sabato is a democrat shill.
The mistake the Dems have made with Cheney is the same as the one they made with Bush in 2000 -- diminished expectations. The reality of Cheney is so far off from the caricature that he cannot help but exceed expectations when voters start seeing more of him.
Sabato is right in saying that Cheney's image has sunk because he hasn't really been out in public. But that is a problem that can be pretty easily corrected when he starts showing his face a lot more. He's one of those guys, like Rumsfeld, that always comes across better when you actually see him than when you read what is written about him.