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Opinion: Dick Cheney, gaunt, is back on the road, vows more appearances

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Five weeks of hospital food will thin anyone down.

And former Vice President Dick Cheney looked like it this weekend in California when he drew a crowd estimated at 10,000 to the 2010 Bakersfield Business Conferfence.

After another two months’ summer recovery at home from heart surgery and pneumonia, the 69-year-old former-pretty-much-everything-in-Washington roused a friendly crowd, according to The Californian’s Steven Mayer.

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The vice president quipped that the crowd’s warm welcome was almost enough to make someone want to run for public office again.

‘Almost.’

Cheney was acompanied onstage by his wife of 46 years, Lynne, who’s writing a book on James Madison.

‘She’s been my nurse, my negotiator with the medical community,’ her husband said, ‘and in return for all of that great help she’s given me, today I’ve agreed to let her interview me.’

What was his proudest accomplishment?

Something that didn’t happen: Helping prevent another terrorist attack after 9/11.

What was his greatest ongoing fear?....

Terrorists with nukes. ‘We came to the point that we could no longer treat terrorist attacks as a simple law enforcement problem. They were an act of war.’ Cheney plans a series of lectures around the country through the end of the year. His as yet untitled memoirs, which he’s writing with the assistance of daughter Liz, are being edited.

He’s adding material on his heart surgery and further thoughts on the Bush administration, which polls now indicate the public sees much like Obama’s.

And, yes, as the former wrestler promised, he does settle some D.C. scores in the book.

Next summer he foresees a book promotion tour.

So, wife Lynne asked, you worked for four of the last five Republican presidents. Who’s your favorite?

‘I got to work for all those presidents because I never said who was my favorite.’

However, the former VP hinted, he might reveal that name someday.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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