Karl Rove Gets It Wrong, Thinks Joe Biden Is Worse Than Dick Cheney

Posted by Satyam Khanna, Think Progress at 4:22 AM on December 24, 2008.

In a recent interview, Joe Biden recounted how he told President-elect Obama that as vice president, he would like to be involved "in every important decision you'll make, every critical decision, economic and political as well as foreign policy."

Yesterday, on Fox News, Karl Rove attacked Biden for asking to be involved in executive decisions, insinuating that Biden was requesting a far greater executive role than even Vice President Cheney. "That's a pretty expansive view...and a pretty large demand," he said. "I know for a fact" that "Dick Cheney never asked that of George W. Bush," Rove added.

ROVE: You know what's amazing to me? I would never believe that Vice President Cheney, I know for fact certain he never asked President Bush, Governor Bush at the time in 2000 for the kind of commitment that Senator Biden apparently asked of Senator Obama, that you know, I, the vice president, have to be in the room at every major decision you make and you have to consult with me.

"And I'm confident that it's pretty extraordinary if Biden asked that of Obama," Rove said.

Watch it:

Once again, Rove has his "facts" wrong. The truth is that Cheney did discuss with Bush early on his ideas for expanding the VP's role -- and dabbling in any area of his choosing. As Cheney biographer Barton Gellman noted in his book (p. 51):

Word came back that Cheney would engage in "whatever area the vide president feels he wants to be active in," [Josh] Bolten said. And Bush backed him up. "The president made it clear from the outset that the vice president is welcome at every table and at every meeting," said Bolten, speaking in 2006. ... But it's been true as a practical matter and as a real matter of atmosphere here in the White House."

Former vice president Dan Quayle also recalled a deal between Cheney and Bush (p.58). Cheney "had the understanding with President Bush that he would be -- I'm just going to use the word 'surrogate chief of staff.' ... He wanted to be there all the time. And this was the deal he had."

Rove later said it was a just a "myth" that Cheney amassed "enormous power" as Vice President. But as Gellman noted last night, Cheney's view of executive power is "more radical" than Richard Nixon's. Biden has is already breaking with the Cheney model, stating this month that he will limit his involvement in congressional affairs.

Tagged as: dick cheney, karl rove, joe biden

Satyam Khanna is a Research Associate for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.