Vice President Dick Cheney has said his office only partially belongs to the executive branch. Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden disagrees and Republican rival Sarah Palin isn’t saying.

Sen. Biden (Del.) believes the office he is seeking is solely in  the executive branch, according to his staff. But aides to Alaska Gov. Palin did not answer the question.

In turn, a spokesman for the Republican presidential campaign did not answer the question. Instead, he e-mailed remarks Palin gave at a campaign rally in Golden, Colo., on Monday.

Palin did not say what branch of government she believes the vice president’s office is part of in those remarks. Instead, Palin said she and Republican presidential nominee John McCain had discussed what responsibilities she would take on as his second-in-command.

“My mission is going to be energy, security and government reform and another thing near and dear to my heart: It’s going to be helping families who have special needs and children with special needs,” said Palin.

A Cheney spokesperson declined to comment for this story.

Cheney has argued that his office is not fully part of the executive branch or the legislative branch, but instead part of both.

Aides to Cheney have used that argument at times to avoid disclosure of certain records, such as documents detailing privately paid travel taken by officials, and releasing names of the office’s employees to the federal directory known as the Plum Book. Wade said Biden would disclose those records.

“He will end the Cheney era of secrecy in the vice presidency and transparency, transparency, transparency will be the new mantra. This will be the most open and transparent administration in history,” said the Biden spokesman.

Cheney’s belief attracted controversy last year when he rebuffed the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), which wanted to know the number of documents the vice president had classified.