"How can I miss you if you won't go away?"
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/dick-cheney-has-found-his-base?cid=sm_fb_maddow
Dick Cheney has found his base
03/02/15 03:20 PM
By Steve Benen
The running joke for much of the Bush/Cheney era was that it was hard to know where Vice President Dick Cheney was on any given day because he was always at an undisclosed location. Lately, however, his location isnt a mystery at all: Cheney spends a lot of time on Capitol Hill.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney will speak to the House Republican whip team Monday evening, a source familiar with the meeting said.
Cheney will likely address the series of foreign policy issues before Congress, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus upcoming joint address on Tuesday and the ongoing negotiations with Iran over Tehrans nuclear program.
In addition to the Politico report this morning, House Majority Whip Steve Scalises (R-La.) office later confirmed that
Cheney will, in fact, participate in tonights meeting with the House Republican whip team.
The point of these meetings, by the way, is fairly specific: when Congress is in session, the House GOP whip team meets weekly to outline its strategy and message for the week. Apparently, theyre looking for some guidance from the former vice president.
Cheney will be back on Capitol Hill in a few weeks to headline a fundraising dinner for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
All of this comes on the heels of a briefing Cheney delivered in the fall to House Republicans on foreign policy.
Which came on the heels of Cheney meeting with members of the Republican Study Committee.
Which came on the heels of Cheney delivering a foreign policy briefing to House Republicans.
Remember, were not talking about the former vice president roaming the halls of Capitol Hill, looking for an audience, and Republicans giving him a platform as a courtesy. Rather,
this is GOP lawmakers seeking Cheneys guidance on purpose House Republicans arent inclined to listen to Speaker Boehner, but they welcome guidance from the former veep.
And thats discouraging, because Cheney shouldnt be guiding anyone on anything.
When he was on Meet the Press last month, defending torture as a responsible national-security policy, some suggested it didnt much matter because Cheneys power is in the past he no longer holds elected office and hell probably never have any official power again.
But
his abhorrent views remain relevant so long as he helps guide congressional Republicans.