If Bush dumps Cheney...who???

[economic justice]

I have read many times here at DU that Bush will dump Cheney and let him take the fall for all of Halliburton and corporate corruption, etc. I have always thought that was silly but I am now not so sure. I am wondering if 60 Minutes might very well blow the lid off of Cheney and force his resignation, or, at the least, cause Bush to replace him on the ticket. I suppose it's possible. I have read some posts here at DU saying "Look for Condi" "Colin Powell" "Rudy" "A woman"......what do you think? Is there a chance Cheney will be left in the dust for a healthier and "cleaner" candidate? Who would get the nod???

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. My money's on Colin Powell

or a woman to steal the moderate vote.

My feeling that all this Halliburton stuff coming out is so that Cheney will be forced to step down and they'll replace him with someone that will appeal to the Liberal Republicans and Independents.

Just my $.02

[0007]

17. Colin Powell has too much baggage, especially after his February 5, 2003

presentation of proof that Iraq having WMD at the Security Council of the U.N.

And I don't think to many folks have forgot these issues;

In 1968, as a staff army major in Vietnam, Colin Powell played a direct role in suppressing the inquiry into the My Lai massacre, and into related atrocities against civilians.

"As a White House fellow during the Watergate years he earned a reputation -- but only for keeping his mouth shut.

As a military assistant to Caspar Weinberger during the Reagan administration, he helped to deceive Congress about the trading in heavy weapons with Iran, about the exchange of those weapons for hostages, and about the diversion of the illicit proceeds to finance another illicit operation in Nicaragua.

In Panama, in 1989, he helped shape an operation that totally disregarded international law and took many civilian lives.

http://musictravel.free.fr/political/political26.htm

During the Gulf War, he strongly opposed any military help for the Kurdish and Shia rebellions against Saddam Hussein.

In the Bosnian conflict, he publicly opposed any intervention against Slobodan Milosevic and his forcible creation of a "Greater Serbia."

[radwriter0555]

27. Nope, not a chance. BILL FRIST. He will also be the front runner in 08...

He's the horse the entire GOP is backing.

[NewJeffCT]

32. Frist or Jeb

Frist is already exploring 2008 for the GOP, but Jeb will be up by then as well.

[Hippo_Tron]

44. Frist was always the VP in waiting...

If Chenney had sudden heart failure.

[BigBigBear]

2. Condi Rice or Liddy Dole

....

[Fenris]

6. Condi between those two. Liddy's secure in NC.

No way they'd pull her into a less powerful spot. Likely they'll just keep her in her Senate seat until she shuffles off this mortal coil.

[Hippo_Tron]

45. VP isn't necesarilly less powerful, just...

They want to keep that Senate seat.

[Silverhair]

3. Condi Rice.

She has strong support among his base, and a black woman on the ticket would be a strong plus.

[Valjean]

20. Sorry but ..

I'm sorry but 12 years ago, these folks were screaming to high heaven about minority cabinet appointments. I seriously doubt that a black women will fly well with Bush's core racist demographic.

[NewJeffCT]

31. Who will be base vote for then?

Nominating Rice will allow Bush to appeal to moderates by saying, "see, we're not *that* racist, we have a black VP candidate!"

[Silverhair]

38. I stand by my statement.

Rice IS popular with Freepers. They even have a web site devoted to Rice in '04.

[0007]

40. Not a chance!

[Adapter44]

54. And would abortion?

You can count condi out. A pro-choice VP would alienate far too many Bush voters.

[alcuno]

4. Cheney won't be dumped.

They can claim his health until the cows come home and people won't believe it unless he drops dead. This crowd NEVER admits when they are wrong and dumping Cheney would be an admission of wrong-doing.

[0007]

24. I'm incline to believe as you do -

I can't think of anyone who could put a charge in junior's administration. I think Cheney wants the VP office again if he can get it.

[kskiska]

5. He draws on a very small gene pool

It'll be someone we know, someone on the inside track, not an outsider. I doubt it'll be Rudy. He liked Uncle Dick because he had no aspirations for future office. I wouldn't rule Condi out, though she's already in way over her head. Dick is running the whole show. He knows everyone and how to work the system. He would leave a pair of immense shoes to fill, considering who the "president" is. This position is not just a VP job. He/she would have to function as President.

[BigBigBear]

7. Zell Miller !!

....j/k.....

[Lone_Wolf]

11. No joke... The GOP is probably considering him

n/t

[JanMichael]

8. That evil SOB Frist.

Beware the Handmaid's Tale!

No shit, he's a crazy bastard, and fairly slick so the masses may let him in.

Bad news Frist...

[Hippo_Tron]

46. Oooh goody the Warmongler and the Cat Killer...

Quite a violent white house.

[Fenris]

9. J.C. Watts...Condi Rice...maybe, but...

Remember, Dick Cheney is possibly the most important person in the White House. If Cheney was to expire or be forced to resign (which is unlikely), he would need to be replaced by another "evil genius." We're talking about someone without a bothersome conscience, ties to giant corporations, and a man who can lie and decieve like no other. Find that man (or woman) and you have your running mate.

[Carni]

10. Rudy

Gulliani (Sp? I have no idea)

If I had it (I don't lol) I would bet a million bucks on this...
it will correspond with the convention on September 11th
I have feared this for a long time.

[Jose Diablo]

18. Yep, Guliani

I wouldn't take the bet.

[VOX]

61. Agreed on Rudy...

The GOP will use him to try and "humanize" their ticket...

[The Night Owl]

12. I fear that Bush will replace Cheney with...

[POed_Ex_Repub]

13. Ken Lay...

Let's look at the evidence...

Oil CEO
Good friend of Shrub
Has similar economic policies
Doesn't have bothersome traits like Morals, or Concious

It's perfect fit when you think about it.

[Gin]

14. Did anyone hear Cheney in Davos say this slip when asked about

O'Neill..he said "when I was picking the VP"...then he changed to something else...that caught my ear.

[alcuno]

33. Well he was in charge of picking the VP.

He picked himself.

[ThoughtCriminal]

15. Someone not too appealing to moderates

The VP pick can help shore up the fundy vote and the "moderates" just don't seem to care. If you can run Dan Quayle, you can run anybody.

Also, he needs somebody a bit scary so there would not be any serious talk of impeachment. I don't think the move to impeach Nixon got serious until Agnew was gone.

[auburnblu]

16. Miguel Estrada???

Don't think that would happen though.

[never cry wolf]

19. Jebbie???

Sure would energize their base.

[salinen]

22. Dumping Cheney

at all is an admission of guilt. This is a fantasy thread right?

[Carni]

28. But BUT

He's got a bad heart right?

[MrSlayer]

21. Tom Ridge anyone?

Ex-Governor of Pennsylvania and current head of the Office of Homeland Security. I felt Chimpy's appointment of Ridge to this position was a step in the direction of having him run for VP. Maybe it's just me.

[osaMABUSh]

39. Ridge is OK

He's from my hometown (Erie, Pa.), working class family, Catholic, wounded Vietnam Vet (half deaf), Harvard grad, Congressman from my home district for many years, only Repub I ever voted for (Governor of Pa.).

He was touted as a possible running mate back in 2000. All around good guy - too bad he went to the dark side.

Also, he is an extremely boring speaker.

I don't think he'd help Bush all that much, though. Probably wouldn't carry Pa. Ridge was Gov. of Pa in 2000 and couldn't deliver the state for *.

Shrub would need somebody like Rudy G. - 9/11, convention in NYC, personable guy.

[scarface2004]

51. ridge is a republican right?

therefore he sucks!!

[Cat Atomic]

23. If Lambchop dumped Sherri Lewis, who would he replace her with?

Same answer. Puppets don't get to make decisions like that.

[salinen]

25. I never trusted Lambchop anyway

[Cat Atomic]

26. Lambchop was only there becaue he LOOKED like a sock puppet.

Lewis was really running the show. She just didn't look sock-ish enough to get booked anywhere.

[salin]

29. I thought of Phil Gramms... but he is a fellow texan

and can't do the job - and doesn't have a fallback second state like Cheney had.

It would have to be someone who has ties back to Reagan and preferably the Nixon years (ala Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc.), and someone who will not seek the limelight and upstage bush... ergo someone with no interest in running for president.

have to eat - and will mull on this question...

[salin]

30. Maybe retired House Minority Leader Bob Michaels?

(Is he still alive?)

Maybe Former Gov. Engler from Michigan? Or former Gov. Pete Wilson (who has grown more accustomed to a quieter but influential role - as was seen in Arnold's election)?

[MasonJar]

34. How can he dump the man who runs the government for him?

If Bill Frist runs in 2008, the cat killer will live to regret the mutilation of all those innocent tabbies. Americans will never elect such a monster.

[Stephanie]

35. Please. Cheney dumps Bush -

If it starts looking bad, Cheney dumps Bush and installs a mercenary paramilitary force from KBR to guard the perimeter of the WH while he launches invasions against every oil reservoir on the planet. He has his final heart attack in the Oval Office, clutching the nuclear football and a bag of gold and singing We'll Meet Again.

[tinrobot]

36. Cheney knows too much...

Might be hard to dump him if he doesn't want to go...

[IggleDoer]

37. Osama

n/t

[raysr]

41. James Baker

[raysr]

42. James Baker

[AlFrankenFan]

43. Condi...

...but for some reason Ashcroft keeps on popping up in my head as a possibility. Now THAT would be scary.

[economic justice]

49. Ashcroft? That IS a scary thought! <eom>

[Hippo_Tron]

47. Just for kicks, lets say Tom DeLay...

Luckilly Bush's doctor says he's healthy as a horse. Of course he fails to mention that he's as dumb as one too.

[djg21]

48. Pataki?

Maybe he thinks he can take NYS's electoral votes.

[scarface2004]

50. ask karl rove..

either dennis miller or michael medved.

he has plenty of right wing wackose to chose from!

[JackRiddler]

52. If so then

Giuliani. So saith I. The perfect RNC in NYC 9/11 exploitation bastard plus the man to really bring fascism to U.S.

[PurityOfEssence]

53. Hmm...Svengali's dead, same with Edgar Bergen; Gepetto's fictitious...

Whatever happened to Waylon Flowers?

[LeahMira]

55. Only if Cheney lets him...

I have read many times here at DU that Bush will dump Cheney and let him take the fall for all of Halliburton and corporate corruption, etc.

That's assuming that Bush has any say in the matter. I have always thought that Bush is a figurehead for the real power and that Cheney is a big part of the power. If Bush "dumps" Cheney, it will be because Cheney chooses to put himself even farther out of the limelight and do his dirty work even more behind the scenes.

The Bush family is part of the Evil Empire, but they aren't the only ones in that Empire.

[Bridget Burke]

56. The great Unifier makes a wise decision: VP Leiberman!

(I'm of the opinion that Bush can no more fire Cheney than Pinky can fire The Brain; the following is just a disturbing idea.)

If Cheney is getting too "hot" he could always use his health as an excuse to retire. Then, in a stunning display of non-partisanship, Leiberman is named Vice President. By then, his abortive Presidential bid will be history. And, at least in the short run, there will be one less Democrat in the Senate.

Leiberman won't fight with any of Bush's foreign policy. Certainly, he'll be grateful enough for the honor to not make a fuss about any domestic policies.

Then, if the hounds of impeachment come baying at W's heels--he can slip out of DC just like Tricky did. Surely, President Leiberman will be counted on to supply pardons all 'round.

[AlinPA]

57. Powell. Then Guliani. Then Mrs Dole.

[terrya]

58. Jeb. Count on it.

[JoblessRecovery]

59. I don't believe for a minute that Cheney will be dropped as VP

He is the one running the show and would never allow it.

[newyawker99]

60. Hi JoblessRecovery!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: