Wall Street Journal: Why Bush may be thinking about replacing Cheney

[PhilipShore]

The Wall Street Journal
Hit Refresh?
Why Bush may be thinking about replacing Cheney.
February 16, 2006

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110007972

The Dick Cheney shooting incident will, in a way, go away. And, in a way, not--ever. Some things stick. Gerry Ford had physically stumbled only once or twice in public when he became, officially, The Stumbler. Mr. Ford's stumbles seemed to underscore a certain lack of sure-footedness in his early policies and other decisions. The same with Jimmy Carter and the Killer Rabbit. At the time Mr. Carter told the story of a wild rabbit attacking his boat he had already come to be seen by half the country as weak and unlucky. Even bunnies took him on.

Same with Dick Cheney. He's been painted as the dark force of the administration, and now there's a mental picture to go with the reputation. Pull! Sorry, Harry! Pull!

But what are they thinking that they're not saying? Here's a hunch, based not on any inside knowledge but only on what I know of people who practice politics, and those who practice it within the Bush White House.

I suspect what they're thinking and not saying is, If Dick Cheney weren't vice president, who'd be a good vice president? They're thinking, At some time down the road we may wind up thinking about a new plan. And one night over drinks at a barbecue in McLean one top guy will turn to another top guy and say, "Under the never permeable and never porous Dome of Silence, tell me . . . wouldn't you like to replace Cheney?"

[txindy]

1. "Pull! Sorry, Harry! Pull!"

:rofl: From the WSJ, no less. :rofl:

[Bumblebee]

5. It's PEGGY NOONAN, which is even more amazing than that it's the WSJ

[emulatorloo]

6. I think the Nasty PEGGY NOONAN is up to something --

protecting BushBoy is certainly part of her agenda.

see my post 4 below --

She makes my skin crawl.

[txindy]

10. I believe that's why Tweety is going after Darth so hard, too

He wants to protect his hero, Junior. :eyes: I'm going to be ill.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Why doesn't the "stumbler" rep stick to Bush?

Hasn't he had repeated troubles opening umbrellas, getting in and out of vehicles, stumbling down the steps of Air Force One, dropping his dog, falling repeatedly off bicycles, falling off segways, etc., etc.? We should think of this in terms of the Bush-Cheney reputation for stumbling on a repeated basis, without even counting the domestic and foreign policy fuck ups.

Didn't Bush hit a British policeman with his bicycle a few months ago? Bush was fortunate that he didn't kill the guy.

[emulatorloo]

7. Because it is all about protecting Bush, even this piece --

"Oh that Horrible Cheney, he is dragging our beloved Bush down. . .Cheney is the source of all trouble"

[Cleita]

8. Different press back then than today.n/t

[quiet.american]

3. So, Cheney's the only "hate magnet" in the White House, eh.

Personally, I can think of a few others.

[emulatorloo]

4. Ah, Peggy Noonan, the prototype for Ms. Karen Hughes

Seems so nice and normal, so concerned, but definately another heinous Republican Witch with an Agenda.

Wonder what the hell she is up to?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!

Bio worth reviewing if you don't know her.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggy_Noonan

<snip>

Peggy Noonan (born September 7, 1950) was a speechwriter for U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. She coined the phrase "a kinder, gentler nation" and also popularized H.G. Wells' "a thousand points of light," two memorable catchphrases used by Bush. However, she also was the one who pushed for Bush to pledge "Read my lips: no new taxes" in his 1988 nomination acceptance speech, the reversal of which contributed to Bush's defeat in the 1992 election. She is now an author, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and a commentator on broadcast and cable television news shows. She remains a Reagan-style conservative.

In mid-August 2004, Noonan took an unpaid leave of absence from the Wall Street Journal to work as a consultant for George W. Bush's reelection campaign.
Before the Reagan years she worked for Dan Rather at CBS News.
Noonan, who is divorced with one son, lives in New York.

<snip>

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Noonan also invented the modern version of Spin.

Reagan's alzheimer's view of the Pacific Coast Highway became "Oh, he was wonderful."

Me at home: This guy is nuts.

Noonan: So poignant.

Me at home: You dumb cunt!

Noonan: He clearly won that debate.

Me at home: I don't fucking believe this!

<cut to 20 years later>

Me at home: Same old shit.

[opihimoimoi]

11. Condi will be VEEP

[emulatorloo]

12. You mean "I believe the title was Bin Laden Determined To Attack . . ."?

RICE. I remember very well that the president was aware that there were issues inside the United States. He'd talked to people about this. But I don't remember the al Qaeda cells as being something that we were told we needed to do something about.

BEN-VENISTE. Isn't it a fact, Dr. Rice, that the Aug. 6 P.D.B. warned against possible attacks in this country? And I ask you whether you recall the title of that P.D.B.

RICE. I believe the title was Bin Laden Determined To Attack Inside the United States.

[opihimoimoi]

13. Dats her..she be da one