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What Democrats Say About Secretary Cheney
Senator Al Gore
"SEN. GORE: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And Congressman Cheney -- or
Dick -- let me add my congratulations to those you've already heard, and my
words of welcome to your family. And we're not going to take him completely
away, I'll say. He's already worked pretty hard as a member of the House and
he won't be gone entirely. But, I want to tell you how much your colleagues
and former colleagues who had the privilege of serving with you in the
House, as I did, before coming to the Senate, respect you and wish you well
in this new endeavor to come. I applaud the choice and congratulate the
President for the choice, and pledge my best efforts to work with you as you
undertake an extremely difficult challenge at a difficult time, quite
frankly, with all of the changes in the world and all of the budget
pressures here at home."
"Sen. Albert Gore of Tennessee, a Democratic member of the Armed Services
Committee who served with Cheney in the House, said: 'I know of no reason
why he shouldn't be approved, but I will reserve judgment until the
hearings. . . . He is a good guy. I like him a lot, and he is well liked by
his colleagues.'"
Representative Tony Coelho
"'Few people in Washington understand the executive and legislative branches
of government as well as Dick Cheney,' said Rep. Tony Coelho (D-Merced), the
majority whip who ranks third in the House leadership. 'This is a smart move
on the part of the President but a great move on behalf of the country.'"
Senator Sam Nunn
"In terms of qualifications, Congressman Cheney, I believe, is highly
qualified to be Secretary of Defense. He has had a distinguished 20-year
public career, serving in senior leadership positions in both the
Legislative and Executive branches. Beyond his leadership and management
experience, he has substantial expertise on national security and
intelligence matters. His high standards of personal conduct and integrity
will, in my view, help restore public confidence in the integrity of defense
management. He has my strong support, and I intend to vote for him for the
position of Secretary of Defense."
"The committee also discussed Representative Cheney's medical condition in
both public and executive sessions. The committee concluded that there is no
medical reason that would preclude Representative Cheney from serving as
Secretary of Defense."
Senator George Mitchell
"Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell of Maine said Cheney had 'served
with distinction' in Congress. He promised to work with Nunn to ensure the
nomination gets 'prompt consideration' by the committee and the full Senate.
Senator Tim Wirth
"Sen. Tim Wirth, D-Colo., said, 'He's a very able and impressive person. ...
He's one of the smartest people in Congress.'
Senator Charles Robb
"'An excellent choice,' said Sen. Charles Robb, the freshman from Virginia
who was one of the last Democrats to announce his opposition to Tower."
Senator James Exon
SEN. EXON: "And I happen to feel that we should also salute the President
for his prompt move to bring about the nomination of Dick Cheney, whom I
think will do an excellent job in that very important position. And I simply
second the remarks that both of you have made. And I'm looking forward to
casting my vote in support of this nominee."
Senator Robert Byrd
Mr. BYRD. "Mr. President, I support the nomination of Mr. Cheney for the
post of Secretary of Defense. It is a pleasure to support a nominee whose
background and experience are well known to all of us. It is well known that
he brings substantial experience in the national security and intelligence
fields. He served on the House Intelligence Committee and on the committee
investigating the Iran arms-for-hostages scandal. No serious questions have
arisen in the course of the Armed Services Committee investigation and
hearings over Mr. Cheney's fitness for the office, or his integrity, or over
the issues related to conflict of interest. On the contrary, I think the
record is clear that by virtue of his temperament, his character, his
experience, his commitment to public service, that this is an excellent
nominee. I welcome his nomination, and I look forward to a solid working
relationship with him in sorting out the very difficult issues on national
security that we face in the light of our fiscal constraints."
Senator Jim Sasser
Mr. SASSER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the nomination of
Representative Dick Cheney to be Secretary of Defense. I have known and
worked with Dick Cheney for several years. He is a man who I am pleased to
support for this crucial position. Representative Cheney is a man of
dedication, honor, and integrity. Combined with his experience in public
service and his expertise in areas of national security and intelligence,
Representative Cheney's personal attributes will enable him to perform his
duties as Secretary of Defense in an exemplary manner. I believe that he has
the ability to restore public confidence in the Department of Defense and
the officials who operate it.
Source: George W. Bush for President
Texas under Governor Bush:
America under Clinton-Gore:
What did Arkansas look like when Al Gore joined Bill Clinton in 1992?
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