Cheney Watch: Just A Little Mad

Every so often, a priceless image turns up that runs rampant across the web.  This shot, taken at the NRA’s 2004 national banquet, has gone completely viral.

People are already laughing and mocking Dick Cheney for the fact he shot a friend this weekend while hunting.  I can’t help wondering, however, if it goes beyond that.  In my last Dick Update, I questioned Cheney’s choice of attire in light of a recent meeting with Hosni Mubarak.  To me, this image demonstrated a similar arrogance.

For a guy who always seems put out and whose smile typically feels begrudged, the gift of this weapon (an original Cecil Brooks flintlock rifle) at the NRA banquet had a remarkable effect.  Like a moody kid who just woke up and realized it was Christmas, this is one of the very few images where Dick Cheney evidences a clearly non-circumscribed smile.

On the contemptuous side, however, I think we need to think about the wardrobe once again.  At a clearly formal banquet surrounded by his closest supporters, in which he was also the keynote speaker (and he got the killer present), Cheney wears a suit?

As a psychological construct, the fact the term “mad” has multiple meanings is no accident.  Contempt, as a continuous symptom, leads to all kinds of craziness.  If it was anyone else, you would say that what happened on Saturday — with Cheney taking a shot at his hunting buddy — was an unfortunate accident.  When it involves someone like Cheney, however, it’s hard not to also consider it just a little mad.



(image: NRA. April 17, 2004. Pittsburgh, PA. Via michaelmoore.com)