If you haven't had a good scare lately, there's always Dick Cheney

Via Steve Gilliard comes this item from Raw Story reporting yet another power that Dark Lord Dick Cheney accumulated for himself under this Bush Presidency:

Cheney sought Rice's role at National Security Council, Vanity Fair to report: Bush apparently gave Cheney power to preside over National Security Council meetings by Ron Brynaert 05/02/2006. Brynaert's story explains that Cheney was given formal authority to preside over NSC meetings at the President's discretion, a role normally played by the National Security Adviser, current Steven Hadley, formerly Condi-Condi Rice.

But whether Cheney formally presided over meetings or not, his active participation led to the usual results of whatever project Cheney touches. Brynaert links to this story from two years ago: In The Eye Of The Storm: Why President Bush's closest aide has just become a lightning rod by Kenneth T. Walsh U.S. News and World Report 04/05/04.

[Richard] Clarke's insider account opened a new window on policymaking at the National Security Council and on Rice's role there - and the view isn't pretty. "This is the most dysfunctional NSC that ever existed," says a senior U.S. official. "But it's not Condi's fault. The person that's made it so dysfunctional is Cheney." For the first time, a vice president is sitting in on meetings with other NSC principals and is constantly involved in the policymaking. A copy of every NSC memo goes to the vice president's staff, so that Cheney can play an active role on issues that interest him.

Since Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld agree on virtually everything - they have been friends since serving in the administration of President Gerald Ford - "you have an alliance you can't defeat," says a U.S. official. "You're constantly in a battle to find some kind of middle ground that your conscience will let you live with." Cheney's office declined to respond to a request for comment. (my emphasis)

Josh Marshall honed in on Cheney's reverse Midas touch years ago: Vice Grip: Dick Cheney is a man of principles. Disastrous principles. Washington Monthly Jan/Feb 2003.

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