“Cheney’s Guy” Chitra Ragavan

Shifting Powers Shift in the Balance of Powers to President: Signing Statements A signing statement accompanied Bush’s signing of Brown Commission legislation a few weeks after 9/11. It signaled a shift in balance of power from Congress to Presidency.

New Presidential Power Examples of New Presidential Power: 1) Military tribunals 2) Secret detentions 3) Aggressive interrogations 4) Warrant-less electronic surveillance

Example of Presidential Power: Addington Cheney, and his Chief of Staff: At Center of Presidential Power David Addington force behind signing statements. (750 by 2006, more than another other president) (2) Addington: Biography: “Rumpled Bureaucrat… crossed with CIA Spook” He is a little known (“outside inner sanctums of CIA, Pentagon and State Dept”) ultra-conservative lawyer who now runs VP Cheney’s office. “He is the most powerful person no one has ever heard of.”

Example of Presidential Power: Addington Addington’s Background: -Duke Law -Lawyer at CIA -House Intelligence Committee and Foreign Affairs (met Cheney, then a Wyoming Congressman) Bush’s War: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02pdb&continuous=1

Example of Presidential Power: Addington Addington’s Work: Hand in Everything: He is the Invisible Hand Addington’s Work: Niger Yellow Cake Story Valerie Plane: Attack on Joe Wilson

Friends and Foe Addington Supporters This is a new war which demands new policy. New policy frequently comes under attack… Addington is… a great lawyer, a serious consumer of information very detailed-oriented Addington’s Critics He is such an effective bureaucrat because he is an intellectual bully, and skilled infighter.

Addington and Cheney Next Battlefield Addington– carries around copy of the Const…the joke is he only sees Article II. Addington and Cheney in Congress in 1980s: Protect Pres. Power Cheney and Addington worked together in Congress in 1980s to protect presidential power. Congressional restriction on aid to Contras was an unconstitutional restriction on presidential power… Addington, Cheney and Bush I Addington becomes special assistant to Cheney, when latter became Sec. of Defense.

Unitary Executive Theory Guide Stars: Unitary Executive Theory: “President is solely in charge of the executive branch and that Congress…can’t tell pres. to carry out his executive functions…whom to pick for what jobs… Addington’s Philosophy -expanded executive power -separation of powers -tight chair of command -unitary president …bottom line: protect executive power, even if you lose policy debate.

Addington and George W. Bush Addington and Bush Administration: 9/11 Return of the Neo-Cons: They want centralization of govt, they want control (ex: Addington had tried to control JAG under Bush I) Addington Power: Rose with Cheney Ascendant Addington acquires a lot of power under Bush admin. after 9/11. as Cheney became power center in the administration.

Addington and 9/11 Grab Bag (5) Addington treated post-9/11 situation as a grab bag… Tough Guys: 9/11 White House made three (3) crucial decisions after 9/11: 1) Keep Congress out of the Loop 2) Interpret law as narrowly as possible 3) Confine decisions-making to small, trusted group.

Bush’s War Bush’s War: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02pdb&continuous=1 Cheney’s Law http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/cheney/view/main.html