Cheney's heart, Rummy's vanity

We know that Dick Cheney has an anatomical heart, because we are told about it every time it malfunctions and he has to have another bypass, another angioplasty, another pacemaker, or another defibrillation. It's getting to be not very newsworthy, apparently, given the difficulty I had in finding any followup news to the report that he was hospitalized last Friday for more heart symptoms.

Over the weekend, there were no bulletins and no news, either in the papers or on the internet. Finally, today, Huffington Post and CBS News online reported that he had been released from the hospital. But none of the following even mentioned it in their online news web sites: New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, CNN, ABC, NPR, McClatchy, BBC, or Al Jazeera news services.

Sen. Byrd's death, the Kagan confirmation hearings, McChrystal's retirement, BP oil mess, and more were of more immediate concern. And what Huff and CBS did report was enigmatic.

Huff: "He underwent testing and ultimately received medication to treat a fluid buildup related to his aggressive form of heart disease." Are they talking about congestive failure and/or edema due to lack of adequate cardiac output? Or pericardial fluid? Obviously their reporter didn't know the clarifying questions to ask.

CBS: "Cheney was given IV treatment for retention of fluid related to his coronary artery disease, which improved his condition. A source familiar with the case told CBS News that the incident nonetheless confirmed Cheney's 'tenuous cardiac status.'"

The last seems a not so subtle message that he is in a rather serious and precarious condition. Of course, one might have predicted that when he had his first serious heart attack at age 37 -- and when he had the four more since then, plus quadruple bypasses, two angioplasties to clear clogged arteries, a pacemaker, at least one instance of requiring zapping to stop fillibration -- AND served as Sec of Defense, presidential Chief of Staff, Vice President, and CEO of Haliburten since then. So don't count him out yet.

So much for his anatomical heart. Does he have a human heart? That's debatable. Apparently he likes his daughters, Little Liz who's forever on TV defending his policies, and even the one who is lesbian and has given him and Lynne some more grandbabies. I still thought it was pretty telling that the newborn pictures released to the public showed Dick and Lynne with the baby, grinning like possums, as if they had done it themselves -- and the two mothers nowhere to be seen in any released photos.

Meanwhile, his pal Rummy was at the Pentagon today for the unveiling of his $50,000 portrait to hang as an honor given to former DoD Secretaries -- his second, given that he served in that capacity once before. Wouldn't you think one portrait would be enough? Wouldn't modest propriety have led him to suggest: let's save the money for a second one?

Well, taxpayers, not to worry. His Humbleness paid the $50,000 price tag himself. All this for an allegded war criminal who will never be held accountable. Instead of a line-up mug shot, we get a $50,000 oil portrait hanging in the Pentagon. IT JUST AIN'T RIGHT.

Ralph