have you ever looked at Cheney's negative to positive approval ratings?
I don't get why people are so insistent that Cheney remain in a powerless and ceremonial position of VP when he can continue to serve in some other capacity (Sec. of State? CIA Chief?) Bush needs someone who can help him win. Bottom line. Cheney does nothing on that score.
Reminds me of Mary Matalin on Imus. She said, while defending him, that Cheney doesn't care about what his press coverage is like, he doesn't worry about his image.
So, does he know he's a politician and a public figure or does he think he's Joe CEO somewhere. Hell, even CEOs have to have good PR. Why does Cheney think he can be Bush's VP and not work to make sure he has a good public image? Does he think he's too good for it or what?
This is the way it is. Dick Cheney is the most influential and the most powerful VP since Richard Nixon stood in for Ike several times in the 1950`s. He is the President's main sounding board. And conservatives love Cheney. As a runningmate, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the ticket. LBJ may have given Texas to JFK, but Cheney is the first official co-POTUS. IMO anyway. I like the setup.
Dropping Cheney would infuriate Bush`s conservative base. Especially since the conventional wisdom says, Bush needs to pick a pro-choice centrist like Powell or Rice. And John McCain would have the same effect on conservatives. The historically small bump that Kerry got from picking Edwards, in the long run is inconsequential. Any convention bump will be short lived. We have two steady hands guiding America right now. Changing horses so clsoe to the end of the race serves no good purpose. Following the RNC, we have eight weeks of intense campaigning. Its pedal to the metal and full speed ahead.
Cheney is needed to keep the conservative base supportive of the ticket. He did so in 2000.
We don't need a left-leaning VP like McCain undermining the president.