Retired Diplomat: "...this bunch will not leave the White House easily in 2009"

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/24871

Retired Diplomat: "...this bunch will not leave the White House easily in 2009"
Submitted by Chip on Thu, 2007-07-19 13:58. General Discussion

Vice President Hurts GOP's Chance to Retain White House

THE DECISION of President Bush to keep Dick Cheney on as his vice presidential running mate in 2004 may have been the worst thing he has done to America.

I say this not on the basis of whatever policy impact Mr. Cheney may have had on the Bush Administration - the Iraq war, torture, obsessive secrecy, plumping up the executive branch, or whatever. The problem is the phenomenon of having in the vice presidency a person who will not be running for president in the next election. (Mr. Cheney cannot and never could have run on the basis of his heart illness.)

If, for example, Mr. Cheney were going to be running for president in 2008, during Mr. Bush's second term, and particularly toward the end of it, he would be working within the administration to make its positions on issues more palatable to the American people and, therefore, more likely to improve his prospects with the electorate in upcoming elections.

For example, it is now perfectly obvious that the American people have had enough of the casualties, the financial cost, and the bludgeoning the Iraq war is giving America's image in the world. If Mr. Cheney were running in 2008, he would be saying to Mr. Bush and others within the administration: "Look, you bunch of bozos, you are going to have to figure out how to get us out of this mess or I and the Republican Party with me are going to be toast in next year's elections."

Instead, Mr. Bush and the rest of his and Mr. Cheney's loyalists are continuing to hardline it with the same lies and fear-mongering they used to get us into the war in the first place. More practical Republican candidates whose seats will be at risk in 2008 are either jumping ship or drinking.

The model for how a vice president would behave if he were running for president in the bad days of an unpopular war was presented by President Lyndon Johnson's vice president, Hubert H. Humphrey, in 1968 as the Vietnam war was going south. Mr. Humphrey squirmed desperately, trying to remain loyal to the president while differentiating himself from Mr. Johnson and what was seen as Mr. Johnson's war. It didn't work, of course, and Richard Nixon was elected, but at least Mr. Humphrey visibly tried.

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[bryant69]

1. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2009

Particularly if he has to hand over power to a Democrat; and particularly if that Democrat is Hillary Clinton.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[indepat]

2. Presidential Order # 51 strongly suggests the incumbents have no intention of leaving office

in 2009 imo.

[havocmom]

4. Yup. They intend to stay because to be out would mean prison

cheney is like a Cagney character in an old cops and robbers movie. He does not intend to be taken to jail and will do anything to save his own ass.

They have nothing to lose in creating a situation to justify Presidential Order #51 being implemented and EVERYTHING to gain.

It'll happen unless somebody arrests their asses soon. I do worry about what new produce will be introduced this Sept.

[Gman]

3. They won't leave "easily" in 09 because

they very likely may declare that they are the only people that can "defend" the country effectively. Therefore, they declare the 08 elections either on hold or void and null and remain right where they're at because of an emergency crisis of some sort, real or contrived.

I'm led to believe that more and more. One supporting reason was last week when Cheney decided they can't trust the next president, Democrat or Republic to effectively deal with Iran. They see theirselves as the saviors of the country and the only ones that can do what they feel must be done. Of course, the money they and their buds are making on the defense contracts has a lot to do with it too.