Cheney Out, Frist In?

U.S. News ^ | 02/16/04 | Paul Bedard

[Pokey78]

Vice President Dick Cheney's political problems have folks in Tennessee gabbing about rumors that their own Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, would be tagged to take the veep's job if the former Halliburton exec had to step aside. Both sides make the expected denials that anything's afloat.

[ambrose]

The governor of TN is a Rat. If Frist goes, the governor would appoint the replacement.

This rumor is a nonstarter.

[explodingspleen]

Cheney should drop Bush, run with Frist. :p

[explodingspleen]

The governor of TN is a Rat. If Frist goes, the governor would appoint the replacement.

Well, that depends, does the election of TN's senators coincide with the Presidential election in 2004? In that case, Frist would simply not seek to retain the office of senator and another Republican would try and win the seat with a smooth transition after the election.

[thoughtomator]

It would be awful for Bush not to have Cheney on the ticket come November, a sign of great weakness. I cannot imagine it barring catastrophic health problems on Cheney's part.

[Damagro]

To drop Cheney would look like a panic on Bush's part. I don't see it happening, which means it's probably a certainty

[ambrose]

Cheney can always bug out on doctors orders. And it wouldn't be a stretch - he's had four heart attacks already, and looks horrible.

[Walkingfeather]

Booo hoo hAHAHAH they want anyone but condi. Cheney is in till he can't do the job. He is doing the job he will be on the ticket. The time for him to leave has passed.

[GailA]

And that would be US rep harold ford JUNIOR, who has been 'groomed' for the WH and wants a senate seat bad. He can't get elected to it any other way. We here in TN KNOW what a gun grabbing, abortion loving, corrupt pol his whole family is.. his uncle state sen john ford makes a fool out of himself every 3 months.

[ampat]

God help us. Frist as VP is bad for two reasons: 1. He'd be like Trent Lott (no backbone) and would probably try and run for pres in '08 against hillary and wouldn't stand a chance. 2. See reason 1.

[Mensch]

Sources: NBC's Today Show, CNBC's The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch, Nashville City Paper, Washington Post [2]

[ambrose]

Ford Jr. just ooooooozes with ambition.

I've been tracking his career. Seen him on TV. He's good. Real good. Smooth. He's going places, no doubt about it. Could be the first black prez... young enough.

[July 4th]

The governor of TN is a Rat. If Frist goes, the governor would appoint the replacement.

Think like a Rove and take it another step back. First, we recall the TN governor and elect a Republican. Then say that Cheney needs to take a break for medical reasons. You could even make a joke out of it - "yeah, Bill told me that I needed to quit. He just wanted my job."

Problem solved!

[ambrose]

when I say "he's good", I think you know that I am just commenting on his political skills, not personal ethics or policy positions!

[dixie sass]

Please, I hope not. I don't trust Frist any further than I can throw him, his family and HCA. Frist and HCA has scammed Medicare and Medicaid and stuffed their pockets with the money.

[The Westerner]

I've heard from a party insider that Chris Cox of California is being considered. Just another second hand rumor.

[truth_seeker]

"I've heard from a party insider that Chris Cox of California is being considered. Just another second hand rumor."

Heard that he's considered an up and comer, for a long time. He may not be so ambitious, however.

[BroncosFan]

Reason 3: The media would have a field day with his admittedly creepy "cat issues." A few years back, Frist admitted in a NYTimes Sunday Magazine article that while at Harvard Med, he regularly adopted stray cats from the pound in order to "practice" on them in his basement.

I understand that his patients were probably better off because these sessions augmented his surgical skills, but such an argument, though valid, has to overcome the sheer "ick" factor of young Bill playing Igor in Cambridge. The fodder this would provide for the late night guys can't be underestimated.

Potential Reason 4: His family are medical entrepreneurs who own a string of hospitals throughout the South. There have been rumblings of some funky Medicare/-caid reimbursement issues with these hospitals. Again, expose fodder.

I love Cheney, but if Bush is down by 15 going into a very late summer convention in NYC, don't count out the Hail Mary option of selecting Giuliani as Veep. My choice would be a Kyl or a Nickles, but they're rather vanilla.

[The Westerner]

This was from someone close to him.

[trustandobey]

He's had heart attacks in the past, but has been more than up to the job. And what in the world makes you think he looks terrible? He looks GREAT!