Posted on 07/07/2004 10:41:28 AM PDT by areafiftyone
ALBANY President Bush should consider dumping Vice President Dick Cheney from the Republican ticket this year, an influential former GOP senator said Wednesday. Alfonse DAmato said Bush should consider putting Secretary of State Colin Powell or Sen. John McCain of Arizona on the GOP ticket. There was no immediate comment from the Bush-Cheney campaign. Bush has long maintained he wants Cheney to be his running mate. The DAmato advice came one day after Bushs Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, announced he had selected Sen. John Edwards to be his running mate. Let me note that Vice President Cheney is a decent, honorable, and patriotic American, a man of great intellect, who has served the president and the nation with dedication, DAmato said in a statement released by his office. But we should make no mistake, we are a nation at war with a vicious terrorist foe, and in war hard decisions must be made. As an observer of politics, I believe the president can guarantee his essential re-election by looking to several other notable individuals who would add a great dimension to his ticket as a running mate, the New York Republican added. Placing Powell first and foremost on his wish list to replace Cheney, DAmato said the retired general would help galvanize the nation and offer a truly historic opportunity for American unity and pride. McCain, said DAmato, is a genuine American hero who would also help bridge the political divide in our nation and assure the presidents re-election by a wide margin. While I believe George Bush will win re-election even without this bold stroke, he will insure a broader, deeper, more resonant reaffirmation of his leadership if he places his duty to continue as president above any one individual, DAmato said. The president deserves more than simple re-election, the former senator added. He deserves a mandate to continue to lead this nation to peace and prosperity. DAmato, who is now a highly successful lobbyist and consultant, first raised the possibility of Bush dropping Cheney from the GOP ticket in an interview Tuesday night with the NY 1 cable news channel in New York City. DAmato is a regular commentator for NY 1. In his NY 1 appearance, DAmato said that while he realized his comments would shock Republicans and probably get them angry, he said, I think we can do better. The former senator said he believed Powell would run with Bush if the position was offered to him. That, said DAmato, would change politics in America for the better. Instead of millions of African-Americans having their votes taken for granted or just saying, Republicans dont care about us, they dont reach out to us, this would send an incredible signal, DAmato said. It would turn many of the battle (ground) states into tremendous wins for Republicans. DAmato said McCain, who had been unsuccessfully courted by Kerry as a running mate, would help the GOP win votes from independents and conservative Reagan Democrats. DAmato, who lost his Senate seat in 1998 to Democrat Charles Schumer, is a political mentor to New York Gov. George Pataki, who is considered a potential 2008 GOP presidential candidate.
Originally published on July 7, 2004
As an observer of politics
Youre an "observer" for a reason, Al you dont know how to win elections.
(McCain?!? Way to fire up the base, jackass...)
Sit down and shut up.
OTHERS SAY CHENEY DESERVES TO BE VICE PRESIDENT CAUSE OF HIS HAIR /SARCASM OFF!
let us know when you figure out how the 35% conservative base gets to cast the 51% of the votes needed to win the election.
we can't win the election without independents; that's it, period. there aren't enough conservatives to win. either we get on board with Bush and work within the party for things we want - or we go your route, abandon Bush, and let Kerry take it.
Maybe Al needs to hear what Bush said today comparing Edwards to Cheney.
It will not and should not happen. Cheney is an asset to this President and this ticket. It seems like folks are trying to create excuses to not support this President. either crap or get off the pot. Between Kerry and Bush there is no gray area. Choose one and be done.
I agree. New York ex-Mayor Gulliani should be first preference. Cheney attracts lots of negative press because of Haliburton, and oil contracts. Defuse the whole thing. Other war presidents have done the same.
Dump Cheney?? Gee, the way I remember the lefts initial dribble was Cheney and the people Bush supportedly surrounded himself with were ALL Bush had going for his Presidency. Cheney was among the strongholds. The left had done everything they can to discredit not only the President, but these people. Cheney has been a prime target. Cheney spoke volumes in his famous response to that gutter rat, Leahy. Bump/pump Cheney ping.
That's 9/11, in the White House Operations Center.
Scared yet?
I'll take experience, thanks.
His pick of Edwards emphasises his lack of seriousness. Kerry's campaign floats on a meandering cloud of media spin, picking up the next latest enthusiasm without thinking of the consequences it may entail. He picked John Edwards. God forbid, if Kerry should win, he would have placed someone that he himself described as too inexperienced for the post, to be second in line, merely on the basis of the media's passing fancy, not on the basis of the good of the country. Or the world, for that matter.
He must be defeated, and soundly.
Regards, Ivan
WOOPS My Mistake.
Bush already answered this question: Cheney CAN be President!!!!!!!!!!!
I love Bush! Wonderful response.
LOL
Are we going to have to hear "Dump Cheney" until November 1st?
Two years & one day into President Bush's second term.
An incumbent VP Rice would clean the commiecRATs clock in 2008.
Which is why Cheney will be staying. You can be sure the "hatred" does not emanate from our side. Look left.
I guess D'Amato forgot about Rudy Giullani. -Tom
I don't believe for one minute that putting Powell (or Rice) on the ticket would change any votes in that "community." George W. Bush has "reached out" in solid, practical ways more than any president in history. He has put more blacks in positions of real executive and international power than any president in history. Yet he is probably hated more by that "community" than any other president.
I can only come to one conclusion. The reason why upwards of 90% vote Dem is because most are socialists.
The mass media can be very forgiving, *if* they are presented with the right person to forgive. Find someone they like and we like (or can live with) and put them in a power position (but one that can be controlled).
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