polarizing

The media has a habit of calling Dick Cheney a "polarizing" figure. Yglesias makes a good point.

When I think of a “polarizing” figure, I think of someone about whom the public has strong, but closely divided feelings. Like if you were at 45 percent “strongly favorable” and 45 percent “strongly unfavorable” with only a few people in the middle. Cheney is just unpopular.