Actually, his comments do accurately reflect the true Cheney. He has always been a fully-committed member of our self-styled elite Ruling Class(as described so aptly by Angelo Codevilla). That said, I admire and respect him for the good he has done for his country, but simply wish to point out that the left are not the only ones prone to idealistic projection of their own beliefs and values onto their public leaders - conservatives are equally culpable.
Has he agreed to be the attack dog to knock Sarah down for someone else?
Here is my suspicion: there is an intense behind the scenes battle going on right now between the RNC and Romney campaign, and the conservative/Tea Party wing of the GOP to give Palin a featured speaking role at the GOP Convention. The GOP elites absolutely do not want to give Palin any sort of public forum, so they're using "respected" GOP leaders to wage a low-level smear campaign to blunt those efforts.
They don't intend to take any more chances with giving Palin any sort of public forum or make any comments which would indicate that she is an "acceptable" leader, spokesman, etc. The intent is to completely destroy any possible political viability for her, and by extension, the ideas she espouses, both now and for the future.
Exactly!