[DRB]

I am beginning to believe that it is unlikely that Cheney will be on the ticket for 2004 for a number of reasons.

First, I think that the adminstration is starting to hunt around for goat to hang responsibility for Iraq and WMD. Anyone would be hard pressed to think that Cheney isn't a logical choice.

Second, his health couldn't have improved that much. He has been so very low profile I really do believe that he is hampered as to what he can do. I has been out a bit more as of late but..... is that because he sees the writing on the wall.

Third, Bush may be looking for a way to separate himself from the rumors that Cheney is making the decisions etc.

Fourth, this election is not going to be the cake walk everyone assumed it was going to be. Bush's performance in the State of the Union was poor and coupled with the emergence of Kerry and Edwards as strong Democratic candiates (potentially even as running mates) points to the fact that Bush is going to have to work for this election. In order to do this he is going to have to more strongly court the middle. Cheney is in no way built to appeal to those folks.

Where does Bush turn?

 

[BurlyShirley]

Colin Powell?

John McCain?

The possibilities, if there were a need for them, are really pretty good.

 

[Spud]

Both Powell and McCain are solid choices, but may be tough to recruit for the job. I couldn’t see Powell being a strong campaigner. McCain has positioned himself as an independent and reformer – not sure that fits well on joining the ballot with an incumbent President.

Ashcroft is too polarizing (plus he lost his last election to a dead man). How about Condi Rice?

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by BurlySurly
Colin Powell?

John McCain?

The possibilities, if there were a need for them, are really pretty good.

I agree with Spud. I don't thin either of them would run with Bush. Powell probably wouldn't run with anyone.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by BurlySurly
Colin Powell?

John McCain?

The possibilities, if there were a need for them, are really pretty good.

John McCain...???







..sorry... but that'll NEVER happen. McCain is all he is ever gonna be.

 

[DRB]

No way for McCain. there is simply no way he would subvert himself in any meaningful fashion to Bush.

Powell might but Bush would have to give a lot up to talk him into it.

Tom Ridge would be another to watch for. He as avoided a great deal of personal criticism even in a very polarizing position. He served in the military in Vietnam (eventhough that service wasn't under the best of circumstances.) His main problem would be that he only falls just barely left of Ashcroft (not even talking about him).

Another choice might be Rudi Giuliani. The upsides are obvious. The downsides are that he has fairly liberal stands on social issues which might not fit so well with Bush's core constituency. BUT it is unlikely that they would do anything other than vote for Bush.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by DRB

Another choice might be Rudi Giuliani. The upsides are obvious. The downsides are that he has fairly liberal stands on social issues which might not fit so well with Bush's core constituency. BUT it is unlikely that they would do anything other than vote for Bush.

Doesn't look like Pres Bush will be changing VP's any time soon. Although there is some discussion of Connie Rice as a replacement if such a thing were under consideration, which apparently it isn't.

White House Quashes Talk of Bush-Giuliani Ticket
NewsMax | 1/28/04 | Limbacher

White House officials want to squelch rumors of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani replacing Vice President Dick Cheney as President Bush's running mate.

MSNBC.com columnist Jeannette Walls on Tuesday quoted a "well-placed source" as saying "the issue of Cheney's health will probably be given as the reason" for his exit from the ticket."

Today the New York Daily News quoted a "senior Bush official" as saying the chatter about Giuliani was "the most ludicrous thing" he had ever heard.

"Let's think about this," said the official. "The president is going to shore up his conservative base by dumping a guy who's wildly popular with the base and replacing him with a guy who's pro-choice, a loose cannon and has no foreign policy experience?"

Giuliani spokeswoman Sunny Mindel told the paper, "It's hard to imagine that anyone could buy into this two-year-old rumor, given his recent appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during which he reiterated his dedication to the Bush-Cheney ticket in '04."

Sen. John McCain has also been campaigning for Bush, although his barbed comments about the president on "The Daily Show" last week indicate that their rivalry continues. But if you saw Dennis Miller's fine new show on CNBC last night, McCain's jabs at the spend-crazed GOP-controlled Congress show that he might be one of the few conservatives left in Washington.

 

[ohio]

ohio's top 5 reasons Bush won't drop Cheney:

5.) Sympathy points everytime Dick has a heart attack.
4.) Dick's "Truffle Shuffle" (Goonies fans, annyone?) cracks Bush's sh!t up.
3.) Cheney makes Bush look like Mother Teresa
2.) A puppet doesn't play itself
1.) Who will read to him at storytime?

 

[charmin]

Originally posted by N8
Doesn't look like Pres Bush will be changing VP's any time soon. Although there is some discussion of Connie Rice as a replacement if such a thing were under consideration, which apparently it isn't.

I hate agreeing with nate. I much prefer disagreeing with him. But, Rudi's a no go. I heard Powell might bail out and Rice would replace him (no way is he going to be VP -- his wife was emphatic -- too worried about the assassination issue). Cheney might not bail out. Do you really think there's someone out there who would be better on the ticket? Rice wouldn't be better -- she's never been elected to anything and she will not lie. (Ok, let me rephrase -- if she's required to lie -- she's very bad at it - they had her on a sunday morning show towing the party line that she didn't agree with and it was a fiasco she looked and sounded bad -- haven't seen her back since).

 

[charmin]

Originally posted by DRB
Where does Bush turn?

I should've thought of this before -- Dr. Frist. Well spoken and well thought of, Bush had him replace Lott as Majority Leader. If Cheney bows out (and that's big if) then I think Frist is next in line.

 

[brenth]

Originally posted by ohio

4.) Dick's "Truffle Shuffle" (Goonies fans, annyone?) cracks Bush's sh!t up.

I can see it now
Cheney: come onnnn!
Bush: Do it!
Cheney: come onnnn!
Bush: DO IT!

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by charmin
I should've thought of this before -- Dr. Frist. Well spoken and well thought of, Bush had him replace Lott as Majority Leader. If Cheney bows out (and that's big if) then I think Frist is next in line.

Makes sense.

I feel like Karl Rove is too smart NOT to get rid of Cheney and scape-goat him for the accusations of questionable ethics that are bound to bubble to the surface during the Dems campaign this summer.

It'll HAVE to be someone that appeals to core conservatives though, since Bush is pissing them off. Frist could be that, I suppose (though to be honest, I don't know his policies that well).

 

[$tinkle]

only been tried with FDR & Lincoln, not a good precedent. Bot died in office (cue conspiracy music).

also, shows weakness & instability (above & beyond what may already be).

Rove's been at this too long to just cut & run. Cheney's a fixture.

Aside from that, taking into account all the names being lobbed around in this thread, wouldn't that make for a re-shuffling nightmare? Zero transition time - gotta hit the ground running while trying to (re)establish relationships both foreign/domestic.

 

[N8 v2.0]

The president sought to end speculation that he will drop Cheney from the re-election ticket. Bush joked that he had again appointed Cheney chief of his vice presidential search committee - and that Cheney had again recommended himself.

"They don't come any better and I'm proud to have Dick Cheney by my side," Bush said.

 

[DRB]

Originally posted by N8

Beginning to confirm my feeling that Dubya no longer wants to be president.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by DRB
Beginning to confirm my feeling that Dubya no longer wants to be president.

Nah... Dick isn't going to cost Bush the election. The VP sin't that much of a factor. Bush will win...

 

[DRB]

Originally posted by N8
Nah... Dick isn't going to cost Bush the election. The VP sin't that much of a factor. Bush will win...

Really? Wonder if Senior thinks that the VP doesn't have much of an effect. Can you say Dan Quayle?

We have had a number of discussions and, believe me, if I thought I was hurting the ticket, I'd be gone. -- Vice President Dan Quayle on Larry King Live when asked if he'd offered to remove himself from the ticket (CNN, July 22, 1992)

When that quote was made Quayle's approval rating was trailing Bush's by 10%. Wanna guess how much Cheney's rating is trailling Bush's right now?

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by DRB
Really? Wonder if Senior thinks that the VP doesn't have much of an effect. Can you say Dan Quayle?

We have had a number of discussions and, believe me, if I thought I was hurting the ticket, I'd be gone. -- Vice President Dan Quayle on Larry King Live when asked if he'd offered to remove himself from the ticket (CNN, July 22, 1992)

When that quote was made Quayle's approval rating was trailing Bush's by 10%. Wanna guess how much Cheney's rating is trailling Bush's right now?

Can't blame Bush Sr's loss on Dan Quayle. Bush ran in inept campaign from the get go and had Perot to deal with.

 

[DRB]

Originally posted by N8
Can't blame Bush Sr's loss on Dan Quayle. Bush ran in inept campaign from the get go and had Periot to deal with.

An ineptness that is already showing in Dubya's campaign. (tell the American people its good for jobs to go off shore).

Not blame but in the second election Quayle was at best a boat anchor.

 

[$tinkle]

Originally posted by DRB
Not blame but in the second election Quayle was at best a boat anchor.

you forgot: scratch golfer

 

[DRB]

Originally posted by $tinkle
you forgot: scratch golfer

Funny story from a Republican insider during that administration. Quayle was throwing golf games towards the end because it was thought that if he played too well that would be a determent to the election.