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AP Photo / Douglas C. PizacKeith McCord Reporting
Vice President Dick Cheney was back in Utah today. He wasn't here for very long, though, about two hours was it.
Normally when the president or vice president come to town, it's to raise money or speak to a group of Republicans; not this time.
Vice President Cheney's Air Force Two touched down at Salt Lake International Airport right at noon today. The scene at the airport was typical for a visit such as this: vehicle searches, sharp-shooters with binoculars surveying the area, Highway Patrol troopers getting briefed on the arrival and motorcade route, and the welcoming party, including the governor's and lieutenant governor's families and other state leaders.
Cheney's last visit was in April when he spoke at the BYU commencement. Today, though, it was not about politics or fundraising per se.
He was one of the keynote speakers at the Council of National Policy. This group, formed in 1981, usually stays out of the public spotlight.
In the program for the 3-day convention in Salt Lake, the group's mission statement reads: "To restore and sustain American Freedom by providing a forum for business, civic, national defense, educational and religious leaders to deepen their understanding of the great spiritual, economic, constitutional and national security issues confronting the nation."
Cheney was one of several speakers at this convention. Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, Gov. Jon Huntsman and Rep. Chris Cannon are also on the agenda.
The vice president's visit was closed to the media; no interviews anywhere and no indication of the contents of his speech today.
At 2 p.m. Cheney was gone. And since it's a Friday, he's most likely headed to his home in Wyoming for the weekend.
