Cheney chides Democrats over judicial nominees

KENNEWICK – Vice President Dick Cheney criticized Senate Democrats – including John Kerry and John Edwards – on Monday for continuing to block President Bush’s judicial nominees.

Washington Democrats criticized Cheney before he even arrived, saying he should explain the actions of his old company, Halliburton, in Iraq.

Cheney took some partisan jabs at the Democrats’ presidential ticket in an otherwise low-key appearance at a fund-raising luncheon for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, a former state senator.

For about 30 minutes, Cheney lauded the Bush administration’s record, especially on the economy and the war on terrorism.

“What this president has accomplished in 3 1/2 years is remarkable, but the danger has not passed. The threat remains,” Cheney said. “And in the time ahead, we need the same steadfast presidential leadership.”

But Cheney mentioned Kerry, the Democrats’ presumptive nominee, only once, when he condemned Democrats for failing to confirm judicial appointments, most notably William Myers, the president’s nominee for the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has been called the nation’s most liberal court.

Cheney said Democrats’ “obstructionist tactics” were keeping sensible, mainstream nominees off the bench.

In June 2002, the 9th Circuit declared that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional because the words “under God” amount to an endorsement of religion.

The president has defended “our fundamental rights and values,” including the pledge, Cheney said.

“Looks to me like the Ninth Circuit could use some new judges,” he said to applause from the crowd.

Even before Cheney arrived in Kennewick, Democrats were sharpening their knives with a telephonic press conference featuring Washington Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who mentioned a recent Government Accountability Office study critical of the amounts Halliburton has been paid.

“Halliburton wasted more than a billion dollars in Iraq,” Owen charged. “Cheney should be condemning Halliburton, but he’s not.”

The vice president also promoted U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt’s campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

The event raised more than $100,000 for Rossi’s campaign.

Rossi will face one of two Democrats – Attorney General Christine Gregoire or King County Executive Ron Sims – in the November election.

After Cheney left, Rossi told the crowd he plans to improve the state’s economy, making things easier for small business and reducing unemployment. He stressed the need for tort reform to ease medical malpractice insurance costs for doctors.

He also emphasized the need for access to water, winning big applause from the Eastern Washington crowd.

“We have everything we need to be successful right here except the political will, courage and leadership in Olympia to make it happen,” Rossi told them. “I’ve got four years to make it happen.”

Among the crowd was Juli Czebotar, 47, Richland, wife of a potato farmer.

“Usually the Democrats, that big base, is Seattle, and we tend to get overlooked,” she said afterward. “Our issues are important here, especially the water. We need water here and we feed the rest of the state.”