His master’s voice: Cheney takes charge

The US vice president’s presence at the hearings on the 9/11 attacks is an indication of the real power behind the throne, says Tom Wright in Washington.

US VICE PRESIDENT Dick Cheney is emerging as the most important figure in the Bush White House and one of the most polarising politicians in this year’s election campaign.

Of all of the conditions the White House tried to attach to the president’s appearance yesterday in front of the 9/11 commission, by far the most peculiar was the insistence that President George W Bush only appear in concert with Mr Cheney rather than have them appear separately as the commission requested.