Well according to this very very confusing article, the "calmness" of which the guy "told" (aka pushed or patted, depending on which story you believe) the Vice President his feelings are debatable.

It sounds to me, and it's a bit tough to tell because the article is all over the place, like the local police bear a lot of responsibility here... something is very muddled up.

Either way, who does this? I mean, they were at some Resort in Denver... who says "This is my moment... I'm going to go up, push and VP, tell him what I think of the war... and that'll change everything!" Great thinking guy... you've brought part of this upon yourself... my sympathy for you is low.

What a mess.

How do the local police bear the brunt of responsibility? All of the testimony about what did or didn't happen is from Secret Service Agents and the arresting "officer" was a Secret Service agent.

I am not the least confused by this article. It's quite clear, once again someone gets thrown under the bus or is lying thanks to this administration. Once again, it's someone with a dissenting opinion. No question about that part.

Cheney needs to get on that stand and testify. I believe it is apparent why he won't. He wanted that guy arrested and his henchmen did it. Since there was no corroborating evidence to support an assault charge the two of the henchmen backed off and threw the fall guy under the bus. If Cheney were to testify he'd either have to lie and say an assault happened which his two henchmen (who were supposed eyewitnesses), have denied and face possible perjury charges when his lies come to light or he has to say an assault didn't happen and he didn't have the temerity to tell the Secret Service agent not to arrest the guy and open up that whole can of worms for himself.

Cheney needs to be compelled to testify.

He's really earned the "Prince of Darkness" nick.

Update:

Joke told Wednesday night by David Letterman:

Scientists have created a living, beating rat heart. Finally, good news for d**k Cheney.

Wow, you have a really warped sense of reality. Just bend it to fit whatever you want to have happened. Sheesh.

Henchmen? Seriously? This isn't Batman. They're the secret service... the administration doesn't pick them... and most of them work for whatever administration comes into the office, no matter who's in charge!

And according to the article, Cheney didn't want anything to happen to the guys because he didn't want to bother with it. The way I read it, it seems like he thought it was a minor issue too... especially because the article says, "Mr. Cheney has not been deposed, and his involvement in the arrest remains uncertain." So I don't know how you can say that he wanted the guy arrested.

Furthermore, it had nothing to do with the guy's dissenting opinion... it had to do with the guy touching him. As we all learned in school, keep your hands to yourself.

I've heard of seeing the world through rose color glasses... but seeing everything through anti-Bush colored glasses is a bit too much.

Did you just bubble up to the surface? You think this is the first time? Actually one of the members of plime (I will not name names) who doesn't even live in the US had a similar frightening experienced with the SS during this administration. So, you know, I DO speak from reality.
Oh is this the first time you've heard the word "henchmen" outside of Batman? You need to get out more.
Actually, the article doesn't say that in the least. Where does it say that Cheney didn't want anything to happen to the guys? Where does it say he didn't want to bother with it? Cheney got himself up the creek and a "spokesman" says that he didn't want to prosecute. What you say is a very slanted interpretation. No less a slant then my interpretation, just in the opposite direction.

Especially when having a chat with members of the fourth Reich apparently. So he pats the guy (in his words in a friendly manner) after giving a dissenting opinion and gets arrested. Do you truly believe that someone who came up and told Cheney "you're doing a great job, love your war" and then patted Cheney would have been arrested? Exactly how distorted can you possibly see this?
Just keep baaaahhing along, that's how they like it.

Long before there was any comic book bad guys there were in fact henchmen. A henchman is an unscrupulous supporter or adherent of a political figure or cause, esp. one motivated by the hope of personal gain, according to the dictionary. Sounds spot on to me. Regardless of whether the VP asked them to arrest or not it seems as though they thought it would please him.

The push/pat seems to be what the whole thing is about. Thats correct. If the guy kept his hands to himself it seems they would have made up a different thing to lie about. Isn't that what this story is about? That someone is lying about what happened to justify this arrest?

I don't have the anti-Bush glasses but I have common sense and that seems to be anti-Bush enough for me.

You may occasionally speak from reality... but apparently today isn't one of those days. There is no evidence that these Secret Service guys are "loyal supporters" of the current administration. They work for the Government... they are not necessarily fans of those in power. You have no evidence of that, you've just made it up to support your anger.

Where does it say that Cheney wanted something to happen to the guys? It says his involvement is unclear. If Cheney wanted the guys arrested, don't you think he would have already testified? What would be stopping him... the article makes it clear that it's his word against this guys... so what's stopping him? If you have other evidence that Cheney is behind this, and he wants to ruin this guy's life, why don't you give us some... instead of just guessing, inferring, and making stuff up.

Yeah, so you've decided to take his word. What a surprise. However, there are other people who say that he pushed him, not patted him. Do you think that someone who is going to approach the Vice President, while surrounded by Secret Service guys at a Resort, is going to say, "You war is terrible, and you're a terrible person." and then give him a little love tap. Yeah... that sounds probable.

Uh-oh... I must be a sheep. I'm disagreeing with you! *GASP* Man, I should really stop thinking for myself, and just start agreeing with the people you agree with... that way I'd be less of a sheep? Right?

Oh and one more thing:

This line is why I down voted you. If you cannot make a coherent argument, then don't post. But do not dare denigrate the memory of my family or my people, and what happened to them in WWII. It is beyond disgusting and tactless. It is not acceptable. Not now, not ever.

You're right, it's all me. I've singlehandedly made up all the bad stuff about this administration. I've lied to make them look bad, I've swayed the press and the majority of the population to smear an otherwise stellar and rock solid group of fine white men who have never done anything underhanded, shady, sneaky, illegal or in deed, wrong. These are model men who should be canonized and carved next to Lincoln on Mt. Rushmore.

They should've gone down in history as our countries shining moment, but instead, due to my SLANTED OPINION, they will go down in infamy.

And I'm so powerful, I've made DAMN NEAR THE WHOLE COUNTRY believe me. I've even convinced many people from their own party to go against him.

Only you dear Red are his true believer, only you can see the wonder and glory that is this administration, only you know the truth and you bravely and tirelessly fight the good fight against me and my evil throngs.


^Now THAT's a fantasy.

Everything else I say has a basis in fact, evidence to support it. I cannot make you see the evidence if you choose to fall on your sword and it hits you in eyes.

How do you live in a world where everything is so black and white? Either he's the best guy ever... or everything he does is wrong. That's not the real world, my friend.

Bush, Cheney, and their administration have done a lot of wrong, bad, and stupid things... but not everything they do falls into that category. I'm sorry you've already made up your mind that they are to blame for any and everything that comes their way... but I don't live in that world. I judge things on a case by case basis... listen to the facts of now, instead of just assuming because of what happened before, that it must be happening again.

I believe that a tiger cannot change it's stripes and believe you me when I tell you that nothing may happen now... but just you wait... that D**K is going to do something, sooner or later... but he'll do it...