I've Seen This Movie Before

CHEYNEY: You little bastard!

GONZALES: Your Honor, I have to ask for a recess to ...

HOLDER: (interrupting) I'd like an answer to the question, Judge.

ROBERTS: The Court will wait for an answer.

HOLDER: If Rumsfeld told his men that these techniques were not torture, then why did Col. Karpinski have to be demoted? Why did Graner and England have to be sent to prison?

[Cheyney looks nervously at Graner and England.]

HOLDER: (continuing) Mr. Vice-President?

[CHEYNEY says nothing.]

HOLDER: (continuing) Rumsfeld ordered the torture, didn't he? Because that's what you told Rumsfeld to do.

GONZALES: Objection!

ROBETS: Counsel.

[HOLDER plows through the objections of GONZALES and the admonishments of ROBERTS]

HOLDER: And when it went bad, you cut these soldiers loose ...

GONZALES: (interrupting) Your Honor ...

ROBERTS: That'll be all, counsel.

HOLDER: (undaunted) ... you had your DOJ attorneys write up a bogus legal authorization ...

GONZALES: Judge ...

HOLDER: (plows ahead) ... you made Dubbaya sign it.

GONZALES: Damnit HOLDER!!

HOLDER: (continues) I'll ask one more time. You ordered ...

CHEYNEY: (interrupts loudly) You want answers?

HOLDER: I think I'm entitled to them.

CHEYNEY: You want answers?!

HOLDER: I want the truth.

CHEYNEY: You can't handle the truth!

[Nobody moves.]

CHEYNEY: (continuing) Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Congressman Franks? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for the detainees and you curse the Republicans. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: That detainee torture, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to most Americans, saves lives.

[Pregnant pause]

You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at your Georgetown parties that I never get invited to, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall! (boasting) We use words like honor, code, loyalty...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line.

[Pregnant pause]

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it. I'd prefer you just said thank you and went on your liberal way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and go hunting with me. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to.

HOLDER: (quietly) Did you order the torture?

CHEYNEY: (pause) I did the job my party sent me to do.

HOLDER: Did you order the torture?

CHEYNEY: You're goddamn right I did!

[Silence. From everyone. ROBERTS, GONZALES, the Congressional Police Officers, they're all frozen. NANCY and HARRY are as well. CHEYNEY seems strangely, quietly relieved. HOLDER simply takes control of the room now.]

HOLDER: If it pleases the court, I suggest the jurists be dismissed so that we can move to an immediate grand jury hearing. The witness has rights.

....That's when it dawned on me. Cheyney thinks he is Col. Nathan Jessep and he is bound and determined to keep flapping his jaws until he ends up being escorted away to be incarcerated ... just like Jessup. Makes me wonder if Cheyney hung around long enough to see how the movie ended. they say that the GOP is dying, I hope not. If they go the way of the Whigs, where will I get my entertainment?