What Has Happened to Dick Cheney?'

[Jcrowley]

What Has Happened to Dick Cheney?'
By Jim Hoagland
Thursday, March 8, 2007; Page A23


Is the vice president losing his influence, or perhaps his mind? That question, even if it is phrased more delicately, is creeping through foreign ministries and presidential offices abroad and has become a factor in the Bush administration's relations with the world.

"What has happened to Dick Cheney?" That solicitous but direct question came from a European statesman who has known the vice president for many years. He put it to me a few days ago -- even before the discovery of a blood clot in Cheney's leg and the perjury conviction of Scooter Libby, his former chief of staff, brought headline attention to the volatile state of the vice president's physical, emotional and political health.


It is not new for Americans to question whether their leaders have become delusional. Editors at The Post directed reporters to find out if Jimmy Carter had suffered a nervous breakdown when he retreated to Camp David for 10 days in 1979 and abruptly fired five Cabinet officers. Remember the hubbub over Al Haig's "I am in control here" and other Captain Queegish remarks, or Richard Nixon's talking to portraits?

What is unusual is for foreigners to think about a vice president at all and to question what effect the VP's moods and internal policy defeats have on America's standing in the world.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702044.html

[saltpoint]

1. I wonder if Dick Cheney was ever sane to begin with. Oh sure, he could

bathe and feed himself, but I mean his relationship with Power.

It must have lured him from the earliest of days and he slowly but surely climbed his way into maximum influence.

Much to the detriment of our nation, our relationships with our allies, and several thousand dead men and women in Iraq of both sides and all factions.

His lying has been in the Baghdad Bob league for some time now, with no signs of it abating.

He's several bricks shy of a load. His health is wobbly. His physical heart is piss-weak and his metaphorical heart nonexistent.

And his presence in the Bush administration is not doing any Republican up for re-election in 08 any favors.

[madokie]

2. I guess the '08 repunks can point at dickless and say I ain't as bad as he is

[saltpoint]

3. Hi, madokie. Maybe that's the rationale for having such a weak GOP

field so far.

McCain looks like a walking cadaver lately. Romney is visibly unstable and creepy. Giuliani is thin-skinned, and likely psychopathic, and also probably unelectable. Brownback is less appealing than a werewolf. And it goes downhill from those 4.

I'm thinking we need to keep up the pressure and work our tails off, but I like our chances for 2008.

[madokie]

6. Me too. Not only do we have some fine capable Democratic candidates

some of who will be more than happy to come aboard the new Administration and help to stear the big ship back to calm waters too. Democrats make me Proud for the most part whereas the repunks, really no need going there. I predict the bush* cabal will all but be gone by the fourth of july if they're not gone before then. :-)

[saltpoint]

7. I LIKE that kind of talk. Don't stop! Don't stop!

And by the 4th of July! Excellent schedule.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

4. Nothing.

What has changed is that people are starting to wake up and see the truth that was always there.

[Blackhatjack]

5. The White House Press Corp Needs To Demand Access To Cheney For Q and A....

We all know that Cheney cannot stand be confronted on anything, without blowing up.

Imagine what a press conference with the VP would be like today.

Might be worth the price of admission....

[Ms. Clio]

8. very interesting

more:

The Libby trial revealed serious splits between Cheney and Bush's political team, led by Karl Rove, who suffered no legal consequences for his role in the scandal. The trial also served as another exercise in showing how Cheney has empowered his critics at home and his foes abroad: His excessive concern for secrecy and control by the executive branch has given new credibility and fundraising ability to the Democrats and to civil liberties organizations here, and it has won sympathy around the world for prisoners who may well be terrorists.

So listen up, diplomats: However beleaguered, Cheney will not resign over the president's refusal to take his advice. The only force that could drive him to that dramatic step would be that unshakable sense of loyalty to Bush, who desperately now needs a vice president in stable physical, emotional and political health. That is the equation you want to be watching.