Vice President Cheney was asked for authority to engage the aircraft.
( ( Vice ( President Cheney ) ) ( ( was ( ( asked ( for authority ) ) ( to ( engage ( the aircraft ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNP Vice) (NNP President) (NNP Cheney)) (VP (VBD was) (VP (VBN asked) (PP (IN for) (NP (NN authority))) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB engage) (NP (DT the) (NN aircraft))))))) (. .)))
They asked the Vice President if they could engage the plane.
( They ( ( ( asked ( the ( Vice President ) ) ) ( if ( they ( could ( engage ( the plane ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (PRP They)) (VP (VBD asked) (NP (DT the) (NNP Vice) (NNP President)) (SBAR (IN if) (S (NP (PRP they)) (VP (MD could) (VP (VB engage) (NP (DT the) (NN plane))))))) (. .)))