What's Reflected in Cheney's Glasses?

April 11, 2008 12:07 PM

Justin Rood Reports:

Ht_cheney_sunglasses_080410_main Just what is the Vice President looking at?

A photograph of Dick Cheney from the White House Web site has quickly made the rounds on the Internet, fueled by speculation about what is being reflected in his sunglasses.

Cthulu? A woman in her birthday suit? A naked alien? Osama bin Laden?

The picture has been posted, linked, enlarged, enhanced on dozens of Web sites in the last 48 hours.  While popular on left-wing sites, its sheer curiosity value appeared to have drawn interest from around the blogosphere.

The photo was popular on the news-sharing site reddit.com yesterday, drawing hundreds of comments from readers.  An item on the picture appeared Tuesday on a blog for the Palm Beach (Fla.) Post newspaper; that was in turn picked up by the megatraffic site FARK.com, where it quickly became one of the site’s most popular recent posts.

Many guessers have said it could be an alien life form, though the most popular pick appears to be some version of a barely-clad lass. Opinions differ about how many arms, legs and heads she may have.

Commenters at some sites have noted that what one sees reflected in Cheney’s glasses may actually be a reflection of the viewer’s own psyche – a kind of cyber-political Rorschach test.

What does the vice president’s office say?

“He’s casting a reel,” said a (very terse) LeeAnn McBride, spokeswoman for Cheney. McBride said she did not know if the arm – and it is an arm reflected in the vice president’s sunglasses, she confirmed – belonged to Cheney or his fishing guide. 

An enlarged version of the picture - here - appears to support McBride's contention. And an investigative photo editor for McClatchy/Tribune Information Services said that's his conclusion.

"In one lens of his sunglasses you can clearly tell it is a sleeved arm of Cheney or a fishing companion," editor George Bridges said for an article by his wire service. "The other lens has an extreme distortion that, without looking at it closely, could be misconstrued."

Why?  What did you think it was?

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April 11, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (104)

User Comments

It's an image of me not caring!

Posted by: Deep Release | Apr 10, 2008 12:46:29 PM

Who cares?

Posted by: Oldgaman | Apr 10, 2008 12:52:21 PM

Good lord…ITS SOMEBODIES HAND! Anybody looking at the ENLARGED PIC can see that! It’s a hand!!!OMG!

Posted by: Atariah | Apr 10, 2008 12:59:12 PM

And why is this in ‘’Investigate’ it SHOULD be in entertainment!

Posted by: Atariah | Apr 10, 2008 1:01:56 PM

"An enlarged version of the picture - here - APPEARS to support McBride's CONTENTION."

Way to eliminate all this speculation !!!!

ABC APPEARS to have no interest in creating unfounded speculation.

Posted by: Ziggy | Apr 10, 2008 1:16:37 PM

Does anyone care what he does. Maybe he will hook himself and jump into the water. Thank god he is not holding a gun.

Posted by: Paula2223 | Apr 10, 2008 2:15:34 PM

Silliest story ever. You've reached a new low. Obviously a hand on a fishing pole. Sigh.

Posted by: louiebond | Apr 10, 2008 2:19:32 PM

I for one am glad he's fishing instead of hunting.. :)

Posted by: Christopher Powers | Apr 10, 2008 2:29:53 PM

Who Cares? ABC you guys are so pressed for a hot story since this space between the next election on April 22nd that you will try to make any little trivial thing news. GET A LIFE!

Posted by: Justin | Apr 10, 2008 2:58:02 PM

If you look closely at his eyes you will see avarice.

Posted by: riddelup | Apr 10, 2008 3:36:40 PM

Its the reflection of the fifth cylon.
Someone tell Guyus Baltar quick!

Posted by: dave | Apr 10, 2008 3:46:55 PM

...So~!!!

Posted by: nun | Apr 10, 2008 4:39:12 PM

It's a bar graph showing ABCs credibility droping. Find some real news.

Posted by: augiedogie | Apr 10, 2008 6:38:07 PM

I personally like dave's answer... Yeah, it's a slow news day, and it really is going around the blogosphere, left and right, so, it's a story. Kind of a 'big whoop' story, but these guys have to earn their pay, right?

Posted by: bikermailman | Apr 10, 2008 8:08:35 PM

It's Cthulu. It explains a lot.

Posted by: Mightybri | Apr 11, 2008 12:23:28 AM

The image in Cheneys glasses is his alter ego :The evil emperor from Star Wars.

Posted by: AJ | Apr 11, 2008 12:49:22 AM

it's a fishing rod....idiots.

No wonder your country is in the toilet with "news" like this.

Posted by: NoNewsDay? | Apr 11, 2008 12:10:19 PM

The bloody hands of a Supreme War Criminal...nothing more.

Posted by: TheHagueCalled.... | Apr 11, 2008 12:14:10 PM

Let's hire Ken Starr and find out!

Posted by: Lorelei | Apr 11, 2008 12:17:34 PM

Given the perverse look on his face, I think we can guess what he is looking at. I wonder what the Christian Republican Church Party thinks of their hero now.

Posted by: Mike | Apr 11, 2008 12:21:20 PM

I don't know but we could hire Ken Starr and find out!

Posted by: Lambofgoth | Apr 11, 2008 12:22:45 PM

Looks like he's strangling a baby.

Posted by: james | Apr 11, 2008 12:22:52 PM

Well... he's smiling... so it's got to be something maleficent.

Posted by: Great Caesar's Ghost | Apr 11, 2008 12:28:31 PM

It is obvious. The reflection shows that he is torturing someone and the grin on his face says he is enjoying it.

Posted by: bellesouth | Apr 11, 2008 12:33:26 PM

Satan coming top collect his soul.

Posted by: bvharris | Apr 11, 2008 12:39:19 PM

GARBAGE

Posted by: dave | Apr 11, 2008 12:44:18 PM

duh! its an arm holding a fishing pole

Posted by: Benjalamelami | Apr 11, 2008 12:51:08 PM

He's a Republican! He won't do anything except keep his hands on his rod! People only get crazy when a Democrat has a nude reflected on their sunglasses because Dems make it happen!!

Posted by: couplewords | Apr 11, 2008 1:02:36 PM

THIS IS SO STUPID

Posted by: PEGGY | Apr 11, 2008 1:05:06 PM

The man was fishing. I know men always have tall tale fishing stories. But Goodness, seems the media is getting desperate for dirt on people.

Posted by: seah | Apr 11, 2008 1:06:14 PM

This is news? If you must know, it's a reflection of the next person he's going to shoot.

Posted by: Lee | Apr 11, 2008 1:06:35 PM

How stupid is this??!!??

It's his HAND holding a FISHING REEL....

People need to get a life.

Posted by: Elizabeth | Apr 11, 2008 1:10:04 PM

Give the old man a break ,let him enjoy looks like by the smile he is......Prob the biggest thrill he has had in ages>>>>>

Posted by: h | Apr 11, 2008 1:10:32 PM

It's a reflection of someone being waterboarded! What else could bring such a grin to the beast's face??

Posted by: geecee827 | Apr 11, 2008 1:14:42 PM

Is she being tortured? That's what I'd expect from a low life like Cheney.

Posted by: JR | Apr 11, 2008 1:15:54 PM

I enlarged it and I am positive that it is a "Baby's Arm Holding An Apple".

Posted by: Jack | Apr 11, 2008 1:26:35 PM

I enlarged it and I am positive that it is a "Baby's Arm Holding An Apple".

Posted by: Jack | Apr 11, 2008 1:28:41 PM

Forget the sunglasses, what's in his teeth? Fish jerky? Now, THAT's disgusting!

Posted by: wannamaker | Apr 11, 2008 1:29:36 PM

Come on ABC - the Cheney story of the day has nothing to do with sunglasses, but everything to do with the reflection on this country of the torture Cheney approved. That is what should be making headlines with ABC every day until this man is brought to justice!

Posted by: hang | Apr 11, 2008 1:30:04 PM

Of course Cheney's a dirty old man. I don't need a photograph to tell me that.

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 11, 2008 1:35:38 PM

Paula2223 - Most likely he won't hook himself, but rather hook whoever is fishing with him!

Posted by: Don | Apr 11, 2008 1:38:20 PM

Come on folks, we haven't had a sex scandal this week... let's say it's... Anna Nicole Smith inviting the vice-president to skinny dip...

... and the rest will be news history!

Posted by: Geeeeeez | Apr 11, 2008 1:39:03 PM

It's the Vice Presidents hand wringing the last bit of humanity, liberty, and sense of purpose out of the American people. It's the hand of old "five deferrment Cheney" enjoying a fishing trip at the expense of human lives in Iraq. I'm sure there are lots of stop lossed soldiers who would love to have a happy fishing moment, but apparently you can only do that if you're the member of the administration who helped put all those soldiers in harm's way.

Posted by: Larry in Houston | Apr 11, 2008 1:42:20 PM

Looks like he's ready to blast someone with a 30-06

Posted by: johnbuzz2 | Apr 11, 2008 1:46:46 PM

First off, it looks as though it's a Photoshopped image cuz the images don't line up and the lighting on them is off and the reflected image in the left lens is blurry but not the right image.

Second, there's the image of a bug in the right lens, as we look at him. The bug's one antenna, in the right lens, goes under the first vertical thing, then over the second, and the other antenna goes over the first and under the second. None of this is in the lens on the left where the image is blurred. Both lenses should reflect the image, whatever it is, the same. They don't.

Posted by: Joe Schmoe | Apr 11, 2008 1:52:26 PM

a get out of jail free card

Posted by: earthisnotflat | Apr 11, 2008 2:01:30 PM

It's the reflection of idiots who pay attention to non-stories like this. Get a life!!

Posted by: Dr. Right | Apr 11, 2008 2:06:31 PM

It's Bush. Saints preserve us.

Posted by: jackp | Apr 11, 2008 2:06:46 PM

He's holding a DVD player, watching a clip of Hiliary landing in Bosnia under heavy sniper fire.

Posted by: zephyr | Apr 11, 2008 2:08:00 PM

Pure indifference and arrogance towards the American people and their views and wishes

Posted by: Bob | Apr 11, 2008 2:09:26 PM

Ava Maria!

Posted by: South of teh boarder | Apr 11, 2008 2:09:53 PM

A NICE GIRL

Posted by: WALTER | Apr 11, 2008 2:14:14 PM

It's the next victim... er.. "hunting buddy"... about to get a facefull of shotgun pellets. LOL

Posted by: Rick Warren | Apr 11, 2008 2:20:29 PM

If he wasn't such a moral zealot, it would not matter, but since he and Bush are, it does matter. Whatever, it is, he is smiling.

Posted by: Ken | Apr 11, 2008 2:22:19 PM

Looks like prison bars to me..Just where this slime ball belongs..

Posted by: Pat M | Apr 11, 2008 2:25:24 PM

It's a sing of 100 year war and economic
doom.

Posted by: Frank | Apr 11, 2008 2:31:46 PM

Chthulu cannot be reflected in Chthulu's own sunglasses.

Posted by: prospero | Apr 11, 2008 2:36:53 PM

Seems like the photographer would know......................

Posted by: Dominick | Apr 11, 2008 2:57:17 PM

That is someone's are that is holding a pole of some sort. Since it is stated that he was fishing at the time, that is someone holding a fishing pole. If you blow the picture/face up you will be able to see a person's thumb and the rest of the hand. The person is holding the pole with their right hand.

Posted by: jboyd | Apr 11, 2008 3:23:40 PM

Doesn't anyone have anything better to do or say?

Posted by: irishrose | Apr 11, 2008 4:05:54 PM

Clearly Cthulhu. Cthulhu can reflect himself in any glasses he wants to. Never argue reality with an elder thing.

Posted by: Chris Engle | Apr 11, 2008 4:12:43 PM

So?

Posted by: ML | Apr 11, 2008 4:16:23 PM

Actually, THOSE AREN'T SUNGLASSES!!

Posted by: anonyq | Apr 11, 2008 4:22:49 PM

Nice reporting, ABC. It's already been shown to be a picture of his hand holding the fishing rod.

Ridiculous that this is front page stuff. I'm a big lefty...and even I find this offensive.

Posted by: bmoney | Apr 11, 2008 4:28:53 PM

Someone got paid to write this?

Posted by: jmengate | Apr 11, 2008 4:30:29 PM

Good piece of investigative journalism, TMZ.... ooops I mean ABC.

Posted by: t l | Apr 11, 2008 4:32:05 PM

Don't look! You'll turn into a pillar of salt. He is too evil to behold.

Posted by: serio | Apr 11, 2008 4:34:08 PM

He's smiling because he heard the White House cafeteria was serving children at lunch. He didn't realize it was a tour group.

Posted by: Iain | Apr 11, 2008 4:36:03 PM

Whatever is reflected in his glasses, the enlarged image shows me that Mr. Vice President needs to brush his teeth! Gracious! Good oral hygene should be a requirement of holding such a high public office!

Posted by: Christine | Apr 11, 2008 4:36:14 PM

I'm glad that ABC is reporting on this. I would hate to see a report on how great the surge is going or how strong the dollar is or how low gas prices are or how affordable housing is or forget it. Americans are blind sheep and happy for it.

Posted by: abcensor | Apr 11, 2008 4:47:13 PM

I hope he was getting some on the side...good for him!
But, he most likely wasn't....

Posted by: Grant | Apr 11, 2008 4:48:16 PM

God, please let that be a fishing rod, please let that be a fishing rod.....

Posted by: dman | Apr 11, 2008 4:58:00 PM

Who cares?
ABC becomes "TMZ"

Posted by: crisis08 | Apr 11, 2008 5:02:39 PM

OMG - Are we having trouble finding REAL news????????

Posted by: don | Apr 11, 2008 5:03:42 PM

It's a picture of the 14 year bride they picked out for him at the polygamist ranch in Texas. He's trying to figure out if he could get away with joining his right wing buddies there and claiming his bride.

Posted by: James Davis | Apr 11, 2008 5:12:42 PM

Looks like a reel and fishing rod to me. You can see his or his guide's arm holding the rod and reel. I honestly don't know where the naked woman thing came from. With this country's fascination with naked women, you'd think we'd be seeing it on TV more often. But no, we like them, but it's not morally right.....hypocrits.

Posted by: Lawrence | Apr 11, 2008 5:26:01 PM

It's the plan to end the Iraq war...distorted, argumentative and understood by noone.

Posted by: Chuck in Iraq | Apr 11, 2008 5:27:21 PM

Journalist's listen up - this is as close to Deep Throat as you're going to get.

Here is a follow up question that journalists failed to ask Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke when they claimed that "...the Bear Stearns shareholders would not agree that they were 'bailed out'."

Follow up question not asked: "Then would you agree Mr. (Paulson/Bernanke), since every analyst agrees that the entire world financial system would have collapsed if Bear Stearns were allowed to go into Chapter 11, that the Bear Stearns loan was indeed a 'bailout' of the entire world financial system?"

Make no mistake, it's welfare for the rich - it already happened and it will happen again and again right under your noses.

The real news is the world economy - it's not about Obama's pastor, it's not about Hillary's imaginary flack jacket and it's not about some tin-foil hat wearer's analysis of a public domain Press Corps photo of the VP - it's about the world economy.

Stay tuned - you'll see.

Posted by: chris | Apr 11, 2008 5:45:11 PM

Ok Ok the sunglasses well that is not a concern. However with the U.S. Budget like it is and all the money we pay in healthcare taxes. Him being our vice president. He needs to do something with those teeth. I mean come on now I know his dentist bill has to be paid up. My God!!! Look at those Teeth!!!

Posted by: corrice | Apr 11, 2008 5:49:03 PM

It's bigfoot lol

Posted by: w | Apr 11, 2008 5:49:17 PM

AND EXECUTIVES FROM THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA WONDER WHY AMERICA IS INCREASINGLY TUNING THEM OUT?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

THIS IS NOT NEWS!

Posted by: Robert Marley | Apr 11, 2008 5:55:24 PM

It's Your Mom!

Posted by: Joe | Apr 11, 2008 6:04:13 PM

its obama bin ladin

Posted by: albi | Apr 11, 2008 6:15:57 PM

Must be a very slow news day

Posted by: Renae | Apr 11, 2008 6:33:43 PM

the vice pres has not cared about us here in America for the past 8 years WHY would he care now?

Posted by: Randy Rice | Apr 11, 2008 6:49:48 PM

Look close and you'll clearly see that it's Cheney's hand holding a fishing pole.

We are so dumb - the Great Depression II is coming and we don't even see it. I see it because I read the Financials, the Financials should be front and center right now.

We are so dumb.


Posted by: chris | Apr 11, 2008 7:02:40 PM

Obviously the reflection shows the entrance to his oft-used "undisclosed location".

Posted by: rabblebabble | Apr 11, 2008 7:23:48 PM

evil doers!

Posted by: dmm | Apr 11, 2008 8:14:26 PM

It looks to me like the Wicked Witch of the West, flying away from the viewer. I think if it were Ms. West, and the way the viewer smiles at her on her broomstick, it leads me to believe that Cheney will not allow her to hurt Dorothy or anyone else in the town.

Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 11, 2008 8:17:52 PM

What's ironic about this.... ABC News execs will look at all off the comments from all of us and say... "These are exactly the kind of stories America cares about... look at the responses."
Reality is... this is exactly the kind of story that has driven America away from 'traditional' news outlets... like ABC News.
Gone are the days of ABC, CBS, and NBC being credible news organizations.
Bye now!

Posted by: t l | Apr 11, 2008 8:31:50 PM

He is probably torturing some small animal..

Posted by: Pat M | Apr 11, 2008 10:20:38 PM

Its an uncoming train name Iraq about to run over him.

Posted by: ARG | Apr 12, 2008 12:46:53 AM

a girl in a tire inner tube raft

Posted by: forgetethmenot | Apr 12, 2008 12:50:59 AM

My husband lost his job of 20 years. What do you see in his glasses? The job market is not promising, gas prices are out of hand,etc Maybe you see us loosing everything we worked our lives for.

Posted by: jayjay | Apr 12, 2008 3:10:13 AM

WHATEVER IT WAS, IF HE HAD A GUN IT IS PROBABLY DEAD NOW.

Posted by: WAYNE | Apr 12, 2008 7:53:57 AM

THE CLINTONS WILL DO WHAT EVER THEY THINK NECESSARY TO BE RE-ELECTED

IF YOU WANT GRAFT - GREED AND MORE B.S. IN YOUR WHITE HOUSE...VOTE CLINTON

Posted by: TONY SILVAIN | Apr 12, 2008 8:00:21 AM

It can be everything but i am sure it's not a woman.

Posted by: Siavash | Apr 12, 2008 8:26:45 AM

It is clearly a hand and arm casting with a rod. I would LOVE to think ill of Chaney for it as I do other capers of his, but honesty forbids it.
With so much going on in our world WHY ARE NEWS AGENCIES EVEN NOTICING?--OR RESPONDING?

Posted by: Randall Notgrass | Apr 12, 2008 12:23:34 PM

How could anyone see a "naked woman" in the reflection of a sleeve and a hand ...?!

And, more importantly, how did this even make headlines?!

Posted by: Never Mind | Apr 12, 2008 11:40:35 PM

I this really relevant?I must say this is the most benign story that anyone has ever written about him. He's probably thrilled.

Posted by: Angela | Apr 13, 2008 1:21:05 AM

C'mon...get off your high horses everyone! Clearly this story is a bit of humor amidst a sea of disturbing news. Enjoy it for what it is...a breather meant to put a smile on our faces and relieve the tension the news of the day can create.

Posted by: rabblebabble | Apr 13, 2008 6:34:02 PM

IN MY OPINION, HE'S COUNTING IN HIS HEAD THE BILLIONS OF DOLLAS THAT HE AND HIS BUDDIES ARE RAKING IN OFF THIS DAMN WAR AND HIS "SEVERED" CONNECTIONS WITH THE COMPANIES (SUBCONTRACTORS) THAT WE THE TAX PAYERS HAVE PAID SO THAT THIS WAR CAN GO ON AND ON....... IT'S NOT ANY TAXPAYER'S JOB TO SEE THAT GENERATIONS OF POLITICIANS' FAMLY MEMBERS NEVER HAVE TO WORK FOR A MEAL.
INVITE YOURSELVES INTO THE REAL WORLD AND LOOK AT THE DESTRUCTION YOU ARE LETTING UPON THE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS..YOUR ARE BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: DONALD MCNAUGHTON | Apr 16, 2008 7:03:20 AM

Well, I don't really know...
But then again, should I care?
Nope.

But, it sure has gotten all of you off on another track altogether...

Main-stream media is good at that, getting you all on something that could only be described as "The Goober Game - Guess what it is, was or should be".

All this, and without so much as even a hint of a prize to the one who guesses correctly! What a sham(e)...

Time to find some Real News...