Going Out On a Limb: Cheney Will Resign & McCain Becomes VP

[David Zephyr]

Dick Cheney is probably going to resign shortly "due to health issues", but more than likely because of the Plame Criminal Investigation thereby allowing George W. Bush and Karl Rove to:

1.) Quickly issue a blanket pardon to Cheney for any "potential" charges that he might be subjected to because 'after all, he has served our nation after the terrorist attacks against us on September 11th in 2001'.

2.) Senator John McCain --- who has been brown-nosing the President with such ass-kissing verve of late that he has taken the practice into a whole new art form --- will be appointed as Cheney's replacement. Quid Pro Quo? McCain can pardon Bush should it become necessary and McCain gets to be the immediate inside favorite for the GOP Primaries in 2008...and McCain agrees to select Governor Jeb Bush as his running mate to secure Florida's valuable electoral votes.

3.) The American Public get a "fresh" face in the Executive Branch.

October is the deadline for the Plame Grand Jury and I think that this is in the works already.

Call me crazy, but I was the lone voice here at the DU to call the 2002 Congressional Elections as a big GOP win.

I have nothing on earth to base this on, but a real hard gut feeling. I just can't get that photo of Bush celebrating with birthday cake and John McCain as the Katrina Hurricane was devastating New Orleans.

Is Cheney about to resign due to "health reasons" after his "loyal service to the American people"? I think it's likely.

[hardrainfallin]

1. the speculation is plausible enough. nt

[Canuckistanian]

2. It would go to Hastert, wouldn't it?

Isn't that the succession, President, VP, Speaker of the House...

[David Zephyr]

4. No.

As you probably remember, Nixon replaced Spiro Agnew with Gerald Ford, a lowly congressman from Grand Rapids who then pardoned Nixon and became President himself.

[rpannier]

25. To be fair

He was hardly a lowly congressman.
His accomplishments included
Twice being considered Nixon's running mate (1960 & 1968)
Minority Leader in the House - a position he held for 8 years.
It's not like he was a nobody who was picked from obscurity.

[calico1]

5. That's the order if they die or become otherwise

unable to serve. But bush can appoint another VP not Hastert. Nixon did that when Agnew resigned in disgrace.

[hippiechick]

6. HA!

... caught me there for a second ... ;)

[Freddie Stubbs]

30. No.

The Speaker becomes President if there is a vacancy in the offices of President and VP. If there is a vacancy in the office of VP, the President nominates a replacement, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

[sweetladybug]

3. Great minds think alike. I've thought the same thing. Maybe we

are on to something (time will tell)

[MichiganVote]

7. Frist, that's my pick. Same MO as Bush, stupid and easily managed

[VOX]

23. Agreed. It would be Frist in this scenario. n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

8. How in the world can McCain become VP?

The next in line would be Condi.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. The "line" only refers to untimely death

If the Vice President resigns, or dies in office while the President remains living, then the President nominates a Vice president, and the Senate must confirm. Given the tendency of the senate to automatically confirm their own past colleagues, regardless of lack of qualification (see Ashcroft, John), Mccain would be a sure bet for confirmation if Bush was to nominate him for Vice President.

[NoodleBoy]

10. if this were to actually happen, the Republican party would tear itself

apart. Far from uniting the party, I think moderate Republicans would rally to McCain while the activist-fundraiser party establishment would desert, running someone far to the right for President in 08.

Besides, Republicans always, always, always run as the "outsider." A former Senator and sitting VP running for President would surely have a hard time looking like an outsider.

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. Given thew gratuitous ass-kissing of Bush by EVERY SINGLE Republican

on the planet, anyone at all would have a hard time looking like an outsider...

[Seansky]

11. Getting kick out? Maybe. Resigning?

[rpannier]

13. I doubt that will happen

I think Arizona's governor and Sec of State are both Democrats and I think one of them gets to name his replacement.

[Mz Pip]

15. That's why it will not happen

Governor get to name replacement Senator to serve out the term. Bush would not risk appoint McCain VP considering the tanking poll numbers of the GOP. They do not want to lose a safe seat.

IF Cheney resigns and I doubt he will, Bush will pick someone who won't upset the applecart. Maybe a conressman in a safe district or Condi which would be really interesting for 2008.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[John Q. Citizen]

14. If Cheney were to resign my bet is Lieberman for a replacement.

[kclown]

16. Two points

Correction: Nixon replaced Agnew with Nelson Rockefeller, who
soon died, and was replaced by Ford.

Speculation: McCain must realize that he is putting his life
at risk if Jeb Bush is vice-president.

[earthside]

17. Wrong

Ford appointed Rockefeller as HIS Veep.

[David Zephyr]

22. You are correct, earthside.

Thanks.

[liberalpress]

32. Yes, I remember that...

.... a President AND a Vice-President.. neither one elected to the office

[Samantha]

18. I think Cheney will be out of the picture one way or another soon

so consider this a vote that you are sane.

I started a thread when Judith Miller was imprisoned asserting she was protecting Cheney. Subsequent events have seemed to suggest that. I think Cheney in his arrogance has just done too many things to too many people that many people are "gunning" for him politically. Fitzgerald might already "have" him.

I have to wonder how long if these indictments have in fact been issued they can remain "under seal." If it is asserted that revelation of these indictments would jeopardize national security, must they ever be made public? That's a sincere question. I have the feeling there is a lot of negotiating going on behind closed doors. I have the feeling that some would say Americans, i.e., we the people, do not have the right to know; additionally, some might say the world must not know. Only if there is an overt push to eject Bush*, Cheney and all of the neocons, including all who served on the committee to push the war in Iraq, will a public disclosure be made. That might probably happen if some consensus is reached that only through airing our dirty laundry before the world is a step taken toward reclaiming our credibility.

It's going to be interesting watching how matters do unfold, but I am not convinced we will all ever know the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I hope I am wrong.

Nevertheless, you are not NOW crazy but the wait for the revelation might just push you as well as me over the line ....

[David Zephyr]

24. I agree with you that Miller is protecting Cheney, not Rove or Libby.

Her testimony would be that toxic to Cheney.

Cheney disappeared for nearly two weeks and then, presto, he showed up after Katrina and then...he went to the hospital again....

[liberalpragmatist]

19. I doubt they'd pick McCain

They're wooing him right now to get what they want from him but my guess is in the next election they'll screw him over big.

If Cheney is replaced, my guess is they'll appoint either Sen. George Allen or possibly Mitt Romney, given that there's word he'll be appointed "Katrina Czar"

[xray s]

20. Not McCain....

Condi.

[Raiden]

21. The neo-cons hate McCain

They only appreciate him around election time. There is NO way!

[npincus]

26. He'd appoint the toothsome Condi

[BlueIris]

27. Yes, but I still predict that McCain/Thompson will be running in 2008.

That's (former senator) Fred Dalton Thompson, lately of Law & Order.

[cassiepriam]

28. Yep, the sheeple will love it nt

[bklyncowgirl]

29. Chimp makes McCain VP he's a dead man--or on his way out

Let's face it. Bush is not going to appoint a popular, (relatively) moderate Republican war hero as vice president if he thinks he's going to serve out his term.

The temptation to wack Bush and have McCain take over would be too great.

Nixon was forced to give up the sleazebag Agnew and replace him with the moderate and genial Gerald Ford. Nixons resignation came rather shortly afterwards.

Nixon, however was not an ideologue, Bush is. Bush, I don't think, would appoint someone who was not a part of the Neo-con cabal because that would be an admission of a mistake and restore power int he party to the real conservatives.

It's not gonna happen--at least not now.

[MaineDem]

31. Totally agree that Cheney will resign

I've been saying this since last year's speculation that Cheney would be off the ticket before the campaign.

Bush had said Cheney would be his VP and he couldn't back away from that. But there is no way Cheney will serve the full four years. They need to set someone up as an heir apparent. I was leaning toward Frist but I think the stock sale might come back to bite him now.

How about Guiliani? I know the uber right will object to that.

edited for typos.

[UTUSN]

33. Well, He's Kissed Both Condo AND Joementum...

[noonwitch]

34. Cheney may resign, but Bush will never make McCain his VP

I just can't see him doing that. His base loathes McCain, although McCain is very popular among white male independent voters.

I always think it's funny when the freepers accuse McCain of being a RINO. Doesn't he have a strong "pro-life" record, stronger than W's? Isn't he a strong fiscal conservative? Isn't he a hawk on defense? He's about as conservative as they get.

I respect McCain, even if I don't agree with him. I was very disgusted with the way the 2000 Bush campaign attacked him, and that the campaign for a man who hid from Vietnam in the Texas ANG would imply that a man who served honorably, was captured and tortured by the enemy, was insane and unqualified for office for those very reasons.