Cheney Blitzes Wolf

The Washington Post had its usual collection of snide anti-administration stories posing as news in this morning's edition. But surprisingly, one story actually let the Veep get in the last word, and he went for extra points. (Note: this link may require site-registration.)

Battling the predictably-partisan Wolf Blitzer in a one-on-one CNN interview, Cheney took on the media and scored some knockout punches by telling the truth. Like this right hook that leads off the first graf:

Vice President Cheney said yesterday that the administration has achieved "enormous successes" in Iraq but complained that critics and the media "are so eager to write off this effort or declare it a failure" that they are undermining U.S. troops in a war zone...

In case Wolf and his viewers didn't get it, Cheney elaborated:

In a television interview that turned increasingly contentious as it wore on, Cheney rejected the gloomy portrayal of Iraq that has become commonly accepted even among Bush supporters. "There's problems" in Iraq, he said, but it is not a "terrible situation." And congressional opposition "won't stop us" from sending 21,500 more troops, he said, it will only "validate the terrorists' strategy."

A strategy which is 1974 redux, I might add.

Wolf wouldn't give up, though, and he paid the price:

When Blitzer asked whether the administration's credibility had been hurt by "the blunders and the failures" in Iraq, Cheney interjected: "Wolf, Wolf, I simply don't accept the premise of your question. I just think it's hogwash."

Cheney said Blitzer was advocating retreat. "What you're recommending, or at least what you seem to believe the right course is, is to bail out," the vice president said.

"I'm just asking," Blitzer objected.

"No, you're not asking."

Perhaps looking to warm things up, Wolfie wandered into Cheney's domestic territory. Bad move:

Yesterday, the CNN host mentioned that Cheney's lesbian daughter, Mary, has become pregnant and asked whether he wanted to respond to conservatives who have criticized her.

"I'm delighted I'm about to have a sixth grandchild, Wolf," Cheney said. "And obviously, I think the world of both my daughters and all of my grandchildren. And I think, frankly, you're out of line with that question."

Blitzer tried to defend himself: "I think all of us appreciate --" Cheney cut him off: "I think you're out of line."

After Cheney curtly dismissed Hillary's presidential aspirations, Wolf, clearly unnerved, lobbed another touchy-feely question at the Veep. This call and response proved so delicious that even Post reporter Peter Baker just let it stand alone to conclude the piece. And so shall we:

And how did it feel to sit next to Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the first woman to serve as House speaker?

"I prefer Dennis Hastert."