Being in Europe, I was the first person, I think, to comment on the NYTimes story on Cheney's latest statements. (Apparently, though, the Times did not post the comment; it appears when I'm logged in, but with no number or 'recommend' field, and it's not there when I view the comments page without being logged in).

Here's what I wrote:

"Cheney celebrates torture; sun also rises in East again." Why is this news?

The former vice president spent much of his term urging brutality in various forms, and has vocally insisted that we should immediately lower ourselves to the tactics of the worst regimes in history. There is nothing new in his latest statements, just repetition of morally repugnant claims and political posturing.

I appreciate for an article that discusses Senator Feinstein's views, the position of Senator McCain (who has personal experience with torture), and others. These are active legislators who all point out how difficult it is to deal with the sludge the Bush-Cheney administration left the country.

Mr. Cheney's outbursts, in contrast, are not new, and are not news. Stop offering such a repugnant figure the soapbox of the front page of the New York Times!