A couple months ago, when Veepstakes speculation was at its inane/pointless/baffling height, Campaign Desk asked a favor of the press: that, in the flurry of Veep speculation, they’d take a moment to step back and contemplate, in light of The Cheney Years, what the role of the vice president should be in the next administration.

I bring that up because, yesterday, The New York Times—a couple months after the fact, but we’re too grateful to quibble—answered our prayers. Thanks, guys.