Disagreeing with Cheney

I have to disagree with Vice President Cheney on this one. His statement implies that Charlie Rangel had it in the first place.

WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney contended Monday that Rep. Charles Rangel, the dean of New York's congressional delegation, is "losing it" — striking back after months of verbal attacks from the Harlem lawmaker.

Rangel had criticized Cheney in recent interviews, saying the vice president, who has a history of heart trouble, might be too sick to perform his job.

"I would like to believe he's sick rather than just mean and evil," Rangel said last Friday on NY1, the New York City-based all-news channel.

In an interview with nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh, the 64-year-old Cheney suggested it was the 75-year-old Rangel who may not be up to the demands of his job.

"I'm frankly surprised at his comments. It almost struck me — they were so out of line, it almost struck me that there was some — Charlie was having some problem," said Cheney.

"Charlie is losing it, I guess."

Hear me now and believe me later: any congressman who is old enough to remember Vietnam, and criticizes a legitimate war by introducing legislation to reinstate conscription never had any semblance of coherence or intellectual credibility in the first place.