The throwback

Even then, it was fate that stepped in, again, to bring Cheney on his serendipitous road to power. Cheney was picked to head the Pentagon only after then President Bush's first pick, former Texas Sen. John Tower, saw his confirmation go down in flames amid allegations of booze and broads.

Confirmed easily, second-choice Cheney set to the task of downsizing the U.S. military, cutting $10 billion from the budget in his first year. He strongly defended the base-closing plan that closed 31 major military bases, noting in April 1991 that "the budget does have an impact. It's just as important to maintain defense and have a strong economy."

Though he hadn't served in the military, Cheney made no bones about who was in charge. Only six months into his new job, in September 1989, he tapped Colin Powell over several other more veteran officers to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Then, in September 1990, Cheney made history by being the first secretary of defense to ever fire a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Chief of Staff and four-star Gen. Mike Dugan, whom Cheney canned for speaking to reporters about plans to launch air strikes against Iraq, without, reportedly, hearing Dugan's explanation.

There were other incidents. According to Bob Woodward's "The Commanders," after Cheney fired Gen. Frederick Woerner, commander of the U.S. military in Central and South America, Woerner said, "After thirty-four years of service I believe I'm entitled to an explanation." But Cheney gruffly said only: "Time for a change."

On the other hand, some in the military took "civilian" Cheney's slaps lightly; after Cheney publicly rebuked Air Force Chief of Staff Larry Welch for appearing to be negotiating freelance with Congress, Welch -- a veteran -- reportedly said, "I've been shot at by professionals and I'm still here. So being shot at by an amateur is not likely to cause me any pain."

But even for a civilian, it was during war -- namely Operation Desert Storm -- that team player Cheney's smooth authority is said to have impressed the elder Bush the most. By many accounts, Cheney was a commanding presence, pushing Powell and others to present President Bush with military options to end the Iraqi presence in Kuwait despite their many misgivings.

In other accounts -- most notably Woodward's -- Cheney's image doesn't hold up as well under scrutiny. While never budging from his view that the military benefits from civilian supervision and review, Cheney nonetheless could be seen as authoritarian, according to Woodward, showing disdain whenever the subject was raised of the potential need to get congressional authorization for the war, as required -- but often ignored -- under the War Powers Act.

Though history is still being written on that military operation, at the time it was considered a success, and President Bush was impressed enough to award Cheney (as well as National Security Advisor Scowcroft and Secretary of State James Baker III) the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. President Bush was so impressed with Cheney that during a brief "Dump Quayle" run in the media, his name was bandied about as a potential 1992 running mate for the elder Bush.

Through image and rhetoric, George W. Bush continues to show that he has learned from his father's mistakes; bearing Quayle in mind -- as well as the suddenness of the announcement of his selection in '88 -- the son's selection of Cheney is just the latest example of this.

And, once again, through his own achievements as well as a remarkable ability to convey a likable gravity, Dick Cheney is in the corridors of power. And he brings a realistic take of what this job entails. "The vice president is always in a very difficult position, in any circumstances," he said in 1987, expressing sympathy for then Vice President Bush as vice chairman of a House committee investigating Iran-Contra. "If he challenges the president in policy meetings, disagrees with him, he's viewed as being disloyal."

Weathered and seasoned, Cheney will no doubt be an asset to Bush behind the scenes, even if the Democrats succeed in making him something of a liability with swing voters.

In that, Cheney can be seen as almost a post-election pick, for which Al Gore and his team are no doubt grateful.

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