The Unraveling of a Bitter Old Man – Meet Dick Cheney

Once their terms are done, Presidents and Vice Presidents are supposed to ride quietly off into the sunset.

Not the Prince of Darkness.

Since being wheeled out of the Capitol on Inauguration Day, former Veep Dick Cheney has surfaced every three weeks or so to throw bombs at the Obama Administration.  Perhaps he believes enough bombs thrown will make us forget the shotgun blast to his friend’s face.

As if telling the American people not so long ago that we weren’t as safe with Cool Hand Barack at the helm weren’t outrageous enough behavior for someone formerly a pacemaker away from the presidency, today Cheney stooped low again by taking a cheap shot at an American hero – Gen. Colin Powell.

Here’s an exchange between Cheney and CBS’ Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation:

SCHIEFFER: Colin Powell, Rush Limbaugh said the other day that the party would probably be better off if Colin Powell left and just became a Democrat. Colin Powell said Republicans would be better off if they didn’t have Rush Limbaugh out speaking for them. Where do you come down?

CHENEY: Well, if I had to choose in terms of being a Republican, I’d go with Rush Limbaugh, I think. I think my take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn’t know he was still a Republican.

SCHIEFFER: So you think that he’s not a Republican?

CHENEY: I just noted he endorsed the Democratic candidate for president this time, Barack Obama . I assumed that that is some indication of his loyalty and his interest.

SCHIEFFER: And you said you would take Rush Limbaugh over Colin Powell.

CHENEY: I would.

I think we’re witnessing the unraveling of an especially bitter old man.  Powell may have endorsed Obama, but we know that Republicans all over the country endorsed and voted for Obama.  Powell’s Republican credentials are solid.  In fact, perhaps the problem with the Republican Party is that “Colin Powell Republicans” are outnumbered by the mouth breathers.

Dick Cheney proved as vice president that he’s got an overinflated sense of self.  He’s proving as former vice president that he’s just an impulsive political lunatic.

So, the question is – why do Washington journalists keep giving him the rope with which he’s hanging whatever’s left of his reputation?  Here’s how the Bob Schieffer interview ended:

SCHIEFFER: Mr. Vice President, you promised some news. I think we probably made a little.

CHENEY: All right.