“CHENEY’S DEAD-ENDERS”….A few month ago rumors were rife that Dick Cheney’s star had fallen, victim to an endless war in Iraq that had led to stunning Republican losses in the midterm election. Even Laura had supposedly turned against him.
But with all the recent talk about going after Iran, it’s pretty obvious that Dick Cheney hasn’t lost any of his mojo. And there’s a pretty good reason for that: Dick Cheney isn’t so much a person as he is a virtual brand name within the Bush administration:
He has long surrounded himself with impeccably loyal aides who both share his worldview of a powerful presidency unchecked by the legislative branch, and who have also installed like-minded allies throughout the government. Such allies provide crucial intelligence of inter-departmental debates, enabling Cheney to make end-runs around the bureaucracy and head off opposing views at key meetings. Call it Cheney’s state within the state.
That’s from “Cheney’s Dead-Enders,” a piece by Laura Rozen in the current issue of the Monthly. Check it out. These are the people running your government.
