I am an average American who did a lot of background reading during the 2004 campaign. Still, I do not consider myself particularly astute when it comes to politics. But as I watched Dick Cheney speak before those selective, red state audiences, I remember remarking to my husband that I have never seen anyone lie with such aplomb.

I also remember firing off an e-mail to the Knight Ridder author of an article I read in the Philadelphia Inquirer comparing George W. Bush and John Kerry (before Kerry was officially the Democratic nominee). In that e-mail back in early March of 2004, I stated that, compared to George W. Bush, Richard Nixon was a walk in the park. Thank you, Sidney Blumenthal; now I understand why.

I am Dick Cheny's age and in my opinion he is a disgrace to my generation.

I hope the day comes when he and his cronies and his puppets in this administration and in Haliburton must answer for their actions and are brought to justice. I cannot believe that the citizens of this country have allowed this debacle to go on for so long. And I fear that another three years of this corrupt administration will relieve us of our democracy.

...that local Republicans in Kansas can beat someone up, but Dick Cheney can do "nothing" but call his enemies names?

I suspect a ruthless multi-millionaire ideologue who happens to be Vice-President of the United States and who has 7/8 of the media doing his bidding could probably do a number on you if he wanted.

Why do you think no one crosses these people--'cause they don't have the guts or the brains? Or because they're too "bourgeois"? Please--they're scared s***less.

These people pulled off a coup d'etat and took control of the country; they can do anything they want. They're ruthless, they've got control of the media, and they have all the funding they need.

Go ahead, get yourself on TV and "kick their asses" --and see what happens to you. They impeached a two-term President for getting a blow job.

innuendo. as much as you might make it out to seem like some violent cuop d'etat has the entire Democratic party cowering in fear before the wrath of Dick Cheney... well, come off it: during the contested election in 2000 AL GORE QUIT BEFORE THE ISSUE WAS REALLY EVEN DECIDED and so far as I have read the reasoned political analysis is that Al Gore quit because he didn't even want to be president anyway.

The whole world knows that. What actually happened in 2000, for example and as a matter of fact, was not a coup d'etat but rather James Baker went to Florida and basically announced to the world that Al Gore was finished and then Al went on t.v. and was like, "Yeah, I think it's best for the country if I quit." So acting like Dick Cheney is some kind of puppet master who runs american politics is just warped.

And honestly the idea you suggest of kicking Dick Cheney's ass on television ...I don't even know where to start with that. To contest Dick Cheney politically I have to get on television first? And then once I get on t.v. I am supposed to do something that neither Howard Dean nor John Edwards nor Bill Clinton nor... ANYBODY IN THE ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC PARTY has ever done? People like John Kerry and Ariana Huffington wouldn't blow snot in my direction if I paid them 1000 dollars so it's ridiculous that I identify with their poltical careers at all but I do because, like I said, I support a woman's right to choose, which even John Kerry half-rejected in the last election with that tortured "I am a believing catholic" speech he gave during the presidential debates. DID DICK CHENEY FORCE JOHN KERRY TO SAY THAT? Or how about this one: Did Dick Cheney force Al Gore to go into the debate in 2000 wearing too much orange make-up?

I have no fear whatsoever of any Republican, not even Dick Cheney and your bizarre innuendos about coups d'etat just sound goofy.

But anyway... the next time the Democratic Party sends me one of those letters asking for my support, well OF COURSE I am going to send them another 100 dollars. And MoveOn.org too. I mean after all, they need the money.

Finally, let me say this: I have never once in any way reaped any sort of benefit from voting for the Democratic party. I just do it because it's right. So it really hurts my feelings that you and Chris would act like I am the reason you are losing every single national issue. The people who run the party are not, in your way of thinking, in any way actually responsible for their failures. It's Dick Cheney's fault. Well, THAT right there is your problem. The working class in this country does not win by Dick Cheney being replaced by John Edwards. The working class in this country would be helped by, for example, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE. But there is no way on earth that Universal Health Care will ever pass because nobody is going to risk their poltical future promoting it. Anyway. whatever. Like my opinion counts for anything anyway.

But, on a personal level, let me ask you this pookastew: are you Sidney Blumenthal's Personal Assistant or what because I really doubt that one of the most politically connected people on the planet needs you to defend his opinion essays online.

Did anyone catch the Discovery channel's special this week about building the trans European highway tunnels thru northern Greece? Large scale construction companies have unique technical expertise to cut thru the tricky limestone formations that exist there. These projects change history right before our eyes. Their work at home and abroad in variable soil formations must generate interesting seismic data.

Readers shouldn't put too much weight on his doing so. Kissinger was always threatening to quit. See the Haldeman Diaries.

Nice eupemism. How fortunate the perfect opportunity came along at the perfect time. It's not just what happened, but when it happened (don't forget to throw in the perfect alibi). Why the first quarter? Who might that benefit? Why four syllables? It's genius! Fortunately, it's too genius. C'mon, give the devil his due. With clues like that, he wants you to.