Dateline, November 3,1976: “Niccolo Machiavelli, I’d like to introduce you to Richard Cheney. Richard, this is Niccolo Machiavelli, the man whose book you’ve professed so much admiration for.  You two have a LOT in common, so I’ll leave you to ‘chat’....”

HOMESCHOOLING

If emulation is the highest form of flattery, Dick Cheney should feel most flattered.

Right and left leaning politicians, pundits and journalists asked, in the aftermath of Scooter’s indictments, “ Why ..what could possibly be his motive for continuing to make (false) statements so at odds with the facts, even at odds with his own notes?”

The “Daily Show” has run clips of Cheney ferociously denying having made a certain statement, followed by archive footage of Mr. Cheney saying exactly that. Don Imus, of “Imus In The Morning” smilingly quips, referring to the V.P., “His lips are moving, so you know he’s lying.”

Mr. Cheney’s hairdresser, one Miss Mila Darcey, who is well known for haircuts in the oilpatch, adoringly opines that people don’t get it. She argues that Dick Cheney, in actuality, is the most honest pol in Washington because he lies so totally, blatantly and obviously. Other politicians at least infer that they are telling the truth. Dick Cheney makes no such effort when he promulgates his oft repeated fatties.

Having thus been home schooled in the Veep’s contortion of a values’ system, it may well be that Scooter was simply confused.

I think Bill has a good point, but consider also that any mud that can be made to stick will negatively impact this administration’s ability to get things done in Congress, and can only improve the chances of Dems winning control of Congress in November.  Some republicans I know are more ticked off about the Plame case than anything else!

I say leave the man alone. He has a big job running this country while the president continues to tumble. Let this one go, you will never knock him down with petty charges like this.