Dream Come True for Cheney?

I think E.J. Dionne is being too tough on Dick Cheney.  No, I mean it.  Really. 

Dionne claims there are two Cheneys — one which called it right by criticising Putin’s record on human rights in Russia, and the other Cheney which missed the boat entirely by publicly praising the leader of Khazakstan.

I think Dionne misses the point entirely.  Peter Baker sums things up:

A day after scolding Russia for retreating on democracy, Vice President Cheney flew to oil-rich Kazakhstan yesterday and lavished praise on the autocratic leader of a former Soviet republic where opposition parties have been banned, newspapers shut down and advocacy groups intimidated.  (emphasis mine)

Cheney wasn’t being hypocritical, he was just stopping to smell the roses and admire the stately pleasure dome.  I mean, honestly, read Baker’s description again and tell me you don’t think Cheney’s just a little jealous of the sweet little dictatorship set-up that Nursultan Nazarbayev has going for him.

(H/T to Froomkin, whose column is fantastic today.  If you have a question you’d like to see the media ask Tony Snow in his first briefing next Monday, Froomkin would love to share it with everyone.  Please take a peek at his column and send in your questions according to his guidelines.)

Related posts:

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2. Liz Cheney: Obama’s Failure to Gloat about Winning the Cold War Endangers America
3. FAA and NORAD Changed Records to Accord with Cheney Lies
4. How Dick Cheney Cowed Obama
5. Cheney: Torturers Can Do No Wrong