Nothing. He apparently ripped into Leahy during a photo sessions for criticisms the Senator had made about him in a different situation (WP, reg. req.):
So Cheney did not violate any official protocol rules with his obscene comment. But as John Mace noted, that kind of reaction makes you look like an asshole to the majority of people. If Cheney feels he has to pick a fight with an opposing politician who made a friendly remark to him during a Senate photo session, he’s touchy and thin-skinned. If he can’t control himself sufficiently to refrain from hurling obscene insults when he loses the argument,* he’s an asshole.
No, I don’t know the details of the quarrel beyond what was reported in the paper. But in most arguments, the guy who busts out swearing is usually the one who’s being out-argued.
Dr. Ben Marble certainly gets my respect. These days, it seems people are afraid to say things like this to our leaders. Here, the worst you get is 20 minutes in handcuffs, and a couple of folks saying it’s disprespectful. Whhoooptydoo! In other countries, you can be killed on the spot for saying such things. Be glad we can express it here.
And as far as your story goes I think you were lucky you didn’t go to jail and they didn’t touch you. Anyone can protest and yell and make demands all they want. I would just prefer to get the same result with as little trouble as posible.
If those cops did find something on a warrantless search it would not have been admissable in court. Imagine if they found something after they got the warrant.
If I simply stand in my door, and they physically force themselves in, I’ve got assault charges on top of an unwarranted and illegal search. How many cops are that fucking stupid? Hmmm, may not want to answer that.