50 the Senate voted 81 to 0: U.S. Senate roll call record, January 26, 2007, http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ntquery/z?nomis:110PN0017800:.

51 planted Petraeus in an office: Peter Baker, "General Is Front Man for Bush's Iraq Plan," Washington Post, February 7, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601918.html.

52 "This is a pretty significant": Petraeus interview.

53 "So now I'm an October": Draper, Dead Certain, 419.

CHAPTER 31: "I'M GOING TO FIRE ALL YOUR ASSES".

1 first time since 1928: In 1928, President Calvin Coolidge decided not to run for reelection, and Vice President Charles Dawes did not run. Even then, the incumbent administration had one of its own in the race, in the form of Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. In every election since then, the incumbent president or vice president made a run for the White House, and in every one of those elections but one he won the nomination of his party. The one year that did not happen was 1952, when President Harry Truman gave up his reelection campaign after losing the New Hampshire primary. Vice President Alben Barkley, at age seventy-four, jumped into the race just two weeks before the party convention but lost to Governor Adlai Stevenson of Illinois. Barkley later returned to the Senate.

2 "I've talked to a lot of": Wayne Berman, author interview.

3 a Pioneer, collecting more: Texans for Public Justice, http://info.tpj.org/docs/pioneers/pioneers_view.jsp?id=156.

4 "I've taken the Sherman": Dick Cheney, interview with Bob Schieffer, Face the Nation, March 19, 2006. The Sherman statement refers to William Tecumseh Sherman, the Union general from the Civil War who in 1884 gave what became known as the most definitive expression of noninterest that a politician could give: "I will not accept if nominated, and will not serve if elected." In modern politics, anything less definitive often encourages speculation, and often is intended to.

5 "a warm welcome like that": For example, see Dick Cheney, speech to the Federalist Society's national convention, November 17, 2006, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/11/20061117-11.html.

6 approval rating in the thirties: In a survey taken March 1114, 2007, Gallup found that 34 percent of Americans approved of Dick Cheney's job performance while 56 percent disapproved. http://www.gallup.com/poll/28159/americans-ratings-dick-cheney-reach-new-lows.aspx#2.

7 "I'm going to go work": Berman interview.

8 "There were a lot of": Michael Gerson, author interview.

9 "It constitutes a kind of a double": Dean McGrath, author interview.

10 "a disgraceful policy": Elliott Abrams, author interview.

11 "We had a good relationship": Dick Cheney, author interview.

12 "North Korea policy was": Stephen Yates, author interview.

13 "They never had an answer": Christopher Hill, author interview.

14 "Even before they exploded": Condoleezza Rice, author interview.

15 "I am not going to go to war": Eric Edelman, author interview.

16 "I don't think he had less": Stephen Hadley, author interview.

17 "I just think he became a lot": Rice interview.

18 "He had a lot of experience": Cheney interview.

19 "a spent force": David Gordon, author interview.

20 "He looked tired": Neil Patel, author interview.

21 "He fell asleep quite often": Senior administration official, author interview.

22 "Did you see?": Latimer, Speech-Less, 168.

23 "as a matter of principle": Robert Joseph, author interview.

24 "brilliant, fearless, and argumentative": Holbrooke, To End a War, 80.

25 "I don't think in my": Administration official, author interview.

26 "He was a junior Holbrooke": Michael Green, author interview.

27 "I love Chris, and I made": Rice interview.

28 pushed through the House: U.S. House Clerk's Office, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll099.xml.

29 "never cut off funding": Nancy Pelosi, interview with ABC News, January 19, 2007, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2805714&page=1#.T4XyOHgjj-A.

30 "No, this is important": Ronald Neumann, author interview.

31 described as "a loud boom": Dick Cheney, remarks to traveling press, Air Force Two, February 27, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070227.html.

32 "They clearly try to find": Ibid.

33 "I've seen some press reporting": Dick Cheney, briefing for traveling press, Air Force Two, February 27, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070227-8.html. While the briefing was on "background," meaning Cheney could be identified only as a "senior administration official," his cover was soon blown by the transcript sent out by the White House. The transcript used the "senior administration official" terminology but left the quotations in the first person, as in "That's not the way I work."

34 "there is a cloud over": Byron York, "Scooter Who? In Closing Arguments, Fitzgerald Points the Finger at Dick Cheney," National Review, February 21, 2007, http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/220047/scooter-who-closing-arguments-fitzgerald-points-finger-dick-cheney/byron-york.

35 alone in his office, Cheney: Hayes, Cheney, 51920.

36 "mistakes were made": Alberto Gonzales, news conference, March 13, 2007, Federal News Service transcript.

37 "something of a shock": Sammon, Evangelical President, 18990.

38 "felt that cancer was stalking": Peter Baker, "White House Spokesman's Colon Cancer Has Returned," Washington Post, March 28, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/27/AR2007032700828.html.

39 "I think he's become more": Jim Rutenberg, "Ex-aide Says He's Lost Faith in Bush," New York Times, April 1, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/washington/01adviser.html?pagewanted=all.

40 "a little crying heap": Meghan O'Sullivan, author interview.

41 "George, I'm asking you to": George W. Bush, Decision Points, 42022. Elliott Abrams said he did not remember Olmert saying that. See Tested by Zion, 24647.

42 "You were right": Michael Hayden, author interview.

43 "If this stuff leaks": Eric Edelman, author interview.

44 "impatient and spoiled": Reid, Good Fight, 4.

45 "this war cannot be won": Ibid., 15.

46 "If you think this is about": Ibid., 18.

47 "this war is lost": The full quotation was "Now, I believe myself that the secretary of state, the secretary of defense and-you have to make your own decision as to what the president knows-that this war is lost and that the surge is not accomplishing anything, as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday." Harry Reid, news conference, April 19, 2007, Federal News Service transcript.

48 "chewed my ass": Woodward, War Within, 346. While Harry Reid later said he might have chosen his words more carefully, he refused to apologize.

49 Sixty-four times, he said: Republican senators were scathing as Alberto Gonzales repeatedly pleaded a bad memory. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma called for his resignation. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania called his testimony "at variance with the facts." John Cornyn of Texas used the phrase "really deplorable." Dana Milbank, "Maybe Gonzales Won't Recall His Painful Day on the Hill," Washington Post, April 20, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041902571.html.

50 "He talked a lot about": Peter Baker, "A President Besieged and Isolated, yet at Ease," Washington Post, July 2, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/01/AR2007070101356.html.

51 "He actually touched the eye": Ibid.

52 House passed a spending bill: The bill authorized a total of $124 billion in spending, of which $95 billion would go to the wars. The rest was for Hurricane Katrina recovery, emergency aid to farmers, medical care for veterans, homeland security, and other spending items. The House voted for it 218 to 208, with two Republicans joining the Democratic majority and thirteen Democrats voting no. U.S. House Clerk's Office, April 25, 2007, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll265.xml.

53 "Why did you replace": Tom Davis, author interview.

54 "You guys aren't coming": Ibid.

55 "The very fundamental issue": Peter Baker and Thomas E. Ricks, "3 Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar,' " Washington Post, April 11, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/10/AR2007041001776.html.

56 In April, 104 American troops: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, known as icasualties.org, http://icasualties.org/iraq/ByMonth.aspx. Note that this link goes to the page showing all coalition casualties; to get the American casualties requires using the filter at the bottom.

57 "Look, Mr. President": Douglas Lute, author interview.

58 He was reading a column: David Ignatius, "After the Surge," Washington Post, May 22, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/21/AR2007052101439.html.

59 "Whoever is leaking": Dick Cheney, In My Time, 45658.

60 Hadley said he was the one: Hadley interview.

61 spending bill with $95 billion: The overall bill authorized $120 billion in spending, of which about $95 billion was for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As with the previous bill vetoed by George W. Bush, the rest went to a variety of other priorities. It passed the House 221 to 205, with two Republicans joining the Democratic majority and ten Democrats voting no. U.S. House Clerk's Office, May 10, 2007, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll333.xml. The Senate passed it 80 to 14, with ten Democrats (including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama), a Democratic-leaning independent, and three Republicans voting no. U.S. Senate roll call record, May 24, 2007, http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00181.

62 another leak undercutting: David E. Sanger and David S. Cloud, "White House Is Said to Debate '08 Cut in Iraq Combat Forces by 50%," New York Times, May 26, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/washington/26strategy.html?ex=1180843200&en=4a5b0fcb25dabda6&ei=5065&partner.

63 "to be quite frank about it": Woodward, War Within, 360.

64 "My concern was whether": David Petraeus, author interview.

65 "Respectfully, sir, I can": Administration official, author interview.

66 "hadn't read the bill": George W. Bush, speech on immigration reform, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, Ga., May 29, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070529-7.html.

67 "He didn't laugh": Dan Bartlett, speech to U.S. Chamber of Commerce, September 13, 2007, http://www.leadingauthorities.com/speaker/dan-bartlett.aspx.

68 judge sentenced Scooter Libby: Judge Reggie B. Walton imposed the sentence "with a sense of sadness," he said, because of his respect for those in public service but added that "it is important we expect and demand a lot from people who put themselves in those positions. Mr. Libby failed to meet the bar." Before the sentence was handed down, Scooter Libby asked the judge to "consider, along with the jury verdict, my whole life," but offered no contrition. More than 150 friends and supporters of Libby's sent letters to the judge on his behalf, including Donald Rumsfeld and Douglas Feith. Carol D. Leonnig and Amy Goldstein, "Libby Given 2-Year Prison Term," Washington Post, June 6, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060500150.html.

69 "Pardon Him": Editorial, "Pardon Him," National Review, June 5, 2007, http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/221184/pardon-him/editors.

70 "So much for loyalty": William Kristol, "Who, Me?," Weekly Standard, June 5, 2007, http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/734azcei.asp.

71 "You can't solve all": Michael Gerson, author interview.

72 "You're not the only dissident": Peter Baker, "As Democracy Push Falters, Bush Feels like a 'Dissident,' " Washington Post, August 20, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/19/AR2007081901720.html.

73 Diehl made inquiries: The resulting column ran in the Washington Post on August 6, 2007, under the headline "The Rush for a Legacy," without mentioning Abrams. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/05/AR2007080501054.html.

74 "How do we keep expectations": Rice, No Higher Honor, 600601.

CHAPTER 32: "REVOLT OF THE RADICAL PRAGMATISTS".

1 "Does anyone here agree": Several participants, author interviews. See also Dick Cheney, In My Time, 46267.

2 "It's about as good as it gets": Mike McConnell, e-mail exchange with author. See also Dick Cheney, In My Time, 46267.

3 "Of course it's a weapons": Michael Hayden, author interview.

4 "If not literal rolling of eyes": Senior administration official, author interview.

5 Abrams apologized to Cheney: Abrams, Tested by Zion, 23639.

6 "was, to put it mildly, reckless": Rice, No Higher Honor, 713.

7 "I cannot justify an attack": George W. Bush, Decision Points, 42022.

8 "That's very disappointing": Elliott Abrams, author interview.

9 "This guy's got balls": Ibid.

10 "Look, they view this as": Ibid.

11 "You can say I am wrong": Dick Cheney, author interview.

12 House Democrats accused: Peter Baker, "Cheney Defiant on Classified Material," Washington Post, June 22, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/21/AR2007062102309.html.

13 "A lot of us worked hard": George W. Bush, remarks to reporters, Naval War College, Newport, R.I., June 28, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/06/20070628-7.html.

14 "I'll see you at the bill signing": George W. Bush, remarks to reporters, Sofia, Bulgaria, June 11, 2007, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/06/20070611-1.html.