Liberal Talk Radio

While Peru decides which former criminal it wants as President, back at home our very own Contrarian asks if maybe we should pause and think before rejoicing at the prospects of Plamegate taking down the Vice President and his men.

It’s a good question. If perjury was a stupid crime to impeach Clinton for in ‘98, isn’t it equally stupid to prosecute someone for it, now? Shouldn’t we liberals just take the high ground and say to Republicans, “you were wrong in ‘98, and two wrongs don’t make a right, so we’re going to back off before we demand Rove and Libby and Cheney’s heads on sticks.” I have to admit it’s a little tiring taking the high ground all the time on these issues, but hey, we’re the good guys, so that’s what separates us from them.

Regardless, I think it’s absolutely plausible that Cheney will step down before 2008 to make way for a successor to Bush. It’s the only logical choice. And he’ll have to do it now, before Bush completes the first year of his second term, to make it (barely) plausible that it’s not succession-motivated. I always assumed it would be a heart murmur that would make him magnanimously step aside, but it could easily be this.

Would Cheney do it? Of course. He’s relentless. Anything that would give him or his party an edge is fair game. And he doesn’t really have to be worried about his legacy. He’s loved by millions of Republicans, Saudis, and Oil Execs. He’s going to get a few buildings in DC and probably an Aircraft Carrier named after him, so who cares if he falls on his sword over this little (and in the long run, marginal) tuss-up?