The last Nixon soldier goes

One of the more profound transitions we’re seeing this week is the final, dramatic end to a political era that began with the election of President Richard Nixon.

Nixon ushered in a cadre of political operatives — from Donald Rumsfeld and Alexander Haig to Pat Buchanan and Dick Cheney — who influenced American history long after his resignation.

Ronald Reagan drew heavily on Nixon’s cabinet, as did the first and second Presidents Bush.

Obviously, the Nixon-era lion who rose farthest and had the most influence was Dick Cheney. (Rumsfeld would be a close second.)

When he goes, an era ends.

Many observers have seen Dick Cheney’s controversial tenure as vice-president as a direct response to Watergate.

He worked zealously to restore the power and latitude of the executive branch, lost in the wake of a Constitutional crisis he helped to create.

Ironically, he also served two men who raise the most troubling doubts about the so-called “Imperial” presidency.

Mr. Nixon because of his clearly established criminality; and Mr. Bush because his iron-clad convictions led America down so many disastrous paths.

It turns out there was as reason why the Founding Fathers divided power among three branches of government and dispersed it further across a union of semi-autonomous states.

The good news? Our system is strong enough that it has survived even Mr. Nixon’s long shadow.