Has anyone seen Cheney?

Last known location: Hunting with friends in Texas

Occupation: Master Puppeteer, Former #1 at Haliburton, Wizard in the GW Emerald City

Unique characteristics: Balding, glasses, predilection for navy blue suits, maniacal smile

 Seriously, has anyone seen Cheney lately? There has been so much focus on the upcoming election, that I feel a sort of jolt back into reality whenever I hear anything about our lame duck president or his administration. Tax refunds? (make my $600 payable to Visa – but nice try). In an administration with a barely viable pulse, the most conspicuously absent as of late has been Mr. Cheney. This despite articles of impeachment that are being introduced by Representative Pete Stark in Congress (the logic, of course, being that a presidential impeachment leaves open the possibility of an even worse Commander in Chief).

 The 2008 election is unique in that it’s a completely open race – the President has termed out, and the incumbent VP decided day one not to run. So what effect does that have on the election? For the Republicans, and particularly John McCain, George Bush is such a controversial and polarizing figure, that the candidates have not made him a significant factor in the campaign. Perhaps his role will increase after the Republican National Convention, but that remains to be seen. McCain would be wise, however, to distance himself from the administration and focus on a return to conservative ideals. Not the neo-con train wreck that has hijacked the new millennium. McCain’s lack of association with the administration should work in his favor, as he should not be too badly scarred by the Bush team incompetence.

 For the Democrats, the lack of an incumbent frontrunner makes it more challenging to base the campaign on a critique of the status quo. While they may intimate McCain will be a continuation of the present, the can really only go off of his voting record in the Senate and challenge him on those points. Speeches and debates will be important, of course, but McCain will enjoy an independence from the folly that is the Bush administration. Consequently, the Democrats will be forced to focus on articulating a clear vision for the future, rather than on criticizing current policy. That should be refreshing.

 Back to the original question, where is Cheney and why is he hiding? Has he realized his vision of creating a shadow government, and is spreading his wrath down in Middle Earth somewhere with Tom DeLay? Is he in hiding until he can reassume the throne over at Haliburton, supreme leader of government contracts? Has he been abducted by aliens? Are we all in danger??

 While Cheney’s absence is curious and I suppose better than the alternative of seeing him daily in the news, I do find it alarming that he is working in such secrecy, and in a position now with such little accountability. After all, what does he have to lose? And yes, we should all be very afraid.