George W. Bush didn't dump Paul Wolfowitz when he advised an attack on Iraq instead of Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11. He didn't ask for the resignation of his CIA director, who neither prevented 9/11 nor got intelligence on Iraq right. He didn't even reprimand Colin Powell for getting his facts screwed up when making a pre-Iraq war presentation to the UN.

It's not in W's character to dump Dick Cheney. The vice president's remained loyal. More importantly, the president has remained loyal to too many who didn't rate it. George Bush isn't going to dump someone whose major offense is a sour personality--something Cheney had in 2000. For better or worse, it's Bush-Cheney against Kerry-Edwards. To quote the great Mills Lane, "Let's get it on!"

Has W. even vetoed a single piece of legislation yet? I understand that he has had a Republican Congress, but still . . . If he won't even use the line item veto why would he can Cheney?

Brian - there is no line-item veto. That was enacted under the Contract w/ America, used by Clinton - and then ruled an unconstitutional erosion of the separation of powers by the supreme court shortly thereafter.

I think Brian meant just plain veto, which Bush hasn't used since he was sworn in. All of that bad legislation--No Child Left Behind, the Farm Bill, McCain-Feingold, Prescription Drug entitlement, etc.--and Bush hasn't found cause to take out his veto pen even once. I think the guy has a hard time saying "no," which is another reason Cheney stays on the ticket.

Yes, I knew he hadn't vetoed anything and that was the basis of my remark but I also wrote that comment after having been out drinking until 4 in the morning so I did screw up and have a 1996 flashback. It wasn't just a typo with the line item remark, so oops my bad. I need to get more sleep.

Just trying to cover for you, Brian. Sleep is overrated.