In the Party of Panderers, the Man Who Keeps His Mouth Shut is King

I can't say Dick Cheney is on my top ten list of politicians, but I think it's telling that he was nowhere to be seen or heard as the Bush Brothers, Frist and Delay scrambled all over each other to stand up for life last week.

We saw a glimpse of the same man during the Vice Presidential debates, when the question of gay rights arose, and again during the state of the union address, when, instead of springing out of his chair as the President began to defend marriage, he sat impassively.

I still disagree with him and he makes me uncomfortable in so many ways. But just when I'm tempted to think he's an irredeemable Great-Santini-like hard ass who has contempt for anyone left of Attila the Hun I remember this. The man doesn't pander.