Cheney's public appearances are generally photo ops, fundraisers or speeches to friendly GOP audiences. He could be a wholly innocuous figure, in a job well-suited to wholly innocuous figures. But the notion persists that Cheney is something of a sphinx, and one with great authority. In a new book, former treasury secretary Paul O'Neill describes him as the center of power and influence in this White House, even though Cheney is portrayed through much of the book as sitting quietly, or, in expansive moments, nodding quietly.

Like Cheney, [Dennis Hastert] is an emphatically non-flamboyant man who rose to a heady station, seemingly by accident. Both are better listeners than talkers. Hastert calls Cheney an "interesting guy," which is as close as any friend will come to calling Cheney complex.

Cheney concludes his speech and begins greeting servicemen and their families. He's not a wade-into-the-crowd kind of pol. When shaking hands, Cheney grips hard for a split-second then pulls away quickly, as if he's touched a hot stove. While walking a 15-minute rope line behind cold metal barriers, Cheney manages to avoid hugging or kissing a single well-wisher.