GOP Rep. wants Cheney to lie low

WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- At least two GOP members of Congress, including one who went on the record, say former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's public comments are hurting the party.

In recent media interviews, Cheney accused the Obama administration of making the United States less safe from terror attacks and defended Bush administration policies on harsh interrogation tactics. In a "60 Minutes" interview Sunday, President Barack Obama said the former administration's tactics hadn't been effective and had weakened the U.S. position in the world.

With the Republican Party trying to recover from major setbacks during the last two federal elections, Rep. John Duncan Jr., R-Tenn., told The Hill it would be better for the party if Cheney were to keep a lower profile.

"He became so unpopular while he was in the White House that it would probably be better for us politically if he wouldn't be so public," Duncan said. "But he has the right to speak out since he's a private citizen."

A House Republican who did not want to be named in the story said Cheney's criticism of Obama early in the president's term was not surprising, but also was not helpful to the GOP -- particularly considering that Cheney's approval ratings were lower than former President George W. Bush's during the last Congress.

The unidentified lawmaker told The Hill Cheney did "no favors" for House Republicans but "I could never understand him anyway."

Cheney's office declined a request for comment, The Hill said.