Who's Running the White House

DESPITE ALL THE obvious jokes that come from the Cheneyshoot story, there are a couple of serious issues that merit discussion. John Marshall has some interesting thoughts at TPM. But I'm thinking about the role Cheney plays in this administration as a whole.

We know the Cheneyshoot timeline -- at least as it was given to reporters by the owner of the ranch -- and we know that the WH didn't release information about the incident until at least 18 hours after it happened. What we don't know is why the WH decided to 'let the Vice President's office handle it." This morning on Imus, Howard Fineman implied that it might have something to do with the fact that Cheney answers to no one in this adminsitration. We have heard from POTUS advisors, including Scott McClellan, that they would probably have handled the situation in a 'different' way. Is that right? Well then why didn't they? Could it be because Cheney wouldn't let them? Perhaps it was Cheney who called the shots during those 18 hours, leaving Bush and his staff wimpering in the corner.

We've joked in the past that Cheney is really in charge of this country. Maybe in the end this story will confirm that it is Bush who answers to Cheney, not the other way around.

Just a thought.
--------
Paul Begala is from Texas and is an avid hunter. He has some thoughts and perpective about the Cheney accident at TPM Cafe.