King George and Prime Minister Cheney: Who Has The Power?

Who really runs this country? And just how much control does this President have over his Vice? Who does the Vice President answer to, if anyone? An old debate rages anew in the wake of the shooting imbroglio...

Newsweek has a great cover story looking inside the secret world of Dick Cheney:
The Shot Heard Round the World-

He peppered a man in the face, but didn't tell his boss. Inside Dick Cheney's dark, secretive mind-set—and the forces that made it that way.

Dick Cheney has never been your normal politician. He has never seemed as eager to please, as needy for votes and approval and headlines as, say, Bill Clinton. Cheney can seem taciturn, self-contained, a little gloomy; in recent years, his manner has been not just unwelcoming but stand-offish. This is not to say, however, that he is entirely modest and self-effacing, or that he does not crave power as much as or more than any office-seeker. This, after all, is a man who, in conducting a search for George W. Bush's vice president, picked himself...

And what an excellent choice he made.

One key section describe's Cheney role in the crucial morning of 9/11-

Cheney testified to the 9/11 Commission that he spoke with President Bush before giving an order to shoot down a hijacked civilian airliner that appeared headed toward Washington. (The plane was United Flight 93, which crashed in a Pennsylvania field after a brave revolt by the passengers.) But a source close to the commission, who declined to be identified revealing sensitive information, says that none of the staffers who worked on this aspect of the investigation believed Cheney's version of events. .... Legally, Cheney was required to get permission from his commander in chief, who was traveling (but reachable) at the time. If the public ever found out that Cheney gave the order on his own, it would have strongly fed the view that he was the real power behind the throne.

But does Cheney still wield that level of power? Recent events may have changed that-

Cheney unquestionably exerted enormous influence on Bush in those early days. But Bush's aides say that the president has become less dependent on Cheney for advice, particularly in foreign affairs. The two men still have private lunches, but no longer every week. There are signs now that Bush listens to more-moderate voices on national security. On a range of foreign-policy crises, from Iran to North Korea, Cheney's forward-leaning posture has given way to the mainstream, multilateralist approach advocated now by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Of course, when the White House is ever questioned on these cracks, we get the standard "Everything's fine! They couldn't be closer" blow-off remarks we always get. My personal guess is that Plamegate was the tipping point for President Bush. I think even most Bush critics agree that the conspiracy to destroy Joseph Wilson originated from Cheney's office (though Bush was no doubt more aware of events than he lets on). And as expected, as the investigation deepens, all arrows point directly to Dick Cheney as the guy behind it all. Damaging national security for political gain is nothing new to the Bush administration, but no doubt King George was less than pleased with how this whole mess is turning out.

However, considering their shared lust for power, I'm sure those two kids will work it out.

Both share the goal of strengthening Executive power at all costs, both share of a disdain of the press, a disdain of the process of governing in general (as Katrina made clear), and an unwillingness to acknowledge the harsh realities caused by their failed policies. In the end, I think they have more in common than the press portrays. Unfortunately for us.

Newsweek's Jonathan Alter has a column describing the shooting as a metaphor for Cheney:
The Imperial (Vice) Presidency-
Since Cheney doesn't have a real chance of moving up, he felt he could change the rules.


Finally, Time magazine also has a cover story with a similar theme...
One Thousand and Sixty-five Days to Go-

Bush had to lean on Cheney to talk publicly about the gun accident, but the real challenge for the two is how to get the Administration back on track

One thousand and sixty-five days? My god, now that is depressing.

I'm gonna go lay down now...