Last week, several Republicans told the Washington Post (off-the-record) how the re-emergence of Dick Cheney as the leader of the GOP was making them queasy -- and they're afraid of him:
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."So from the safety of off-the-record, Republicans trash talk Cheney. On-the-record is a different story.
Yesterday, on the talk shows, we saw the RNC Chair and the leader of the GOP in the House sing the praises of their leader, Dick Cheney:
Republican leaders on Sunday backed Dick Cheney’s attacks on President Barack Obama, calling the former vice president a strong asset for the party.None of the GOPers dare to stand up to Dick Cheney. Dick Cheney is a friend of Rush -- and Rush is a friend of Dick. That combo makes Republicans quiver.
"It doesn't hurt us, it helps us,” House Minority Leader John Boehner said on CNN’s “State of the Union," calling Cheney a “big member in our party.”
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele meanwhile dismissed a report from the Washington Post’s Dan Balz claiming Republicans “wince” at Cheney’s newfound desire for the limelight.
“There was no wincing here, the vice president expressed his view,” Steele said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
So, I'll ask this question again:
How could we trust Republicans to keep our nation safe when they can't protect their own party from Dick Cheney?
