MORE ON THE RICH FANTASY LIFE OF SALLY QUINN

You begin to understand why Sally Quinn might imagine that Fred Thompson could replace Dick Cheney when you look back and read what she was saying immediately following the '06 elections.

Just after it was announced that Robert Gates would succeed Donald Rumsfeld, Quinn appeared on CNN's American Morning and said this:

... it just seems as though the president has not wanted to take his father's advice. And this has gotten more and more difficult over the last few years.

... But I think that once Bush, the president, lost the House and the Senate, I think he realized that he couldn't do without his father's help....

I felt the other day watching Bush that he was almost relieved in a way about losing the House and the Senate. I know that sounds weird, but it was as though, OK, now I really have permission. I can take my father's advice.

Yes, she actually said that -- she imagined George W. Bush thinking, Phew! The pressure's off. I don't have to act like a big macho cowboy anymore. I can listen to my Daddy. According to Quinn, W had been a wayward child for six years, but now he actually wanted to do what one of his parents was forcing him to do. (Kids want structure, you know. They want you to set limits.)

Even she has to know how wrong she was then -- but she's still waiting for W to run to Daddy.

And meanwhile, his real political Daddy still has the #2 job.