Yes, the Right is actually promulgating the idea that the Vice-President of the United States is not part of the Executive Branch.

But then that nettlesome *reality* gets in the way:

Article. II. – The Executive Branch

Section 1 – The President

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Here’s the bullshit the Right is trying to push on us: The Vice-President is authorized by the same article — in fact, the same sentence as the President; he works in the same building; he is able to assume the duties of the President when the latter is out of commission for some reason (as Cheney has done).

But, no, he’s not part of the executive branch.

Jesus Christ, how low will these dipshits go to protect the Administration? Is there no line of shit that emerges from the White House that Boortz, Limbaugh and Hannity won’t happily frolick in?

They know damned well that if Al Gore had tried this nonsense, they would have laughed. They know damned well that if Cheney invoked executive privelege, they would defend it. But — once again — they are for more interested in supporting Bush than supporting the law, the Constitution or basic decency and liberty.

What bothers me is that the Administration is trying to cloud an issue with lawyer talk and loopholes. By claiming that Dick Cheney is neither fish nor fowl — bound by rules of neither the executive nor the legislative — they are trying to create another realm of lawlessness in which they can do anything they like.

As with “enemy combatants”.

Or rendering.

Or “authorizations of military force”.