It's a story I heard while rafting down the Snake River in the heart of the Grand Tetons. Periodically, our raft would stop to observe wildlife — deer, bison, moose. At a certain point, our guide told us we wouldn't be allowed to stop or make loud noises. The next patch of river, he explained, was home to a pair of bald eagles, a threatened species with few survivors in the Grand Teton area. As we passed through the protected area, the guide told us a story in a low voice.

A fellow guide at his rafting company had been leading a tour through the protected area when he saw a larger-than-usual boat stopped in a bend of the river. A couple fishing poles were already set up and in the water. Definitely not allowed under park rules. The guide headed toward the boat to inform the owner of his mistake. As he approached, a serious-looking man in a black suit appeared and slowly uncovered a gun on his hip. He gave the guide a two-fingered "move along" signal. The boat belonged to Dick Cheney, a famous angler and a resident of nearby Jackson Hole.

That story might be apocryphal, but I love it none the less. Of all the threatened species Cheney could disrespect and endanger, you knew it would somehow be the one that stands for everything America represents.