Great minds think alike

Tuesday found me glued to the TV most of the day. Even at work. I wonder how much productive work took place nationwide on Tuesday.Everywhere I looked, people were transfixed by an astounding moment in history.

After the swearing-in ceremony and before the luncheon, the cameras stayed on the new president as George Bush and Dick Cheney made their way to the helicopter that would take them out of Washington.

The camera pulled back to reveal Cheney was in a wheelchair, an apparent necessity after he strained a back muscle. Personally, I had hoped it was just proof he was rotting from the inside out and his frame had lost enough integrity that it could no longer support him.

As Cheney's nurse pushed him along, I was struck by an analogy I've been making for eight years--Dick Cheney reminds me of Mr. Potter from the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." He growls as he speaks out of the side of his mouth, he's nasty, and he lacks all compassion and meaningful human connection. He's a warped, frustrated old man. A mean old white guy who uses his smarts for evil. Evil, I tell ya.

Once I saw the image of Cheney rolling across the TV screen, I couldn't stop giggling about it all day. For whatever reason, today I decided to do a Google search on "cheney" "Potter." the results were astonishing. Although many people had come up with the same association, it was former Bush speech writer Michael Gerson who actually had the nerve to say it publicly.

Later, writers for The Boston Globe, US News and World Report, and the Washington Post all recalled the same image, as well. That's company I'm happy to be a part of.