'I'd sure as hell go fishing.'
If I were him, I'd sure as hell make the effort to rally behind our candidate!.....I'm betting the fish will always there RICKY...our country may not! Kind of cheap and small for someone who has other-wise served the nation with great distinction...good god I don't get it....Shoot with his heart condition it might be the last great thing he can do for the greatest nation on earth; you know..... the one that gave him EVERYTHING. Why go out on such a diminutive note...again, I dont get it. That goes for all and any other pol. refusing to show up and stand up for the right....this is kind of sad and it kind of stinks..you know? What happend to the common sense embodied in standing together for what is right?
There may have been a determination that his presence would have caused unwanted comparisons to the Bush Administration, which Obama is determined to run against again. He certainly can't run on his own accomplishments.
It's entirely possible that Cheney graciously backed out because of a gentle nudge to do so.