to the recently released masterpiece, VICE which rightly won Christian Bale a Golden Globe on Sunday night.
This book delves into a lot the movie wasn't able to get to. The Iran-Contra stuff is enough to blow your mind.
Recommended for poli-sci and history geeks only.
This was released while he was still (V)POTUS, and doesn't seem to be connected to the recently released masterpiece, VICE which rightly won Christian Bale a Golden Globe on Sunday night.
This book delves into a lot the movie wasn't able to get to. The Iran-Contra stuff is enough to blow your mind.
Recommended for poli-sci and history geeks only.
June 12, 2007
If you want to know what makes our current VP the person he is, then this is an excellent book. It's amazing how much I learned about the man from reading this book. I don't want to judge him here, but I will say the authors are the same people who wrote 'bushwacked', so that should give you a view into the slant of the book. It was a very educational read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the true power behind the scenes.
October 15, 2016
quite good. written before the Scooter Libby trial was concluded. It almost felt good to read this as the history that it is, though certainly not behind id. Almost a study in secrecy, huh?
July 9, 2021
In the Trump years, there was this strand of liberalism/centrism in the Discourse that pined for a Republican administration under George W. Bush. Say what you will about Bush but at least he didn’t (insert latest evil thing Trump did) blah blah blah.
To which my reply was always: Yeah no. George Bush was awful. In many (not all) respects, he was worse than Trump. And one of the main reasons was Dick Cheney.
I’m one of the few defenders of Adam McKay’s Vice because I feel like it was a misunderstood film. It wasn’t about sneering at folks who disagreed with Cheney’s jingoistic maneuvers. It was about power. How power is seized, used, protected. Regardless of political leaning, I think a lot of American citizens are unaware of how politicians use power in our country. It’s a cynical and nihilistic process, which we understand opaquely through the lens of media that’s either hopelessly partisan or compromised.
The book, which I think was one of the inspirations of the film, although not the basis of it, lays out the broad strokes of Cheney’s power grabs from his time in the Nixon and Ford administrations through the early parts of 2007. It’s told in a fractured, inconsistent manner, jumping from subject-to-subject at random. And, it was obviously rushed given its subject matter. But the beats that hit are really enlightening, particularly around Cheney’s time at Halliburton, his ability to freeze the press out of his maneuvers, and his manner of insulating himself from serious blowback. Sure, his approval ratings looked like the thermostat reading on the coldest day in the South Pole, pre-climate change, but he didn’t seem to care. Power is the game and he wielded it like a cudgel.
This was a most unwelcome trip down memory lane but it does function as a good entry level look at Dick Cheney. I’m not sure I have the energy to read more about said subject.
To which my reply was always: Yeah no. George Bush was awful. In many (not all) respects, he was worse than Trump. And one of the main reasons was Dick Cheney.
I’m one of the few defenders of Adam McKay’s Vice because I feel like it was a misunderstood film. It wasn’t about sneering at folks who disagreed with Cheney’s jingoistic maneuvers. It was about power. How power is seized, used, protected. Regardless of political leaning, I think a lot of American citizens are unaware of how politicians use power in our country. It’s a cynical and nihilistic process, which we understand opaquely through the lens of media that’s either hopelessly partisan or compromised.
The book, which I think was one of the inspirations of the film, although not the basis of it, lays out the broad strokes of Cheney’s power grabs from his time in the Nixon and Ford administrations through the early parts of 2007. It’s told in a fractured, inconsistent manner, jumping from subject-to-subject at random. And, it was obviously rushed given its subject matter. But the beats that hit are really enlightening, particularly around Cheney’s time at Halliburton, his ability to freeze the press out of his maneuvers, and his manner of insulating himself from serious blowback. Sure, his approval ratings looked like the thermostat reading on the coldest day in the South Pole, pre-climate change, but he didn’t seem to care. Power is the game and he wielded it like a cudgel.
This was a most unwelcome trip down memory lane but it does function as a good entry level look at Dick Cheney. I’m not sure I have the energy to read more about said subject.
June 3, 2019
I'd wanted to see the movie and when I saw the book listed I ordered a copy from the library. This book is well-documented and has all the information for a good story but unfortunately the authors don't seem aware of narrative nonfiction techniques. So many people are mentioned, so many details, why not spend more time and create something more readable? Good narrative nonfiction hooks a reader and pulls her in with story. Sadly it's not part of this book. I hope the movie is better than the book.
September 9, 2021
this book reminds us that Dick Cheney needs to be arrested for war crimes against humanity, and his involvement in the "Military-Industrial-Complex."
February 4, 2008
Great read. The Vice-President is definitely a silent but forceful politician
September 12, 2012
My namesake is a scary control freak!
Read
October 27, 2016Bit slow, was more subjective than I thought it would be initially.
April 7, 2017
Cheney's dark history is on full display.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews