Would "President Cheney" be a bad thing?

[kay1864]

Let's say that Conyers' investigations lead to massive public outcry, and the House passes impeachment resolutions, and let's say 16 Senate Republicans actually do their sworn duty and vote to convict. Then in late 2007, Chimpy is out, and we have President Darth for about a year.

Pro:

1. It seems like he would be just as much a lame duck as Chimpy. AFAIK Darth has no more influence on the House and Senate GOP than Chimpy does.

2. Okay, he's smarter than Chimpy (not that is saying much). But heck, he's already the puppetmaster, it's just that now we'd see behind the curtain.

3. I seriously doubt he would run for re-election.

4. He has none of Chimpy's much-vaunted "folksy charm" :puke:, so if anything he would worsen the public's opinion of the Repukes, and in an election year to boot.

5. Chimpy would be the first pResident ever forced from office, WITH public support. A huge stain on the Chimp, and on the GOP by association.

Con:

1. His ugly smirking sneer is a lot worse than Chimpy's smiling smirk, and we'd have to look at it a lot more often.

So...could Darth (faced with a Dem House and Senate) really do that much more damage in the last year of his term than Chimpy could?

Discuss.

[BlueCaliDem]

1. NOT for the Democrats in 2008, it wouldn't be.

With Cheney's approval rate in the toilet, it would actually be GOOD for the Democratic Party for 2008, I'd imagine.

[AllegroRondo]

37. Good point

he wouldnt actually gain any power from the office, but he would be virtually unable to help campaign for any Repub running in 2008.

[blogslut]

2. Oh, surely

you can think of more additions to the CON list than that.

[kay1864]

12. Nah, that's what you guys are for

:)

Seriously, I tried to think of some more, but given that he's already pulling the strings, I'm having a hard time seeing how he would be any worse. Heck, maybe KKKarl would have less influence, since Darth wouldn't hang on his every word the way Chimpy does. Oops, there's another one:

Pro:
6. KKKarl has less influence on the pResidency

[BuyingThyme]

3. Cheney is already president.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. True, but that's not what Republicans, and Independents, even some

...Democrats believe, and it's crucial he be unmasked as the REAL pResident so that the Democrats' chances for a 2008 Presidential win is all but in the bag, don't you think?

[BuyingThyme]

10. I think the Dems will have a chance to unmask Cheney

during the upcoming Defense Secretary hearings, but I don't have any confidence that they will do the right thing. I think it's time for Joe Biden and company to step aside and let some go-getters have a go.

[BlueCaliDem]

20. Wholeheartedly agree with you. eom

[truth2power]

11. I'll second that. Cheney already is the president, and...

Cheney could never benefit from the cult of personality that apparently keeps Monkey Boy's base in line. He's not likeable.

[Individualist]

16. Yes, he's the man behind the curtain.

[butterfly77]

22. And his vice president is lynne Cheney...

Bush is just the puppet...

[Virginia Dare]

4. Cheney is gone by the first of the year....

a member of the Poppy junta will be embedded. That's my prediction.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. He is the NeoCons' hit man.

He is the Great Satan.

Please, not Unka Dick!!!

;)

[Buzz Clik]

7. Impeach Cheney First.

[YOY]

35. It would be hilarious to see Shrub flounder around without Cheney's

hand in his posteriour making his lips move.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. They wouldn't be able to hold news conferences in the daylight

:evilgrin:

[kay1864]

15. Ooh, that's a Con (#2)

The WH press would be really ticked off to have their nightlife disrupted like that :+

[emulatorloo]

9. Read "The Long March of Dick Cheney" by Sidney Blumenthal

it will curl your hair:

http://dir.salon.com/story/opinion/blumenthal/2005/11/24/cheney/index.html

<snip>

For his entire career, he sought untrammeled power. The Bush presidency and 9/11 finally gave it to him - and he's not about to give it up.

The hallmark of the Dick Cheney administration is its illegitimacy. Its essential method is bypassing established lines of authority; its goal is the concentration of unaccountable presidential power. When it matters, the regular operations of the CIA, Defense Department and State Department have been sidelined.

Richard Nixon is the model, but with modifications. In the Nixon administration, the president was the prime mover, present at the creation of his own options, attentive to detail, and conscious of their consequences. In the Cheney administration, the president is volatile but passive, firm but malleable, presiding but absent. Once his complicity has been arranged, a closely held "cabal" - as Lawrence Wilkerson, once chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, calls it - wields control.

Within the White House, the office of the vice president is the strategic center. The National Security Council has been demoted to enabler and implementer. Systems of off-line operations have been laid to evade professional analysis and a responsible chain of command. Those who attempt to fulfill their duties in the old ways have been humiliated when necessary, fired, retired early or shunted aside. In their place, acolytes and careerists indistinguishable from true believers in their eagerness have been elevated.

<snip>

[Eugene]

13. No. Cheney already runs the adminstration.

As President any remaining limits on his power will be gone.
Preventive war was his idea. So were torture and warrantless
wiretaps. Addison, the administration's point man on signing
statements is Cheney's guy.

Dick Cheney believes in nothing but power and money. If you
give him an opportunity to hold on to them, he will take it.
The best thing at the moment is for Poppy's boys to come in
and isolate him.

[dogday]

14. I could just hear his State Of The Union Speech

Terra, mumble,mumble,mumble, Terra mumble,mumble,mumble,Terra mumble,mumble,mumble,

[sui generis]

17. also don't forget

terra, mumble mumble mumble aid and comfort,terra, mumblegofuckyourself mumble mumble, not very helpful, mumble mumble mumble can't believe they thought that was my schlong instead of my urinary cath bag mumble mumble

[originalpckelly]

18. Dick Vader is evil, evil I tells ya!

[LeftishBrit]

19. YES!!!! Would a venomous snake be a bad thing?

But then he may well have been the real president for the last 6 years anyway.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

21. Dick Cheney: A Big Bowl of Bad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuTwY5OpPY

What's the difference, he wields plenty of power as VP already. But there are a million and one reasons to not wish for this. Ugh.

[kay1864]

26. Maybe so...can you provide a couple?

I'd like to add to the Con list, but I need your help.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

28. Pro-torture, Halliburton and Energy Co. ties not enough?

Of course, this is why Cheney is BAD in general -- as a VP or P. How much worse would it be if he were president? I don't know, maybe it wouldn't matter at all, he is essentially the CEO there in DC as far as I can tell.

[kay1864]

29. Exactly.

Yes, he is indeed an evil, evil man. But would he be worse as P instead of VP?

:shrug:

[RevolutionStartsNow]

31. I'd rather see him impeached. He's been worse than *, if that's possible.

I just bought 5 "Impeach Cheney First" bumperstickers. I'll keep one on my car and the other 4 to hand out when people inevitably follow me and ask for one (yes, I live in a place where that will happen...)

[kay1864]

32. Agreed, he's definitely worse than the Chimp

But I can't see the American public rallying behind his impeachment over Chimpy's. Or Congress doing so, for that matter.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

36. I could see people supporting it...

No one wants to have a beer with Dick Cheney.

[warrens]

23. Imagine the fun of his press conferences

Count me in.

[mandyky]

24. Hopefully, it wouldn't be an either or...

Bush and Cheney should be impeached together. Preferably, go after Cheney first, so he'd resign or Dumbya would have to cut him loose. Then work on the case against Georgie boy!

[kay1864]

27. Well, you can't impeach them together...

House and Senate just don't work that way.

And while I really would prefer President Pelosi over President Darth, I really don't think the GOP Senators would give us two in a row. Especially if it meant "President Nancy".

[bunkerbuster1]

25. I'm all over Pro #4

Whenever people argue against removal of Bush because of their revulsion over a President Cheney, I always argue that Dick Cheney is precisely what I want John and Jane Q. Public to think of when they think of the Republican Party.

[JavDom]

30. I think so

Cheney always looks like he's up to something. He almost seems to enjoy being hated, whereas Bush is more indifferent about it. I could see him using his presidential power to screw us all just for sh!ts and giggles.

[kay1864]

34. Good points.

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[Orsino]

33. Even chastened by a * impeachment...

...I don't think Cheney could act in any way other than evil. If he could be rendered both ineffective and ridiculous, I could see his presidency being a positive thing.

[Vinca]

38. This thread is a "gotcha" . . . right? nt