In an earlier edition of the Jolt, I referred to Chris Matthews’s habit of referring to the former vice president and members of his family as “Chee-nee” instead of the widespread pronunciation of “Chay-nee.”
Apparently Matthews bases his pronunication based on a 2007 statement by Lynne Cheney that members of Dick Cheney’s family always pronounced it “Chee-nee” before he became a public figure; the matter is also discussed in Stephen Hayes’s biography of Cheney. But no less a figure than Liz Cheney called Matthews misinformed, and I note that both times Cheney was sworn into office, he said “I, Richard Chay-nee.”
I suspect if Dick Cheney wanted to be called “Chee-nee,” he would let us know.