Cheney Unleashed

Judy Keen writes in USA Today: "Nicolle Wallace, the White House communications director, says challenging Democrats is essential. 'Our strategy has to include hitting back . . . and calling them out for what are actually lies,' she says."

Agence France Presse reports: "While it seems like another Washington war of words, the White House campaign is crucial to rescue the Bush presidency, said a respected administration insider.

" 'If the American people really come to a settled belief that Bush lied us into war, his presidency will be over,' said Bill Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard."

Anderson Cooper hosted an interesting discussion on CNN last night.

First there was Candy Crowley's report: "Amid reports he's lost pull at the office, the vice president was out and about this evening, sounding very much like Dick Cheney. . . .

"It's where he's always been, in the thick of it, though, lately, it has seemed like a swamp. The indictment of a top staffer, his role in selling the war, and close ties to the oil industry cast the vice president as a major player in the worst months of the Bush years. . . .

"As per usual, the vice president's response to administration critics does not come first, but it comes fiercest."

Dana Bash then explained the White House's campaign strategy: "Early last week, when they were listening to the Democrats' attacks get louder and louder on pre-war intelligence, they made a decision, actually, after considerable debate, about the idea of going after this, just like they did during the campaign. And that is exactly what you're seeing across the board.

"From the president to his aides, you see talking points coming out of the White House, hitting back at Democrats in a way that you almost rarely see. And the vice president's role is vintage campaign. For the vice president to get out there and have the most stinging attacks is exactly what one does in a campaign."

John King addressed the rumors that Cheney is on the outs with Bush: "Look, Dick Cheney is a very controversial figure. He can be a very polarizing figure. Even within the Republican Party, there are some people who blame him that the president is in this mess. Inside the White House, they say this is poppycock. That's about the kindest word. . . .

"But there's -- look, the president is mad at everybody. He is at 37 percent in the polls. I was talking to a senior official last week who said, he is mad with everybody, beginning with the guy in the mirror."

The War Room

Julie Hirschfeld Davis writes in the Baltimore Sun about the White House's new war room, its new rapid-response memos -- and who the players are.