National Journal asked “leading bloggers” this week whether they believed that Dick Cheney hurt or helped the Republican Party in recent days and weeks. The result are somewhat interesting: every single liberal blogger asked believes he has hurt his party, while more than 3/4 of conservative bloggers – among whom yours truly – think the opposite.

Some quotes from liberals:

 

“Cheney’s seeming constant presence in the media is a reminder of everything that people have come to hate about the Republican Party. It’s like watching Frankenstein’s monster do a radio show from a castle tower while ignoring the torch-wielding villagers demanding he go off the air.” Lee Papa, The Rude Pundit

“He’s the kid who, caught with his hand in the cookie jar, thinks he can convince his mother otherwise if he just keeps talking.”Susie Madrak, Suburban Guerrilla

“He represents the past, and in this case, a very unpopular past.” Greg Dworkin, Daily Kos

 

And from conservatives:

 

“Cheney is not himself a political asset at this stage, but someone has to take up the job of putting uncomfortable truths about national security on the public record, and he’s very good at playing Churchill circa 1935. In the long run, being right will matter more than how long it takes before he’s listened to.” Dan McLaughlin,Baseball Crank

“Every time Cheney shows his face in public, the Angry Left and the media suffer a relapse of Bush Derangement Syndrome, which keeps them energized in their role as Obama’s base. Nevertheless, Cheney is speaking truth to power about Obama’s dangerous policies on national security, and providing an important counterpoint to Obama’s glib, shallow assertions.” David Kopel, The Volokh Conspiracy

“Cheney can and should continue to defend Bush policies which are (witness Wednesday’s announcement that Obama is going to oppose revealing detainee abuse pics) slowly but surely showing themselves to be practical and wise, not monstrous. The trouble with Cheney is he shows what a lack of Republican leadership there is by having to go out there and do it himself.” Martin Solomon,Solomonia

 

My own thoughts:

“Since leaving office: helped it. Before that: hurt it. He has helped the party because he is explaining quite well why enhanced interrogation techniques are sometimes necessary, and he has succeeded in forcing Dems to play defense. This at a time when they thought they could open the attack. Well done, very well done.” Michael van der Galien,PoliGazette

What I think has happened here is that most people look at Cheney and his appearances, and therefore to the question, from their own ideological perspective. I think I did not – I of course am above that kind of thing. 

Seriously, I disagree with Cheney on torture, but I think he has helped his party tremendously. As I told National Journal, the man succeeded in forcing Democrats to play defense. This while they are the majority party in Congress, and while they thought they could attack Republicans over torture. To me, to say he has hurt the party recently is actually silly. He hurt the party during his eight years in office, but he has now done it a tremendous service by defending enhanced interrogation techniques – an issue on which a majority of the American people agree with him by the way – and attacking Democrats. 

Especially liberal bloggers have gone way overboard on Cheney: they are so blinded by their own hatred for the guy, that they cannot understand him doing his party a service in any possible way. That is, of course, also their main weakness and one of the reasons why I believe that Republicans can stage a major comeback in 2010 and / or 2012.