From AP's "No Shit Sherlock" Bureau: Cheney attacks may not help GOP

[jefferson_dem]

Analysis: Cheney attacks may not help GOP
By STEVEN R. HURST – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — To the chagrin, perhaps, of Republicans looking to rebuild the tattered party, Dick Cheney has grabbed the spotlight.

The recurring theme of the once-reclusive and largely unpopular former vice president: President Barack Obama has put Americans in danger of a new terrorist attack by promising to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and banning torture.

When Obama took office, former President George W. Bush went quietly to his new house in Texas, slipped intentionally into anonymity and honored protocol by staying silent about his successor.

But Cheney, widely remembered for heading to undisclosed secure locations at times of national crisis and for working invisibly behind the scenes, has done just the opposite.

Most recently he took a shot at Colin Powell, Bush's first-term secretary of state, a retired Army general, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and lifelong Republican who endorsed Obama's candidacy.

Through a spokesman, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele declined to discuss Cheney or his remarks, which have dominated cable news political debate and talk radio since the former vice president spoke out most recently last Sunday.

<SNIP>

As Republicans seek to broaden their appeal — create the proverbial big tent — after dismal showings in the past two national elections, siding with Limbaugh shows Cheney is "not an institution builder," Baick said. "He's not erecting tent poles. He's knocking them down. In terms of building the party, the remarks about Powell were over the top."

Perhaps.

One thing is certain: Glee among Democrats who are only too happy to see Cheney and Limbaugh — given their narrow appeal — flood into the Republican leadership vacuum.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5is5VnvQUdDNozO5pjszrt6BK72LgD98571LG0

[SpiralHawk]

1. "We luvs us a guy like Cheney with 5 military deferments." - Republicon Homelanders

"We believes that our very own Big Dick will help, um, us special wide-stance (smirk) Family Values Republicons. We is a special breed (smirk) and we has our own, um, sensibilities.

"George Bush was super snarky clever to just plain go AWOL so consistently and thereby shirk on serving America, but - ultimately - Dickie Cheney is our kind of guy -- you know, scoring a record 5 military deferments. Even Rush only got one -- but he gets special republicon credit because his deferment was for an Ass Pimple. It takes a real Republicon Chickenhawk -- like Dickie -- to score FIVE Big Fat Deferments. He is the consumate Republicon Chickenhawk, and consequently at the top of our All-Chickenhawk Republicon Leadership."

- Republicon Homelanders

[islandmkl]

2. i hope theDick gets on TV every damn day....

first of all, continuing to repeat his 'worse off' message will begin to wear, even on the faux-type devotees....

second, his general public approval ratings CAN go lower...let him continue to marginalize HIS MESSAGE, which helps to marginalize repuke messages in general...

third, his persona is about as arrogantly despicable as can be...matched by his current soulmate Oxyboy...and neither are 'polarizing'...they are 'divisive', IMO, and the numbers crawling to their side of the divide are shrinking daily...

finally, theDick & Oxyboy being the most public and outspoken faces of the GOP...best possible scenario for Dems....

[bluestateguy]

3. It's not patriotic to second guess our commander in chief in a time of war

We have troops in the field.

We don't second guess our president in times like this.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. What?!?!?? - Mr. 18% isn't boosting their numbers? Shocked, absolutely shocked.

How can this be? I-I-I-I- don't know what to say.

[rasputin1952]

5. For 8 years no one could pry this jughead's mouth open w/a crowbar...

now it seems as if there isn't enough Crazy Glue in the country to keep it shut. Fine by me...the more he talks, the more the rational GOP types dislike the cretin.

Every time he shows up on some talk show, the more he underscores the incredible failure of the bush adminstration...Go for it Dick! Your are our best ally at this point...:rofl:

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. ...and all along I thought he was totally worthless.

Now he's become an out-and-out gift to the Dems.

[rasputin1952]

7. LOL...how true...

and he came wrapped in plain brown paper...:D

[gkhouston]

8. What Cheney doesn't seem to understand is that he's not helping himself, either.

It's fascinating and disgusting at the same time, watching him implode. :popcorn:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. Well, WHY should/would they????

His "popularity" leaving office was even below the +/-30 percenters who, amazingly,still approved of Bush prior to his leaving office. And Bush/Cheney spactacularly failed to protect the country from 9/11 and then invaded/occupied an entirely unrelated country both of which have resulted in the deaths of approximately 7,000+ people. It's amazing that Cheney still even gets *uncritically* treated as a "credible" guest by the media but that's the current corporate whoremedia networks for you. :eyes: Obviously, the majority of the country felt (and still does AFAIK) that Obama could keep our country safe- and there is no widespread belief in/approval in the techniques that Cheney keeps promulgating as a solution to keeping our country "safe"- after all, Clinton and other Presidents have been able to secure our safety without waterboarding, indefinite detention, Gitmo, etc. So, am I surprised that it *may* not help the GOP? Hell no!!! I would hope like hell that it doesn't but I really honestly can't see why it should. The elections of 2006 and 2008 seem to indicate a certain lack of faith in Republican policies and it's not likely that anybody, least of all Cheney, is going to be successful in either convincing a majority of people that Obama is either going to enslave everybody and become a bloody socialistic (or fascistic) tyrant and/or get everybody killed.