Some people are just wired to be excessive about X. You can pick whatever X is. It could be drinking, some criminal activity, or sex. In Cheney’s case it’s political. Suppose Trump had never gone into politics. I’d bet Cheney would have found someone else and targeted him instead. The vitriol would sound exactly the same, only the names would change.
I ignore extreme people. Unless I’m currently near them, in which case I increase my situational awareness.
Very well stated.