Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) has heard just about enough from Dick Cheney these days.
During a fiery interview Thursday on MSNBC, Meeks couldn’t hide his anger toward the former vice president, who has re-emerged in recent days to condemn the Obama administration for its handling of Iraq.
The New York congressman said he doesn’t view the deteriorating security situation in Iraq as an “imminent danger” to the U.S. and he blasted Cheney for “irresponsible decisions” during the vice president’s time in office.
“How dare he come and raise his ugly head at this time. I’m sorry. I’m upset about that,” Meeks told anchor Tamron Hall.
Meeks said he voted against authorizing the use of force in Iraq in 2002 because George W. Bush and company failed to make a convincing case. Now, Meeks just wishes Cheney would just go away.
“He was dead wrong then and he’s dead wrong now and he’s never been right,” he said. “I just wish we would stop covering him because all the evidence is in. Everything that he said back in 2002, 2003 has been proven wrong.”
“The guy should just go stay retired, you know, take care of his health and just keep his mouth shut,” Meeks added.
As Islamic militants have overtaken multiple Iraqi cities on a disquieting march to Baghdad, Cheney has repeatedly criticized the administration. In an angry editorial he co-wrote this week his daughter, Liz, the former vice president said “President Obama seems determined to leave office ensuring he has taken America down a notch.”
Meeks doesn’t think any of the Iraq War’s biggest cheerleaders have much authority. He questioned earlier this week why the press even bothers to listen to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on the issue.
On Thursday, Meeks pushed back against the Arizona senator once more for calling on Obama to fire all of his national security team.
“Sen. McCain said something about firing people,” Meeks said. “Well, if anybody should fire anybody that he has, Cheney should fire all of his people and McCain should fire all of his because they haven’t been right on anything.”
