Nicholas Burns is the quintessential State Department 80 pound weakling. Accustomed to having sand kicked in his face, being taken to the woodshed and being humiliated by Cheney will not bother him in the least.
Effete people like Burns think Cheney is an uncouth brute who is too obtuse to grasp the sophisticated world of the inbred diplomat who tarry with other inbreds who put on the pinstripe suits and feel important.
Cheney, in fact, does get it; the joke is actually on the diplomats who are being played.