I Wonder What the Old Fox Means By This…

If you're a devotee of the popular theory that the Bush Administration is full of Machiavellian, and possibly Mephistophelian evil geniuses playing dumb while they make us dance on a string, if you believe every screwup and gaffe coming out of the White House is just another bold, lightning ju-jitsu-style maneuver to trap President Bush's opponents (and who doesn't believe that?), then you'll enjoy this detail from yesterday's flurry of Cheney resignation rumors. Not only are they onto us, they're onto us being onto them!

"It's certainly an interesting but I still think highly doubtful scenario," said a Bush insider. "And if that should happen," added the official, "there will undoubtedly be those who believe the whole thing was orchestrated—another brilliant Machiavellian move by the VP."

But then… doesn't this quote mean they want us to think it's not really a brilliant Machiavellian move? And then, wouldn't that mean it really is a brilliant Machiavellian move?

John DiIulio hails "the reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis."

John J. Pitney Jr. reviews two books about Karl Rove, the evilest, geniusest evil genius of them all.

Bush/Satan 2004 bumper stickers still available.

Omen III: The Final Conflict, in which the always Machiavellian Sam Neill deftly got his career nadir out of the way early.

Realistic diagram of Dick Cheney's heart.