Unfortunately, I didn't read the other comments before posting mine. But as to why the Cheneys granted an interview, I'm also surprised that folks don't know Lynne Cheney has a HUGE ego. Don't people remember the 9/11 story of the military person in the bunker under the White House reporting to Richard Clarke that he was unable to keep track of what was happening in the Situation Room because Mrs. Cheney kept changing the channel to CNN? Come to think of it, that pretty much tells how seriously the Cheneys took the whole 9/11 thing, doesn't it?

Lynne Cheney has spent a lifetime trying to grab the limelight. It started with her competitive baton twirling, moved on to writing bad books, then to her right-wing radio show, and now she travels all over with Dick and makes sure she's right there in the camera's view. If ANYONE were going to make a bid for the White House, it would be Lynne---not behind-the-scenes Dick!

Frankly, I don't care about Anderson Cooper. It's the Cheney comment that's important. Of course Dick Cheney is Satan! And it's time we all acknowledged it. If not Satan himself, at least the spawn of Satan. Can anyone point out ONE SINGLE THING good that Dick Cheney has done in his entire political career, except to benefit/profit himself and his friends?

Last night a young friend, who is just getting into the political scene, called and asked me what the term "progressive Democrat" means. I told her that it's a Democrat who is afraid to say he or she is a LIBERAL, explaining the fear that came about from the spin the neocons gave it which pretty much said LIBERALS are wackos. Ironically, just an hour or two before I was telling my husband about the LIBERAL convention going on in LasVegas and said I wish I could have been there. He, not being an internet kinda guy (and 70 years old), doesn't keep up with these things unless I print out material and hand it to him to read from real paper.

Having some time on my hands, that conversation with my friend sent me to the 'net to try to find out a clearer definition of "progressive Democrat" for her. I found an interesting set of definitions on Answer.com. Unfortunately, what I learned is that there are, in reality, several differing factions of the Democrat party. My reaction, understandably, was "No wonder we can't win the White House and Congress back!" I learned there's a faction called the Neoliberals, another one called Progressive Democrats (which I defined above--those afraid to call themselves LIBERALS), the actual LIBERALS (defined as to the left to the Progressives--and which I proudly claim myself to be), the Conservatives and an offshoot of the Conservatives which includes the Pro-Life Democrats (I'm glad they're seeing the light and coming back to the party of the big tent). Membership in each group seemed to intermix between factions and issues, I learned as my research continued through other websites. But what kept coming up time and again was the problem caused within the Democrat party by the Democrat Leadership Council and it's insistance that candidates it supports and funds be centrist rather than left-leaning.

Needless to say, an event like the Daily KOS one in Las Vegas - wow! 1,000 participants!! - made me feel that there is hope after all. The fact that bloggers understand that groups like the DLC are a problem rather than a solution to potential Democrat victory nationally is important--and heartening. Mainstream, corporate-owned (and certainly not left-leaning!) media isn't going to work with us to get out the "good news" we bring to the table. And that's why last week's convention is so important to us Democrats hanging in there despite the losses and the pressure put on us to change our titles from LIBERALS to Progressives. (Frankly, every time I hear someone calling him or herself a Progressive, I want to scream!)

I'm 64 years old. I'm a lifelong Democrat. I'm a lifelong LIBERAL and I'm darn proud of it. Last Christmas I gave my LIBERAL husband a shirt that says "PROUD LIBERAL" on the front and back (for those wondering where they can get one, go to Cafe Press). More and more these days, he gets positive comments when he wears it. The climate is changing, and Daily KOS and other bloggers like Salon are leading the way. Way to go, folks! Especially you young folks. You make these old retirees feel like life may be worth living here in the United States after all.