Cheney, a Little Tarnished [View All]

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank

"Dick Cheney," the president often says at campaign stops, "is the best vice president this nation has ever had." After the applause subsides, he quips: "My mother may not agree."

That joke may be at the elder George Bush's expense, but more often than not these days, Cheney is the one who has been the target of barbs. The word around town is the vice president, once revered as the regent behind the throne of George W. Bush, is becoming something of a liability for his boss. The chattering class is speculating about whether Cheney will be dumped from the ticket in '04, and who should replace him.

Of course, there is very little chance of that happening, assuming Cheney's health remains stable. Bush has committed to having him on the ticket, and Cheney has accepted. Undoing that would undermine Bush's famous loyalty.

(snip)

Some of this appears to have damaged Cheney's standing, for his image has not held up as well as Bush's. A CBS News-New York Times poll last month found that only 20 percent of Americans had a favorable view of Cheney, while 24 percent viewed him unfavorably; at his peak in October 2000, Cheney was viewed favorably by 43 percent and unfavorably by 13 percent. A Fox News poll found that 46 percent view him favorably and 39 percent unfavorably -- also significantly down from Cheney's high just after the inauguration, when 64 percent viewed him favorably and 16 percent unfavorably in the Fox poll.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26847-2004Feb9.html