Posted on 08/30/2004 8:33:00 AM PDT by Pikamax
http://dbsoxblog.blogspot.com/#109387797552127636
Monday, August 30, 2004 RUMOR: MCCAIN TO REPLACE CHENEY? Bill Kristol was just on FoxNews irresponsibly disseminating a rumor that he began the previous day on FoxNews Sunday with Brit Hume. Since I love the rumor and fervently wish for its accuracy, it is my pleasure, nay my responsibility, to continue its irresponsible dissemination.
Reading the tea-leaves, Kristol has concluded that McCain might be poised to replace Cheney on the ticket. Here’s the logic: After his convention speech tonight, McCain is flying out to New Mexico to hook up with the President and introduce him to the American Legion convention and then he’s going to travel with the President to Nashville. Kristol wonders what could possibly occasion this flurry of McCain activity. He speculates that Bush and McCain could make an announcement together in New Mexico and then later in the week triumphantly wing their way back to New York.
Kristol also perceives a couple of other portents. For the last several weeks, Dick Cheney has been pretty much playing Tupper-ware parties in Fargo. And last week, Karl Rove said that he wants to model the RNC along the lines of Roosevelt’s 1944 convention where Roosevelt positioned himself as a successful war president and dropped his Vice President in favor of a far more popular and less controversial politician.
Left unsaid in Kristol’s analysis but clearly implicit is that dropping Cheney for McCain would be pure political gold for the Bush administration. Whether deserved or not, John McCain has become a virtual political saint in this country. Both parties, when they seek to prove the right-ness of one of their positions, eagerly seek out a McCain quote to serve as support. Indeed, the one thing that both parties seem to agree on is that John McCain’s word is final.
(Excerpt) Read more at instapundit.com ...
to sum it up:
I would prefer BETTER (Cheney) over BITTER (McCain).
Kerry has already used McCain in his own campaign commercials. Bush should start these rumors just to drive the Kerry camp even more nuts for the next few days.
I agree with you 100%.
If you start selling out your core values in private voting booths, it's a slippery slope to selling them out in your everday life.
I think Kristol (is it?) has been reading too much NY Times and the like. He needs to get out more. McCain isn't viewed all that favorably by most, particularly after slamming the Swift Vets as he has. It's a line that McCain basically can't step back from, at this point. It's over for him. He's going the way of Kerry.
Kristol's mad because he was shut out of the White House back in 2000, and he's looking to get access. Shilling for a Veep is the only way to get it. He's on the outside looking in, just like other disaffected conservatives.
The President is a loyal guy, and I don't see him throwing Chaney over, but these rumors come from somewhere. They are not Kristol's imagination, though they may be his "*** dream". Some people stil believe that the idea of a Reagan Ford ticket in '80 came from Walter Cronkite, but it was clearly discussed as a valid option, though eventually discarded, probably because of Ford's demands to run Foreign policy. That may be the deal breaker here for McCain. The President will not give him a porfolio. But some other Republican, like Rudy, may take the position as is.
My guess is that the next few days may be difficult for the hard core republican majority. Decisions may have already been made that will test the loyalty of the Right.
5) We are doing well in this Presidential race because we have not rolled over to the "wack-lib media," but fought it.
6) Truth trumps polls, even AZ hates him, check our local board.
7) Concerning 2008, McCain is old and sick and shouldn't run. On behalf of AZ I will offer up JD Hayworth as someone who could win.
1) Republican Moderates love McCain!
2) Democrat Moderates like and respect McCain (mostly because it served them in the past)
3) McCain's vietnam record trumps Kerrys
4) Political deals, alliances, and favors. When McCain began defending Bush against claims that the Swiftvets where in Bush's pocket, despite McCains spotted past with Bush and the Vets, I really had to wonder what they heck was in it for John. I'm not saying that a deal was struck, but Bush and his brainiacs must have felt that they owed McCain a huge favor."
5) Cheney will not run for President in 2008 leaving the party open to various candidates and a long drawn out primary process while the beast will have no opposition and lots of money. Hence a win for the beast.
I heard that Bush is considering dumping Cheney for a guy named Farquart who's a county commissioner in southern Michigan. It's a high-stakes strategy to shore up Bush's standing in a battleground state and the upper midwest generally.
Same here...no way.
"""I heard that Bush is considering dumping Cheney for a guy named Farquart who's a county commissioner in southern Michigan. It's a high-stakes strategy to shore up Bush's standing in a battleground state and the upper midwest generally.""" -- If Fox News will put Kristol on with his wild prediction, do you think they might put me on, with my "better than Kristol's" prediction?
They could be looking towards 2008. Cheney won't run. If McCain wanted to run, this puts him in the ballpark. If the democrats decide to run Hillary (which would be stupid, but whoever said that they were very smart), she just might not run, she could not beat McCain. He not only would have his own record to run on, but 4 years as vice president.
He is such an arrogant, unappealing jerk. He is useless.
This is a desperation ploy from McCain. McCain knows he will never win the Republican nomination with his RINO tendencies and the only way he could get to the Presidency is become VP now.
This is desperation and Bush would never do this. Bush would guarantee that a lot of conservatives would stay home this election and Bush cannot afford this.
If you have to dump Dick, Condi is the right choice. Dems nightmare and Conservatives could live with it. McCain would never get my vote.
Take a look at the above thread.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.