VP: I am not an Executive

I have only held off posting about this story, because it is almost impossible to find an article on this which is not a commentary piece. It is so weird that right-wingers are trying to ignore it, and left-wingers can't talk about it without a sneer. I am, of course, talking about VP Dick Cheney's comments earlier this week on the role of the Vice Presidential office within the U.S. governmental structure.

Mr Cheney had been complying with a presidential order to surrender sensitive papers but then stopped, saying although he works in the White House, he is not part of the executive branch.

He argues that he is a member of the legislature because of his dual role as president of the Senate.

This is truly a bizzare statement, although not entirely without precedent as George Washington originally refused to include John Adams in his cabinet because he viewed his role as President of the Senate as an inherently Legislative function. But that being said - and that is about the only defense I can imagine for the statement - historically otherwise the VP has always been viewed as part of the Executive and even President Washington's view changed for his second term. The White House should bite the bullet and admit this statement for what is - a lawyerly delaying tactic on releasing some information they want to keep classified for some (maybe even good) reason. It doesn't pass the sniff test in the public, and is only serving to weaken an already lame duck presidency in the eyes of the public.