Poll: Favorable Opinion of Cheney on Rise

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. national survey shows that favorable opinions of former Vice President Dick Cheney are rising.

Cheney, who delivered a major speech Thursday on national security issues, has become a frequent critic of President Barack Obama’s take on decisions made during his tenure in office. In recent weeks, Cheney has gone public with numerous national interviews defending Bush administration policies, including the war on terror.

The CNN poll found that 37 percent of Americans now have a favorable opinion of Cheney, up eight points from January, when he left office. On the other hand, 55 percent of the poll respondents say they still have an unfavorable opinion of the former vice president.

An explanation for the rise is elusive, however.

“Is Cheney’s uptick due to his visibility as one of the most outspoken critics of the Obama administration? Almost certainly not,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said of the survey results. “Former President George W. Bush's favorable rating rose six points in that same time period, and Bush has not given a single public speech since he left office.”