Who do you think will replace Cheney?

[begin_within]

I predict that right after the 2006 elections, Cheney will "retire" rather than "resign" and it will be for "medical reasons." His doctors finally convince him that working 2 jobs (Prez and VP) is putting his heart at risk.
Then, * will appoint as VP whoever it is that the GOP wants to run for Prez in 2008. This will give that person a 2-year unfair advantage (oops, I meant to type "introductory period") during which the spotlight will mercifully fade out on * and be focused increasingly on the VP, almost to the point where people start to think of him/her/it as Prez.
Who do you think this person will be?

[Walt Starr]

1. Cheney will not go down that easily

I predict they both get impeached in 2007 and Pelosi becomes president.

A guy can hope, can't he?

[bigscott]

2. Hmmm

Rick Santorum will be looking for a job.......:rofl:

[EFerrari]

3. Jeb.

:(

[H2O Man]

4. Spiro Cheney

will not be VP in 12 months.

[golden voyages]

5. I hear Harriet Miers is available

[CardInAustin]

6. Nobody....

1) I don't think Cheney will resign or retire....at least not by choice

B) Why would any Republican want to get any of this admin's stink on their shoes prior to a run in 2008??

III) NOTHING of this sort will happen at least for the next year. The President could still regain his unfathomable popularity with the people, or the bottom could fall out and he could radioactive for Rep's running in 2006.

If the Dems regain the Senate, House, or both....Bush will be an untouchable for his last two years.

[cascadiance]

23. I think he might resign before 2006 election...

Of course a lot will depend on how the investigations proceed.

But consider the worst-case scenario that could happen from the Rethugs' perspective.

If Treasongate becomes very big and helps Dems take over both parts of congress in 2006 because the Rethugs do nothing to deal with the scandal that has become obvious to the voting public. Dems in congress proceed to impeach and convict both Cheney and Bush and Nancy Pelosi takes over. NONE of the Rethugs convicted get pardons at all, and just about everyone goes to prison. Dems would then control both congress and the executive and Pelosi cleans house in the White House...

If they see that coming, they might want to find some ways of preventing this. The most certain way they can prevent any outcome close to this would be to somehow get a VP in that is "bullet proof" in terms of being impeachable. Then, whether or not the Dems impeach Bush or not after taking over in 2006, they still couldn't take over the presidency with a "clean" VP in charge that they can't push out of office. That president, like Ford after Watergate, could pardon all of these folks, including Cheney, so that they could go back to civilian life without paying any penalties. Cheney might want to resign now if he sees this coming to avoid doing prison time if he holds out until after the election, when the Rethugs migh not control things as much.

Part of me wonders if Fitzgerald might be being "allowed" to continue his investigation to lead to what could be impeachment of or perhaps "preemptive" resignation by Cheney to allow this.

It would do a few things:
1) Ensure Rethug control of the white house through 2008.
2) Ensure they can still pardon those that might get convicted.
3) Might even help some of the Rethuglicans in the mid term elections if they can "stage" that they are trying to help bring Bush and others to justice, which might stave off the Dems taking over congress in 2006 too.

That is why I also think that they won't try and appoint someone like Rice to VP, since she might be just as vulnerable to impeachment as those in right now.

I also wonder if "concern about later impeachment" also might have prevented the Bushies from nominating Gonzales for any of the court positions, since if nightmare scenario happens, the Dems might also seek to impeach Gonzales as a then supreme court judge after Pelosi taking over to give her another selection of the court to replace him with. That certainly would be a possibility if they know he's part of the criminal conspiracy. Nominating those outside of the conspiracy will prevent this from happening.

[Marc A]

7. Condi

That seems to be the "conventional wisdom."

And I do agree with your prediction. Having no VP ready to run is a liablity.

[carolinalady]

8. agree

[Frustratedlady]

13. agree nt

[Lasher]

9. Cheney will be convicted for lying us into war

He will be bankrupted by the subsequent civil suit, and will end up mowing my lawn.

[ArkDem]

10. Vice presidents historically haven't done well in running for

president. Therefore it is not an advantage to be a VP.

[longship]

11. A Congressman from a state w/ Repug Governor

If Chimp appoints a Congress Critter, it will be somebody from a state with a Repug governor. A congressperson appointed as veep will leave a vacancy which is filled by the governor of the state. There's no way that Chimp is going to appoint somebody from a state which has a Dem Gov.

That leaves out McCain (one I've heard many times here) because AZ Gov Janet Napolitano is a Dem.

Here's the breakdown:
States w/ Repug governors
-------------------------
Alabama
Alaska
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Indiana
Kentucky
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Vermont

[The_Counsel]

14. A Further Breakdown (Just To Help Out... :-))

First, let me point out that the whole "replacement by Governor" thing only applies to Senators. House seats are always filled by election, and will stay vacant until the next scheduled election if necessary.

Now to the Senators, and their likelihood of being picked by President DumDum to replace Ol' BigTime...

Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota and Vermont are all out because none of their Senators are Republican. So that leaves...


Alabama
Richard Shelby (R)
Jeff Sessions (R)

Alaska
Ted Stevens (R)
Lisa "Nepotism Personified" Murkowski (R)

Colorado
Wayne Allard (R)

Florida
Mel Martinez (R)

Georgia
Saxby Chambliss (R)
Johnny Isakson (R)

Idaho
Larry Craig (R)
Mike Crapo (R) {I snicker every time I see this guy's name for some reason... :)}

Indiana
Richard Lugar (R)

Kentucky
Mitch McConnell (R)
Jim "I Should Be In A Friggin' STRAITJACKET, Not The Senate!" Bunning (R)

Minnesota
Norm Coleman (R)

Mississippi
Thad Cochran (R)
Trent Lott (R)

Missouri
Kit Bond (R)
Jim Talent (R)

Nebraska
Chuck Hagel (R)

Nevada
John Ensign (R)

Ohio
Mike DeWine (R)
George Voinovich (R)

Rhode Island
Lincoln Chafee (R)

South Carolina
Lindsey Graham (R)
Jim DeMint (R)

South Dakota
John Thune (R)

Texas
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R)
John Cornyn (R)

Utah
Orrin Hatch (R)
Bob Bennett (R)

From this list, the only ones with any known previous aspirations to the Oval Office are McConnell, Lott and Hatch. Frankly, all three have missed their chance. It wouldn't surprise me to see a Lindsey Graham or Kay Bailey Hutchinson run somewhere down the line, but is being appointed to the Veep slot enough to get them elected? My guess would be no.

Now, I'm about to blow your mind with this: If Bush found himself REALLY needing to chose a veep successor from this list, he would be best served chosing George Voinovich from Ohio. He's popular, a former governor, and just moderate enough to win the independant vote. It's also been long established that Republicans candidates have a hard time winning the Presidency without carrying Ohio. Voinovich would likely carry his home state easily no matter what.

Whew. It's a damned good thing that sense isn't common in the current administration, isn't it...? ;)

[longship]

15. Do you honestly think * would appoint a moderate?

Nothing, repeat *nothing*, * has done indicates that he would even consider that. The neocon's first and foremost principles are:

1. Never admit that you are wrong.
2. Always stay within the cabal.

Voinovich, McCain, and all other moderates are *off-the-table* as appointed veep.

If the situation comes up he will appoint a nutcase just like he has done with virtually every single other appointment. I do not see that changing no matter what happens.

These guys are so deeply locked into their ideology that there is no way out for them. They have not compromised once in their entire five year tenure. I do not see why people think that they would start doing so now. That's what makes them so damned dangerous.

If Cheney resigns, dies in office, or is impeached and removed from office, * will appoint a another neocon lunatic to replace him. People should have zero doubt of that.

[The_Counsel]

16. Oh, I Agree 100%.

I just said Bush would get the most mileage out of appointing Voinovich. I also said Bush would be too stupid/set in his ways/loyal to his conservative base/whatever to realize this.

Knowing Bush, he'd appoint Condi Rice in an attempt to win over the Black vote and watch her get cornholed on election day. Eh... :shrug:

[longship]

17. You would think Condi

But Condi would say no. She's already signalled that quite clearly.

I would expect that it would be a Senator or Congressman from one of the Repug governor states. He would also pick somebody who was a big slap in the face to the Dems, just like Alito was.

[abbiehoff]

24. Actually, I think Voinovich toyed with the idea of running

for president.

[LilBitRad]

26. If not Voinovich,

my guess would be Hagel. He has a following, and his name has come up as a possible candidate for pres in 2008.

He's from the heartland and could potentially carry a lot of those states even though there are not a lot of electoral votes there.

[lutefisk]

12. Jeb or Rice. Or how about Karen Hughes?

Now that she is a high level State Department official, she is highly qualified and highly experienced in international relations. Besides, Junior really owes that woman.

If Bush has any input in the matter, it will be an insider he feels he can "trust." There are just too many secrets to allow an outsider into the sordid world of the Bush Regime.

[LaPera]

18. Sounds like the same cry we hear w/ every new scandal "Bush Is Going Down"

[Hubert Flottz]

19. Sensenbrenner or DeLay.

Nobody else even comes close to Chaney's ability to lie cheat and steal. Second thought it could be any of the GOPers in Washington, because they all have tons of experience in lying, cheating and stealing. Or maybe Bandar Bushco.

[tx_dem41]

20. George Allen, Senator from Virginia. n/t

[TK421]

21. This guy, I think....

[Fleshdancer]

22. Condi - out of fear of Hillary

But the politically "smart" thing for them to do is to get McCain if he'll accept.

These people have been fearing Hillary since 2000...remember how they just knew she would run in 2004? I can see them pit woman against woman and then have the audacity to make the campaign about race even when they poll at 2% among African-Americans.

[Johonny]

25. Replace?

Like most in the Bush administration, Cheney is an egomaniac. He certainly won't resign for the good of his health, party what ever. He loves power, he loves money and he loves himself. Those come first in his life and always have. Bush doesn't have the guts to fire anyone. So I see a long 3 years ahead.