Mike Allen bylines an article for Politico re: Dick Cheney’s tirade about Obama “trying to pretend we are not at war.” Andrew Sullivan accuses Allen of being a “stenographer” for Cheney, relaying the former VP’s accusations verbatim, sans critical analysis.

I don’t know much about Allen and I suppose there could be a history here that triggered Sullivan’s reaction; a history that might be readily discoverable if I took the time to look for it, although I’m not sure any such history matters. In the context of this article, Sullivan’s accusation seems unwarranted.

Yes, Allen and his editors republish Cheney’s tirade. But they then proceed (immediately) to devote an entire (online) page to several, salient counterpoints, namely that Obama spoke up on the failed underwear bomber much faster than Bush did on the failed shoe bomber; that Obama and his administration have made it very clear in multiple public statements that we are at war; that Republicans who would discredit Obama on this topic have focused recently on a statement the President made as a candidate two years ago — a statement that does not seem to convey an ounce of equivalence or weakness.