Media, Democrats use some Republicans to attack Cheney

Washington Post:

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Today Cheney is the most visible -- and controversial -- critic of President Obama's national security policies and, to the alarm of many people in the Republican Party, the most forceful and uncompromising defender of the Bush administration's record. His running argument with the new administration has spawned a noisy side debate all its own: By leading the criticism, is Cheney doing more harm than good to the causes he has taken up and to the political well-being of his party?

His defenders believe he has sparked a discussion of vital importance to the safety of the country, and they hold up Obama's reversal of a decision to release photos of detainee abuse as a sign that Cheney is having an effect. But there is a potential political price that his party may pay in having one of the highest officials in an administration repudiated in the last election continue to argue his case long after the voters have rendered their decision.

Cheney entered the arena this winter in a politically weak position after that election. His personal favorability ratings were and are still low. A Gallup poll in late March found that 30 percent of respondents gave him a favorable rating, while 63 percent rated him unfavorably.

That is why his high-profile defense of controversial Bush administration policies has caused queasiness among Republican political strategists. But Cheney remains powerful enough that most of his GOP critics are not willing to take him on in public. "The fact that most people want to talk [without attribution] shows what a problem it continues to be," said one Republican strategist who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be candid. "Cheney continues to be a force among many members of our base, and while he is entirely unhelpful, no one has the standing to show him the door."

What drives a man who stayed out of the spotlight as vice president, who passed up an opportunity to run for the White House in his own right in 2008, to emerge in such a prominent role after the election?

Mary Matalin, who was a spokeswoman for Cheney during the early years of the Bush presidency, believes her former boss is motivated mainly by his principles. Had Obama not moved so precipitously to undo the Bush policies about which he feels so strongly, she believes, Cheney would have held his fire.

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"This isn't about partisan politics, it's about what's right for the country," said Liz Cheney, the former vice president's daughter and a former State Department official. "Every American, whether you're a Republican, Democrat or independent, would agree that before critical decisions are made about national security of the nation, we ought to have a full and fair debate."

Cheney's daughter was among those who pointed to yesterday's White House reversal on the detainee photos as evidence that a vocal, public debate over the new administration's policies can make a difference.

Another GOP strategist, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, pointed out the conundrum for Republicans over the former vice president's current role. "Even if he's right, he's absolutely the wrong messenger," this strategist said. His main worry, he added, is that Cheney keeps the public focused on the past, rather than the future. "We want Bush to be a very distant memory in the next election. The more Cheney is on the front burner, the more difficult it's going to be."

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Cheney has actually been a very effective messenger and the voters are in closer agreement with him on these issues than they are with Obama. This article plays to the Democrat attempts to demonize the messenger when they are on the wrong side of the issues. That is the way the attacked the Bush administration and drove their negatives up.

Recent polling shows that 80 percent of voters oppose closing Gitmo and moving the terrorist to the US. That has been one of Cheney's main points. A majority of voters also favor the enhanced interrogation of terrorist to prevent future attacks.

I am glad to see him speaking out because I think he is a persuasive proponent of policies that have worked to reduce the threat of terrorist attacks here. It is something that McCain wholly failed to do in the campaign last fall and it is one reason why he failed to rally the GOP base.

The media and the weak kneed Republicans need to stop worrying about Cheney the messenger and start listening to his points. Both he and his daughter Liz have been very effective at stating a point of view I agree with and I am glad the are out there taking on Obama's bad national security policies.