Ever wonder about that secure, undisclosed location where Dick Cheney secreted himself after the 9/11 attacks? Joe Biden reveals the bunker-like room is at the Naval Observatory in Washington, where Cheney lived for eight years and which is now home to Biden. The veep related the story to his head-table dinner mates when he filled in for President Obama at the Gridiron Club earlier this year.
He said the young naval officer giving him a tour of the residence showed him the hideaway, which is behind a massive steel door secured by an elaborate lock with a narrow connecting hallway lined with shelves filled with communications equipment. The officer explained that when Cheney was in lock down, this was where his most trusted aides were stationed, an image that Biden conveyed in a way that suggested we shouldn’t be surprised that the policies that emerged were off the wall.
Cheney has emerged as the leading critic of the Obama administration on national security, saying the president’s policies are making America less safe, and if there’s another attack, it will be Obama’s fault. This is tough stuff, but as the architect of the Bush administration’s policies on war and torture, he has a much bigger legacy to protect than the president he helped steer onto the shoals.
If someone were to attack the US again wouldn’t this be where Biden would be taken to be protected? Is it really a good idea to be telling the world the location and features of the “secure undisclosed location” that is designed to protect the vice-president during an attack and maintain the continuity of government.
Seems like poor judgment to me.
1. You all don’t read anything, I guess. Didn’t think there were journalists left – even outside the Beltway – who weren’t certain Cheney’s hideout was next door to his residence.
2. Yeah – it’s a real threat to the United States to drop a bomb on any vice-president.
3. I’ll wager the panic room was built to withstand an atom bomb back in the day. So, what’s the fear?
Don’t any of you remove your tinfoil hats on the weekend?
As dumb as Cheney is, Biden makes him look like a friggin’ genius in comparison.
It sounds to me like Biden has a fair amount of disdain for anybody who would go hide in a hole in the ground when things get interesting. A sentiment I can wholly embrace. These are our leaders and it’s no job for cowards and elitists who think their too good to take the same risks as everybody else.
If it’s “undisclosed”, we all pretend we don’t know where it is. Hope you all saw this:http://borowitzreport.com/
Please. Leave this moron on the damn sidewalk in the event of an attack.
uh… why would we have to “build another one” if Biden isn’t even using this ridiculous Howard Hughes Bat-Cave?
Dick sure was a paranoid old frakker. Now if only we could shut him up.
Hey Dick, the cold war ended a long time ago. Didn’t you get the memo?
Is that Cheney’s half brain he is trying to give back?
Cheney doesn’t have enough time left to rebuild his integrity.
He will be remembered as a cold war relic that managed to take control of government by hooking up with a buffoon.
Hhmmm, so Cheney’s hide out was at the Naval Observatory. At his house. IN HIS house. Right where all the Navy could observe and learn.
Riiiiight. What an effen moran.
#4 you are an idiot. What good is a leader if he’s dead. Bunkers are made to protect our leaders so they can lead.
I always hypothesized that the undisclosed location was in the very pit of hell, with freedom to come and go being part of the deal Cheney made with “the boss.”
I wonder if Biden will be prosecuted for disclosing this information?
More non news.
It’s not like Cheney had it built! It was there when he moved in and appropriately used, it would appear, at a time when no one new what was happening. Cheney, at least, had the good sense to keep the bunker’s location secret.
Now, of course, any future terrorists will know where to find the veep. Hope Mr Bad Hair Plugs stays safe. We need some comic relief in this administration.
#16…not to defend Biden, but this thing is likely nuke-tight, as in ICBM nuke. That means no terrorist has a chance, even if he’s at the front door. There’s really no point in keeping it secret, even in the day the Soviets would have had 50 missiles aimed all over the greater DC area.
Personally, I think Cheney just liked pretending he was in the middle of a war with the Soviets….something he probably always wanted.
#16 nothing is nuke proof. Not even NORAD inside Cheyenne Mountain would not survive a direct hit.
#18. Wrong.
what a stupid bastard.
I guarantee that it was harden against whatever a terrorist can set off on the front door step. What? Is a terrorist going to have a 50 megaton warhead in his pants?
I think this shows more of Cheney and the Bush administration paranoia then Biden’s loose lips. Taken with the torture revelation if makes you wonder what they were so scared about.
# 18 gquaglia is correct.
Cheyenne Mountain is America’s Underground Fortress. But Yes, a direct hit by a nuke will make a big crater. The bad guys have been able to do that for years.
BTW the mountain’s job of alerting our National Command Authorities of a missile attack will have been accomplished long before the missiles from the bad guys get here.
BTW I have never seen the Stargate sign anywhere in Cheyenne Mountain.
Cheney is doing us anti-torture Americans (aka good patriotic Americans) a huge favor by not shutting his evil pie hole about torture.
Every time he speaks, he’s making a formal investigation more likely.
Tomas said, on May 17th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
#18. Wrong.
Sorry. But I think gquaglia is correct. I was stationed at Fort Carson at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain and I know it was built to withstand huge nukes landing nearby, within 3/4 of a mile or so. Anything closer would put NORAD out of commission. That bunker in the Naval Observatory, Olo, is unlikely to be able to withstand any sort of a close call nuke.
Whether the bunker could withstand a direct nuclear attack or not is completely immaterial.
Before Biden opened his trap, we could reasonably believe the terrorist didn’t know it was there. Now we can reasonably believe they do.
Which creates a new high priority target for those who wish us harm. Nukes? What about biological agents? Dirty bombs? Poison gas?
But on the other hand, Biden telling the world about this bunker may insure it NEVER gets hit. Why?
Killing the Commander In Chief while leaving the VP untouched would insure the head of government goes from a competent and capable leader to an Alzheimers addled dimwit. This could be far worse than anything else they could do!
#25, I like your logic, but I’m not sure the bad guys care so much about who remains…they’re more about symbolism. If the 9/11 bad guys had had any brains they would have all hit DC targets or nuke plants.
Anyway, my point was that this bunker is solid against whatever anyone can get near it.
Maybe our VP is setting a trap for the “terrorists” at the Naval Observatory. He is using himself as bait. What a brave man. (snicker)
Seriously, it’s not like this was a well-kept state secret. Neighbors were complaining about the construction noise that was coming from the Naval Observatory back in 2002. According to one neighbor, loud blasts were going off at the rate of two or three a day over a span of a couple months. The blasts were heard as early as 7 AM and as late as 11 PM. Not many people would conclude that Cheney was drilling for oil.