Excerpts from Cheney on Fox Business Network

FORMER VP DICK CHENEY TELLS FOX BUSINESS NETWORK THAT HE WOULD HAVE “ENCOURAGED CHAPTER 11” FOR THE AUTO INDUSTRY, THAT OBAMA'S FINANCIAL RESCUE PLAN GOES “TOO FAR” AND CLOSING GITMO IS A “TERRIBLE IDEA”

Former Vice President Dick Cheney sat down with FOX Business Network's Neil Cavuto this afternoon and spoke about Obama's rescue plans for the auto industry, the administrations tax plans going “too far,” the Bush Administration's enhanced interrogation policies and said that closing Guantanamo Bay is “a terrible idea”

Below are excerpts from the interview:

*MANDATORY CREDIT FOX BUSINESS NETWORK*

On the Disagreeing with Plans to Bail Out the Auto Industry:
“I disagreed with bailing out the automobile companies. I would have encouraged the process to go forward for a Chapter 11…The banks were different, and the reason the banks are different is because they are part of the financial system that is the heart and soul of our economy.”

On the New Administration's Financial Rescue Plans Going “Too Far”
“Well, the thing I find objectionable is that people are taking what was done with respect to the financial sector and without discriminating, trying to do the same thing for a broader range of sectors. And think that's a mistake.

I worry that the current situation is a set of circumstances where the administration is using the excuse of the economic difficulties in order to significantly broaden the power and authority of the government over the private sector. I think that's a huge mistake.

On Worrying About Obama's Tax Plans:
“I worry…I'd much prefer a situation in which we did not embark upon a course of the vast expansion of the authority of the federal government over the private sector. I'd be much more focused on tax cuts and reducing the economic burden on the private sector that the federal government represents as the best way to get the economy up and running again. I think you need to create jobs, you need to support small business, you need to encourage people to go out and save and invest and create the kind of entrepreneurial activity that really has given us the greatness that is the American economy, not expand the size of the federal government.”

On Enhanced Interrogation Methods Not Being Torture:
“I don't believe it was torture. We had attorneys who gave us a clear guidance as to what was appropriate and what wasn't … Bottom line is we successfully defended the nation for seven and a half years against a follow-on attack to 9/11. That was a remarkable achievement. Nobody would have thought that was possible, but it was. I believe it was possible because of the policies we had in place, which they're now dismantling.”

On closing Guantanamo Bay and providing released detainees with welfare:
“I think it's a terrible idea… The ones that are remaining, about 245, are the hardcore, the worst of the worst. They're cases have been reviewed, they were given a review down at Guantanamo, and they were kept in custody because we believe they constituted a threat to the United States.

“I think they need to keep Guantanamo open. I think it's a mistake to try to close it. I think if you didn't have it, you'd have to invent it. If you bring those people to the United States, I don't know a single congressman who is going to stand up and say, gee, send me some terrorists. I'd like to have some al Qaeda-types living in my district.  That's not going to happen.”

On the Administration Planning to Release Photos of Interrogation Methods:
“The fact of the matter is the administration appears to be committed to putting out information that sort of favors their point of views in terms of being opposed to, for example, enhanced interrogation techniques.

But so far they've refused to put out memos that were done by the CIA that I've requested be declassified that show the positive results of the detainee program, and all of the information and the intelligence we were able to garner from these high-value detainees.”

On the Future of the Repiblican Party
“I think we need to run a party that is broadly based, where people of a wide variety of viewpoints are welcome. I don't think we ought to change the basic fundamental philosophy of the Republican Party. I personally am a conservative Republican. I obviously believe in my philosophy, and I think that's the basis upon which we have to build any resurgence of our party. I think we will, but I think we'll do it by being true to our principles, not becoming more like the Democrats.”

On whether he thinks that the country is at risk for another terrorist attack because of the Obama Administration's policies:
“I think that we are stripping ourselves of some of the capabilities that we used in order to block, if you will, or disrupt activities by al Qaeda that would have led to additional attacks. I think that's an important debate to have. I don't think we should just roll over when the new administration says -- accuses of us committing torture, which we did not, or somehow violating the law, which we did not. I think you need to stand up and respond to that, and that's what I've done.”

On Jeb Bush:
“I like Jeb.  I think he's a good man.  I'd like to see him continue to stay involved politically… I'd probably support him for president.”