From the NewsMax.com Staff

For the story behind the story...

Howard Dean: Dick Cheney 'Cannot Remain in Office'

Reprint Information

Book on Katie Couric Makes Waves White House: We're Not Subject to FOIA FBI Seeks 2 Mysterious Men on Ferry Publisher: Conservatives Do Read As Much As Liberals Romney Shrugs Off Mormon History Film

Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean said Sunday that Vice President Dick Cheney "cannot remain in office" if he ordered his chief of staff, Scooter Libby, to leak classified information to the press.

But in the next breath Dean falsely claimed that Libby himself had "been indicted for leaking information."

Appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," Dean said: "It may be that the vice president leaked security information in a time of war in order to discredit political opponents. I don't think the vice president has any credibility on national security whatsoever and I think he's in deep trouble."

Referring to reports last week that said Libby told the Leakgate grand jury that his "superiors" authorized him to leak classified intelligence on the Iraq war, the DNC chief contended:

Story Continues Below

  "If it turns out that Scooter Libby, who said this week that his superiors ordered him to leak the information for political reasons, then this vice president may not be vice president very much longer."

Moments later Dean added: "If that's true the vice president cannot remain in office."

Pressed on what he meant, Dean explained:

"If it turns out that what Scooter Libby testified . . . to the grand jury, that his superior ordered him, or suggested that he leak the information to the press in order to discredit one of their political opponents - if that happened in a time of war - then the vice president cannot sit in the office he now occupies."

Asked if he would favor an "impeachment proceeding" for Cheney, Dean said: "That's getting a little far down the road. First we have to find out of it's true."

Despite his incendiary rhetoric, Dean managed to get a key detail about the case wrong, when he told "Face the Nation": "It's been alleged by Scooter Libby, who's been indicted for leaking information, that his superiors ordered him to leak that information."

In fact, the Libby indictment has nothing to do with "leaking information," but instead alleges that the top Cheney aide made false statements to prosecutors.

Editor's note:
Check out President Reagan – the Oval Office Photo – Click Here Now
Find out about George Soros’ coup and his plan to change America – get our Special Report – Click Here Now
Fidel Castro and His Shocking Ties to Hollywood – Click Here Now

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
DNC

Inside Cover Stories
FBI Seeks 2 Mysterious Men on Ferry

Publisher: Conservatives Do Read As Much As Liberals

Romney Shrugs Off Mormon History Film

Bob Grant to Return to Radio

Carville Seeks Perfect '08 Bumper Sticker More Inside Cover Stories