Today, the Washington Post has a front-page article about how many Republicans are uncomfortable with Vice President Cheney’s return to the spotlight. “Cheney continues to be a force among many members of our base, and while he is entirely unhelpful, no one has the standing to show him the door,” said a GOP strategist. One person who did come to Cheney’s defense was Mary Matalin, who blamed Obama himself for Cheney’s attacks:
Mary Matalin, who was a spokeswoman for Cheney during the early years of the Bush presidency, believes her former boss is motivated mainly by his principles. Had Obama not moved so precipitously to undo the Bush policies about which he feels so strongly, she believes, Cheney would have held his fire.
“If Barack Obama had come in and done what he said he was going to do and look at the stuff and see what is working, then Cheney would have continued to do what he was doing — working on memoirs, finishing his house,” she said. “He’s got a good life. He’s got stuff going on. He doesn’t care about being on TV. There’s no more politics there. He’s not settling any scores. He just wants people to understand.”