Cheney Back in Spotlight, Faces Heart Transplant

Former Vice President Dick Cheney is back in the public spotlight for the first time since receiving a mechanical heart pump in July that has, most doctors say, saved his life by taking on the task of helping to push blood through his arteries, according to The New York Times. Cheney, 69, has put aside his public role as the fiery, combative political figure of the last two years, who seemed to relish every opportunity to engage in verbal jousting with President Obama.

He was most recently seen at a fundraiser for Maria Cino, a former Bush administration official who is running to replace Michael Steele as head of the Republican National Committee.

But Cheney seems less combative than before the operation, the Times notes. He is focusing on his memoires rather than engaging in a debate over security with the Obama administration, as he did up until early 2010. He also faces the decision of whether to proceed with a heart transplant. The device he is using is untested for longevity, experts say.