Cheney Discovers Cars, Technology

Former VP drives himself

By JIM IOVINO

Updated 8:10 AM EST, Mon, Mar 16, 2009

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First fire. Now a motorized vehicle. What's next? A Shamwow?

Believe it or not, former Vice President Dick Cheney is slowly catching up to technology.

Cheney's going high-tech with a BlackBerry and a Kindle. And he's driving a car these days, too. No word on whether he hand-cranks it each morning in order to hear that engine purr...

Such is life after eight years as vice president. Two months after leaving office, Cheney also is getting used to being out of the loop when it comes to the nation's secrets.

"I don't get up at 5 a.m. I don't receive that CIA brief every morning," Cheney said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

"On the one hand I miss it. I've been 40 years in the business, so I'm used to it. But this is also the fourth time I've transitioned out of government. I know there are good things and bad. I'm enjoying spending time with my family," he said.

For information, Cheney uses a BlackBerry -- "I get a lot there" -- and the Kindle, which downloads newspapers, magazines and books. "I follow a lot of issues," Cheney said.

Then there's the car. The Secret Service didn't allow him to drive for the eight years he was vice president.

"Driving myself now," Cheney said. "Secret Service follows me around, but they now let me drive myself."