That’s a slight exaggeration, of course. But since leaving office Cheney really has adopted the take-no-prisoners tone of the talk radio right. His macho snarl puts Hannity and even Rush to shame, and you have to wonder if Cheney’s been in the wrong line of work all these years. With disapproval ratings in the 60s, it’s hard to say that Cheney has a magnetic personality. What he does have, however, is an air of deadly seriousness. Last month, Cheney told CNN’s John King that President Obama has made choices that “will, in fact, raise the risk to the American people of another attack.” Whether or not you believe it, the words can’t help but put a catch in your throat. That’s one reason why President Obama felt the need to forcefully respond to Cheney’s remarks…

Obamaphiles see Cheney as a faintly pathetic figure gracelessly mugging for the cameras, and hurting his own cause in the process. Indeed, I’ve heard more than one Republican joke that Cheney is a Democratic sleeper agent. But in a sense, Cheney’s stinging rebukes could be understood as a testament to his patriotism. He could, like his former boss, kick back and sip mint juleps while working on his memoirs. Instead, he’s willing to take the hit to his reputation to warn against what he sees as serious threats to American security.