Concentration camp casual
The week's news at a glance.
Oswiecim, Poland
Vice President Dick Cheney stood out last week as the only dignitary who dressed informally for ceremonies commemorating the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Dozens of other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, attended the outdoor speeches in formal overcoats, dress shoes, and fedoras. But Cheney wore a parka, hiking boots, and a knit cap that said “Staff 2001.” His outfit was “the kind of attire one typically wears to operate a snowblower,” said critic Robin Givhan in The Washington Post. The White House had no comment, but several commentators said Cheney should be judged by the moving remarks he delivered at an earlier Holocaust event, not by his surprising choice of outerwear.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’
Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailout
Talking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?