oh the times…

…they are a’changin’.

Looks like Old Mr. Cheney has decided to change the tune and tone of the debate surrounding the Iraq war, and the war on terrorism. Gone is the “you’re either with us or against us” mentality, and it appears that a kinder, gentler, more well rounded outlook has come about. “Disagreement, argument and debate are the essentials of democracy” Mr Cheney told a Washington think-tank.
[...]
He said there was no problem debating whether the US should have gone to war in Iraq, but he lashed out at those who have accused the president of purposely misleading the country.
“What is not legitimate, and what I will again say is dishonest and reprehensible, is the suggestion by some US senators that the president of the United States or any member of his administration purposely misled the American people on pre-war intelligence,” Mr Cheney said. Okay, so he’s not a dove at heart, yet. But it’s an interesting shift in the rhetoric. Not even a year ago, the office of the president would have tried to steam roll over a debate like this. Now they’re forced to actually engage in a substantive debate and let it go on. I think that this definitely reeks of the lame duck coming home to roost, finally. We’ll see though.