…and Dick Cheney’s no Ed Lover, either.

During the program, Mr. Imus said that some people considered Mr. Cheney to be like Slim Pickens, the actor in the movie “Dr. Strangelove” who rode the atomic bomb dropped on Russia as if it were a bucking bronco. Afterward, Mr. Imus said in an interview that he had gotten “a good vibe” from Mr. Cheney. “And I was surprised at how healthy he looks; his skin tone was good and his eyes were clear,” Mr. Imus said.

Also, he said, “he seems like he can be funny, but he isn’t quite sure whether he wants to be or not.”

Mr. Imus was perhaps recalling a moment in his program when he asked the vice president if, as many critics of Mr. Bush believe, Mr. Cheney is actually president.

“No,” Mr. Cheney replied. “But that was a nice try.”