Transcript for Sept. 10

MR. RUSSERT: But the Supreme Court did tell you you needed congressional authority.

VICE PRES. CHENEY: Yes. I happen to disagree with the Supreme Court. I think they made a—I think the Thomas/Scalia/Alito minority views were the correct ones. The fact of the matter is, the Court said, for example, the Geneva Convention applies to terrorists, that this is a—that common Article$ Three applies to an international conflict. We never before believed it did, the Court never believed it did.

MR. RUSSERT: But no regret over the treatment of, of the suspects:

waterboarding, some of the—loud music—some of the other techniques used?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I won’t discuss techniques. It’s important we preserve certain classified elements of the program. But I will say to you, Tim, that the information we’ve collected from the detainees, from the people like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11, has probably been some of the most valuable intelligence we’ve had in the last five years.

MR. RUSSERT: Did they help in any...

VICE PRES. CHENEY: And has helped us prevent attacks against the United States.

MR. RUSSERT: Did it help in any way with the London terror plot?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: The detainee program?

MR. RUSSERT: Mm-hmm.

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I can’t say that.

MR. RUSSERT: There is a report in the papers today that the Republican Campaign Committee of the House is going to spend $50 million between now and the midterm elections, and 90 percent of that money is on negative advertising against the Democratic opponents. Is that appropriate?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: Well, Tim, I haven’t seen the ads. I hope our guys have good, hard-hitting advertisements, certainly the opposition does. And I don’t see anything inappropriate about a tough, hard-charging campaign. This is an important campaign. Just think about what’s at stake in this election in terms of national security and the global war on terror and where we go on these issues you and I have been talking about this morning.

MR. RUSSERT: What happens if the Democrats win the House of Representatives?

What do you expect?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I don’t think it’ll happen. I don’t expect that Nancy Pelosi will be speaker. I think we’re doing very well out there. I feel better about the election now than I did three months ago.

MR. RUSSERT: But do you fear serious oversight of the Bush administration?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: We’ve had oversight all along, Tim.

MR. RUSSERT: With robust congressional hearings?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: We’ve had oversight all along.

MR. RUSSERT: Not—with robust congressional hearings?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: With robust congressional hearings.

MR. RUSSERT: Like the Democrats would have?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: On, on what?

MR. RUSSERT: On the war in Iraq, on weapons of mass destruction.

VICE PRES. CHENEY: We have those all the time now anyway.

MR. RUSSERT: No fears?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: No.

MR. RUSSERT: No concerns?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: No. Not on that part.

MR. RUSSERT: And you’re fully confident you’ll maintain control of both Houses?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I think we will, I really do. I’ve been—spent a lot of time on it, I’ve done 91 campaigns myself this cycle, since last fall. I’m on the road a lot. I’ve seen our candidates, I’ve seen how they’re handling the issues. We’ve generated the resources we need to be able to have a good, hard-fought competition. I—if I had to bet today, I’d bet that—well, I can bet you a dinner that we hold both Houses.

MR. RUSSERT: I don’t bet.

VICE PRES. CHENEY: You don’t bet. All right.

MR. RUSSERT: Have you been hunting since February 11, 2006?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: No, sir, that was the end of the season.

MR. RUSSERT: No more hunting?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I didn’t say that at all, but I have not hunted since then. But I ordinarily wouldn’t anyway.

MR. RUSSERT: Will you go out and hunt again?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I do, I will.

MR. RUSSERT: Have you gotten over that incident?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: Well, yeah, I don’t know that you ever get over it.

Fortunately, Harry’s doing very well, Harry Whittington, and...

MR. RUSSERT: You’ve talked to him?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: Yes, I have. And he’s a good man, and he could not have been more gracious or more generous. But it’s not the kind of thing I don’t think anybody could ever forget. I certainly won’t.

MR. RUSSERT: Should I be relieved you didn’t bring your shotgun in today?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re not in season.

MR. RUSSERT: Mr. Vice President, I hope I never am.

VICE PRES. CHENEY: All right.

MR. RUSSERT: Thank you for sharing your views.

VICE PRES. CHENEY: Thank you, Tim.

MR. RUSSERT: And some programming notes: The NFL’s back on NBC, Manning vs.  Manning tonight. Brother Eli of the Giants battles brother Peyton of the Colts. NBC Sports starts at 7 p.m.

How about those Boston College Eagles? Double overtime victory over the Clemson Tigers, 34-33.

And another match-up in politics. Our SENATE DEBATE series continues next week: Virginia. Republican Senator George Allen debates his opponent, Democrat Jim Webb. Allen vs. Webb right here on MEET THE PRESS next Sunday.  And we’ll be right back.

(Announcements)

MR. RUSSERT: That’s all for today. And as we leave this morning, we remember the 2,973 men, women and children who died on September 11, 2001, and those true heroes who gave their lives so others may live.

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