Posted on 02/19/2005 4:43:15 AM PST by pookie18
Vice President Dick Cheney likely will step down next year due to health reasons and be replaced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, according to a report by geopolitical expert Jack Wheeler.
On his website, To the Point, Wheeler reports there's a "red-breasted rumor bird" flying around Capitol Hill that has whispered the same thing to most congressional committee chairmen.
"We all know that Dick Cheney has been the best vice president of modern times, perhaps in American history," one such chairman told Wheeler. "And we know that he absolutely will not run for president in 2008. Further, he has an unfortunate history of heart trouble. So let's just say none of us will be surprised if, sometime next year, he will step down from the vice presidency due to his health."
Continued the source: "Should this happen, President Bush would need to appoint his replacement, just as Richard Nixon chose Gerald Ford to replace Spiro Agnew. It is quite clear to us whom the president would choose should he need to: Condoleezza Rice."
Wheeler goes on to analyze what such a scenario would mean for the 2008 presidential election.
Writes Wheeler: "Being a sitting vice president places Condi in an impregnable position for the GOP nomination in 2008 and sucks every breath of wind from Hillary's sails. Historically, it's hard for a party to keep the White House after they've had it for eight years. This is George Bush and Dick Cheney's way to buck history – and make it."
Serving as Bush's national security adviser during his first term, Rice took over the State Department last month.
Eisenhower. Grant.
The sad part, if true, is that Dick Cheney's health is going downhill. He's such a good man.
Me too. She's got what it takes to run this country.
Right. Please don't throw me into that briar patch. Hillary Clinton, regardless of her stance on any issue, is exactly the candidate the GOP should hope to run against. It's an easy "hold" for all red states, and she'd probably lose a blue or two.
On FreeRepublic for a few years.
The article indicates FR is starting to drive the news not just report on it.
Doubtful.
Rumors from both Dems and Pubs will run rampant for the next 2.5 years.
How many 'Wasingtononians' have ever been elected? Very few. And if both parties put up one (Dems: Senators Clinton/Kerry/Edwards; Pubs: Senators McCain/Hagel or SoS Rice), both parties are out of touch.
The Dems' fields is, right now, very narrow: 2 election losers (Kerry and Edwards) or hClinton. Byah might have a good chance if Hillary decides against running.
Edwards couldn't even win re-election to the Senate, nor deliver his state to the Party.
Kerry was the candidate only because of the Dean meltdown, and Kerry was the last viable standing. Kerry got the nomination by default; it wasn't Kerry, it was 'anybody but Bush' and Kerry happened to be the only one viable who got the nod. It took allot of help from the MSM to cover-up his warts, and he almost won, not because he was such an grand candidate, but he was 'anybody but Bush' and had much of the MSM cover-up support.
The Pubs' field? None on the radar. The only names being tossed out are mostly Left of Center. By the election cycle, even Hillary will be to the Right of most of them (she ain't stupid and is moving more in that direction every day). She will make McCain, Guliani, and most of the the other big-name GOP look like liberals.
She wants to talk about reform, and promise to pass something she calls reform. From her voting record, she is very, very pro-illegal. I see a replay of 1992 and "welfare reform," when Bill was a bitter enemy of an reform plan, but had pushed the issue so much that Congress kept plassing plans. He vetoed one after the other, until finally the Senate passed one with 90 votes.
The difference is that the economy in 1992 was roughly where it was in 2003. So whereas the economy was just starting to brust into a full gallop in 1996, it will inevitably hit a snag by 2012.
she has my vote
>> It's between Condi and Colorado's Bill Owens... <<
A pro-choicer who never held elected office vs. a militantly pro-illegal-alien governor who left his wife for an intern?
Naahhhh. If the GOP went pro-choice, it'd be someone like Giuliani. Mitt Romney looks like he's setting himself up for a political conversion, and given his Mormon background...
P O N G!
I love Cheney, but this would be excellent strategery.
It puts the Dems on defense over the race issue in `06. It puts Hillary on her heels and needing to re-shuffle the deck for `08. And, it puts Rudy and McCain into the backseat for the `08 nomination.
The media would have conniption fits.
But, I think this is nothing more than idle rumor.
Just out of curiosity - what are your concerns regarding a woman as chief executive?
Yeah, getting worked up about Condi in '08 is about as sensible as Hillary in '04. Remember all the ridiculous, foolish claims like she was going to lead a coup at the convention?
THere's no proof Condi won't run, but they hype is purely irrational.
and given his Mormon background...he's not electable on a national ticket.
You, like I, are free to believe whatever you like.
Firstly, Cheney, as VP, can rest as much as he may need to, though there are no indications that he needs to.
Secondly, foreign policy and therefore the Secretary of State, is perhaps the most important cabinet position in our government.
President Bush would not cause the uncertainty of that policy by removing the present and newly appointed Sectetary of State, and appointing her to VP, were Cheney to resign.
Should you wish to fall prey to gossip mongering, have at it, though with a little thoughtful analysis, I'm sure you will disavow this.
This would be as good for the democrats as Dean is for Republicans.
Laura Ingraham seems to like him quite a bit and you gotta admire what he's doing despite the overwhelming number of left wing socialists he deals with on a daily basis.
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