Veep Speaks - So Dick Cheney doesn't "make basic policy" for this Administration? That fact may come as a surprise to John Aravosis et al., but it is now clear that Cheney disagrees with Bush over the need for a Federal Marriage Amendment. My fear and loathing of the power wielded by Karl Rove just rose immensely.

Cheney's "pro-gay-ish" personal opinion doesn't come as a complete surprise, although his willingness to speak it does. Certainly the bigot brigade is upset that Dick "was allowed" to come clean. I do doubt that the Bush Campaign, with its notoriously tight control over message, gave the green light to this expression of opposing views -- for example, as a calculated attempt to soften the President's harshly anti-gay image. In fact, the comparison will likely put Bush in a worse light. While it hasn't made any difference to the GOP platform committee, look for the ticket's "differences" to pop up in the debates.

Sometimes I wish Cheney did have all the power that left-wing flacks always claim he does.