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Veep's 'Lair' Reappears on Google

Image was blurred during Bush years

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 26, 2009 1:11 PM CST

(Newser) – When Dick Cheney was vice-president, his official residence was blurred on Google Maps. But the week Joe Biden moved in, the Naval Observatory suddenly became visible, Gawker reports. Many had noticed the isolated pixelation of Cheney’s address, including Maureen Dowd: “You can view satellite photos of the White House, the Pentagon, and the Capitol—but not of the Lord of the Underworld's lair,” she wrote.

When Google officials were asked about the scrambling, they noted that their material comes directly from the US Geological Survey. “Could there be a better visual metaphor for the change of administration?” writes Owen Thomas. “The old one hid behind blurry pixels. The new one welcomes a close look.”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Google Maps now shows the vice president's residence. (Google)

Former Vice-President Dick Cheney. (AP Photo/Michael Smith)

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The vice president, who believes in unwarranted, unlimited snooping, is so pathologically secretive that if you use Google Earth's database to see his official residence, the view is scrambled and obscured. - Maureen Dowd

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Veep's 'Lair' Reappears on Google