Former Vice President Dick Cheney is currently making the rounds of his media book tour promoting his recently released memoir. While I'm a strong proponent of free speech, the entire media event surrounding Cheney and his book tour is unseemly. The sickening feeling that I get in seeing him promoting his book is the same reaction that I have when a criminal who has commited a heinous crime attempts to profit off of their unspeakable actions.
In providing a forum for Cheney, the media has allowed him to reargue the decision to invade Iraq, regurgitate his nonsensical defense of torture, to claim credit for the death of Osama Bin Laden, to reject any responsibility for the current economic turmoil, to casually push aside the countless warnings of the 9/11 attacks while in the same breath delusionally claim that he kept the country safe.
Some in the media continue to treat Cheney as if he is a respected dignitary deserving of VIP treatment. They inquire not only about the contents of his book and select activities during the previous administration, they also seek his thoughts and opinions on a range of current issues as if he is a wise old sage with something invaluable to offer, and as if he has an ounce of credibility to publicly speak about anything.
On Friday evening, Cheney was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. At the beginning of the show, there's a brief opening skit where Leno walks backstage into Cheney's dressing room. The room is empty, but Cheney is in the bathroom. Leno inquires if Cheney will be wearing the suit hanging on the wall. Cheney exits the bathroom wearing a Darth Vader costume, saying, "No, I thought I would this." Get it? Haha. About as funny as searching for WMD under a desk in the Oval Office while soldiers are dying.
During the interview portion of the show, Leno touches on many of the same predictable questions with Cheney that many others have already asked, but not before asking about his adorable dogs, and wondering if Cheney was a rebel in his youth. Later in the show, Leno and Cheney yuck it up as Carrot Top performs his comedy act.
The entire event was truly repulsive. Leno makes light of the tragedy, death, destruction, and corruption that Cheney is responsible for. He ignores the seriousness of what Cheney has done, while attempting to portray him as America's lovable grandpa.
The Darth Vader skit with Leno and Cheney.
