“Here’s
a guy without much experience, who campaigned against much of what we put in
place ... and who now travels around the world apologizing.”
Dick
Cheney, on Barack Obama
Washington, Soon Enough -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney today announced the
formation of a new political-action group to promote the causes he championed
as one of the most formidable members of the Bush administration.
The
new group, to be called HarrumphPAC, will also give Mr. Cheney a more visible
platform from which to continue his criticism of Barack Obama’s approach to
foreign-policy and national-security matters, and other issues. Mr. Cheney has
ramped up that criticism in recent weeks, blasting the new president for
“dithering” over his Afghanistan strategy and for “projecting weakness” in his
dealings with other nations.
Mr.
Cheney also objects to Mr. Obama’s choice of snacks aboard Air Force One, and
thinks that Sasha Obama’s bookbag “sends exactly the wrong message” to
terrorist groups.
In
a statement released this afternoon, Mr. Cheney promised that HarrumphPAC “will
be a major force promoting America’s leading position in the world, and taking
on its most dangerous critics here at home.”
Among
HarrumphPAC new ventures will be a weekly cable-TV show, “Back in My Day...,” and a radio call-in program, “Get Off My
Lawn!” Still in the works: a Cheney-hosted panel discussion tentatively titled
“You Call That Music?”
HarrumphPAC
will be based in Arlington, Va., just a stone’s throw from where Mr. Cheney
served for eight years as the nation’s most powerful -- and, in the view of
many, its most secretive -- vice president. But this higher public profile is
in keeping with a sudden outpouring of speeches and interviews -- all of them
highly critical of the new administration’s actions and policies -- as Mr.
Cheney has unexpectedly become the single most outspoken alumnus of the Bush
White House.
“He
knows what’s good for America,” explained daughter Liz Cheney, a vocal
conservative advocate in her own right. “And he’s not going to sit by while
certain people try to destroy it.”
According
to opinion surveys, the public’s view of Mr. Cheney continues to be
overwhelmingly negative. But according to Cheney confidants, he’s as firm as
ever in his convictions.
“Dick
Cheney doesn’t care a bit about poll numbers,” says one close associate.
“Frankly, he’s not all that interested in election results either.”
And
another associate confirms, “As far as he’s concerned, he should still be
running things. He doesn’t see last November as a rejection. More like a
clerical error.”
If
Barack Obama’s election as the 44th president of the United States has shaken
-- or even touched -- Mr. Cheney’s core beliefs, he gives no sign of it.
Meanwhile, the 43rd president (and Mr. Cheney’s ostensible boss) has taken a
very different course since leaving the White House. George W. Bush has largely
kept out of the spotlight, making just a handful of public appearances and
mostly holding back from criticizing his successor.
His
No. 2 shows no such reticence. Indeed, his willingness to keep up the fight
instead of maintaining a discreet silence has some former Bush officials
wondering about Mr. Cheney’s emotional balance.
“I’m
not saying he’s gone off the deep end or anything,” says one senior official
who has known him for decades. “I’m just saying it’s not so good to be yelling
‘Whippersnapper’ all the time.”
# # #
Rick Horowitz is a syndicated
columnist. You can write to him at rickhoro@execpc.com.
