Dropping Cheney the talk of Washington

[JoFerret]

http://www.iht.com/articles/130230.html
WASHINGTON Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who has cultivated an unblinking image of stern secretiveness and unshakeable discretion, is expected to become far more visible as a campaigner in this presidential election year. Assuming, that is, that he remains on the presidential ticket. "The campaign season is under way," Cheney said recently, "and President Bush and I will be proud to present our vision to voters in every part of this great land."

The White House has said that American voters will see more of the low-profile Cheney this year, and not less.

But while it would fly in the face of history, and what is known of President George W. Bush, to drop a vice president after one term, Cheney has found himself mired in controversy on a variety of fronts. That has made speculation about his political future a suddenly hot topic in this speculation-loving city. Political scientists and observers here say they fully expect Bush, who vaunts loyalty as one of the highest virtues, to stick with Cheney. Their caveat is that Cheney's well-known heart problems could change things, though the health of the vice president, who is 63, is said to be sound at present. "He's got the respect of the president," said Stephen Wayne, a political scientist at Georgetown University in Washington. A change now could raise damaging speculation about problems in the White House, he said. And in sum, Wayne added, "He's not a drag on the ticket."


Not a drag on the ticket - just a drag on Halliburton.

[NNN0LHI]

1. 2 war hero's like Kerry/Clark against 2 Chickenhawks like Bush/Cheney

Be still my heart.

Don

[JFW]

5. Yep. Even rolls off the tongue nicely...

But would Clark go for it?...the General playing 2nd banana to the
Lieutenant?

[NNN0LHI]

7. Clark would do whatever is best for America. I am convinced of that n/t

[lovedems]

2. So Cheney has the trust of the pResident, but not the people.

Screw the chimp and his loyalty. His loyalty should be to the American people and not a corrupt VP. I hope they keep The Dick, honestly and I hope they lose because of it!

[flamingyouth]

3. Hear, Hear!

I hope they keep The Dick, honestly and I hope they lose because of it!

[JFW]

4. A friend is of the opinion...

that Bush might go with Condoleeza Rice as VP. Any opinions?

[Cat Atomic]

6. It'd be a stupid move.

Apart from pissing off the racists (a valued Republican constituency), Rice is just a shitty speaker. She sticks her foot in her mouth every time she opens it. It's not like she'd help Bush win over black voters, either.

*edit*

But then again, this is the team that thought amnesty for illegal aliens would lock up the Mexican American vote, so... they're not exactly shining examples of brain power.

[JFW]

14. I don't know....

a lot of these Repubbies like tokenism. A vote for Bush/Rice would be a way for them to say to everyone..."SEE...look how tolerant we are"
Might help them with women too. JW

[JoFerret]

23. So right. They LOVE tokenism

- tokenism PROVES we don't need no affirmative action etc. Tt proves that the system works fine in all respects thank you. And my - are we not a compassionate and conservative all-American nation?

[sendero]

29. I agree....

... for the life of me I can't see how Ms. Rice rose to the level she has attained. She seems like a complete airhead to me. Peter Principle in action IMHO.

[snippy]

51. She is an expert on the Soviet Union. Perhaps Bush was unaware of its end

[SWPAdem]

8. Doubt it highly

Can't see the Repuke base (misogynistic and racist) voting for her without popping a collective anerurysm.

[Nevernose]

16. As I posted in #12, though

An Uncle Tom (orr, in this case, "Auntie Tom," has definite play among media pundits.

[SWPAdem]

21. Well, the pundits would love it

but the repukes would never allow a woman, much less a woman of color to be a heartbeat away from the presidency....that's just too damn uppity for the menfolk.

[caledesi]

10. I read online where Condi is "burned out" and wants to return

to teaching in CA.

[JoFerret]

11. ...and where is Condi?

been awfully quiet recently.

[Nevernose]

12. A black woman...

Has possibiliteis, though not among African-American voters. I've yet to meet a black person who thinks Clarence Thomas, for instance, or even Colin Powell, is even slightly better than an "Uncle Tom."

It would go a long way, though, among moderate swing voters and relatively-more-enlightened-Repubs, though, to think that they were voting for an actual black person.

If you think most African-Americans, or even more than ten percent, would be fooled by such a ploy, though, I've got some land in FLorida to sell you...

[Frontier]

34. African-American Voter

I am so sick of having to respond to this here and other forums, but here goes.

It is disgusting, and blind bigotry to label Rice or Powell an "Uncle Tom" because we don't agree with their politics. African-Americans have just as much right as any other good old hyphenated American to be a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green... whatever.

This is no better than Republicans who say blacks are Dems because they like welfare.

Sickening. And just plain dumb.

[Nevernose]

38. Admittedly, I am not African-American

I do, however, share an office with a black man (we drink beer on the weekend occasionally as well as discuss racial politics, and, no, neither of us is on welfare); he is also one of my closest friends.

I share this office next to an office occupied by a black preacher (I assume he's a preacher in his off-time; I've never been too clear on this subject, since Democrat or not, he's a little on the weird side), and a black woman. And next to an office with a black woman (who is as far from the stereotypical black woman as one could get) is a Latino. In fact, I work in one of the most multicultural offices imaginable. Mexican-American, Afro-American, Anglo-American, Asian-American...you name it, we've got it. "Uncle Tom" is the phrase they use for people like Colin Powell and Condi Rice; I am usually to politically correct to go sp0uting off about politics in my government office.

However, when it comes to people like Condi or Colin, I refer you to the words of former Representative J.C. Watts: "A black man voting Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders."

(edited for my remarkably poor ability to type)

[Frontier]

40. sigh...

Just because a black person says it, doesn't mean it can't be bigoted. (I've had this discussion here before almost a year ago but the archives are impossible anymore.)

Representative J.C. Watts was wrong (if he's the one who even said that). Don't let his skin color fool you into believing his ideas are ok. What his statement amounts to saying is, "all black men must think the same way."

Colonel Sanders kills the feeble and lowly chicken. That IS NOT what Republicans do to African-Americans.

His is small thinking.

And the people in your office are just as wrong. Calling someone an "Uncle Tom" because they don't fit into your preconceptions puts a limit on the entire race. "No you can't play hockey... that's too white."

nothing more to say. i hope you get my point.

[stevedeshazer]

42. Thank you.

Well said. Any <fill in the blank> - American is just that. An American. I can't wait for the day we all see it that way.

[Nevernose]

44. I agree in principle

However, I agree in fact with the statement that "A black man voting for a Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders."

Republicans these days are apparently what we used to call "Dixiecrats." The Republican party, as it seems to me, is most definitely NOT interested in the rights of minorities...they are on the surface, in fact, interested in anything else. I quoted the father of J.C. Watts earlier. Now I quote a senator beloved by the Republican party (Strom Thurmand): "Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!"

(And say what you will about Byrd -- he never said those words on the floor of the Senate, and is still fighting for progressive ideals. This is not something I see from the Republican party of today. Someone else in this thread referred to them as "racist and misogynistic." I couldn't agree more.)

Quoting my own father, now, instead of J.C. Watts': "Argumentus, if you don't want to vote for the Democrat, there are plenty of alternatives: Green, Socialist, Worker's Party, Communist, Libertarian..."

Colonel Sanders kills the feeble and lowly chicken. That IS NOT what Republicans do to African-Americans.
You are correct in this statement. But only in the sense that these days it is based more on socio-economic status than race. As far as a more direct rebuttal, I implore you to look at the birth/death rate of African-Americans versus Anglo/Euro-Americans, as well as other statistics, such as incarceration rates, conviction rates, health-care rates, etc., all of which are in direct opposition to everything the majority of Republicans stand for.

So, assuming the premise that "the Republican Party of today is racist and misogynistic," what other word would best describe a black person voting Republican?

[aquart]

50. Lotta ways to kill someone.

"Colonel Sanders kills the feeble and lowly chicken. That IS NOT what Republicans do to African-Americans."

Maybe you want to think about that some more.

Maybe you're thinking of lynching. I'm thinking of asthma. I'm thinking of legitimate voters' names purged from voter rolls, so that people who might vote Democratic will have no say in their government. But hey, that can't kill you. Can it?

Calling someone an Uncle Tom is an insult and it's meant to be. And I can understand what you mean when you apply it to hockey. But here it is being used to stigmatize people who got theirs and said the rest of you can go hang. And they SHOULD be stigmatized. The last thing Colin and Condi deserve is respect. A, they profited from being used as tokens; and B, they sold out every American, not just the ones with ancestors on the slave ships.

Trouble is, when the first members of any minority (or majority, in the case of women) make it big, get the high office, we expect so much more from them. They may be as greedy and self-serving as anyone else around them, but the responsibility of the trailblazer is upon them and more is asked than from the ones just following well-trodden paths.

Would you ever want your child to model himself on Colin Powell?

[fortyfeetunder]

24. Condi as second fiddle?

I think she knows better than to muff up her life. I think she is aware of how her standing has been belittled by her association with *, particularly when the Iraq lies get further exposed.

No surprise if she and Colin quietly exited Jan 1, 2005.

[bushwakker]

28. Bad move for AWOL

The Fundies and NASCAR dads won't like it. She is also very vulnerable on the WMD issue. The woman is a flat out liar. Probably pro-choice too. No way.

[Piperay]

49. chimp is a chicken

he wouldn't have the guts to put a black woman up, he would be to scared :scared: that it would piss off the RW racists and sexists.

[BiggJawn]

9. The only 2 people who can keep TinMan off the ticket...

...Are Karl Rove and the Grim Reaper.
Guess who I'm cheering for.....

I saw something last week that was shopping Mitt Romney as the new "Mr. Secure and Undisclosed".

[AngryYoungMan]

13. Rove can't do it either.

Nobody can. The point of Cheney is that he has no limits on his power at all. He does whatever he wants, and, if things go wrong, he just fires his underlings and keeps going. He's the scariest mo-fo I've ever encountered in my life.

[Nevernose]

19. Oh, thanks!

I was HOPING that I'd never sleep well again...

{/end sarcasm]

[BiggJawn]

22. Well, that still leaves The Reaper....

They can't keep stuffing new hearts in his chest forever....

[PeakOil2008]

15. Even Rove can't stop Cheney

Who do you think he takes his cues from?

[LiberalFighter]

30. Who was responsible for getting gw to run for gov and then prez?

Rove or Cheney? They both have long connections with the gop and bush family.

From 1995 until 2000, Cheney served as CEO of Halliburton Co., a Texas construction and engineering outfit that services oil companies.

[NNN0LHI]

18. Mitt Romney is another Chickenhawk. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

http://www.emailyourgovernor.com/ma-governor.html

Party: Republican
First Term
First Elected: 2002
Term Expires: 2007
Military Service: none
Prev. Occupation: Pres. & CEO, Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics Organizing Cmte.
Prev. Political Exp.: no prior elected office
Birthday: 3/12/1947
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Home: Belmont, MA
Marital Status: married (Ann)
Faith: Mormon

[0007]

26. He'll probably move in the HomeLand Security stop if Tom Ridge

is junior VP - The Montana guy Marc Rancor (sp) will have a role somewhere.

[snippy]

54. I think Turd Blossom Rove may be behind the talk of replacing Cheney.

A recently posted article from the foreign press (British I think) discussed the possibility of replacing Cheney and cited sources in the White House as saying that Cheney was hurting Bush in the polls. If there is any truth to that statement, the polling information would have originated from Turd Blossom Rove or someone on his staff.

[jus_the_facts]

17. I've already seen Bush/Cheney '04 bumperstickers in my puke town....

.....so it seems the decision has been made! :shrug:

[Deaner1971]

55. I have too

There were a bunch of sniveling idiots outside the Kerry rally here in Columbus and they all had Bush/Cheney signs so, I would say that they will go with Cheney.

The rumour that I had heard was that Bush was looking at Guliani as his new running mate. God knows Bush loves to roll out 9/11 as a response to every criticism and this would make it easier. In all reality, he will stick with Cheney as he has to have someone to couter-balance his utter lack of foreign policy knowledge.

[hang a left]

20. I have typed it already once today. Cheney is history.

Betcha a buck.

[Stephanie]

37. I'll take that bet

No way.

Cheney's not going anywhere.

Cheney's in charge, the Chimp's just for show.

Dick will NEVER give up that power.

He's the SHADOW PRESIDENT, after all.

[hang a left]

52. Your on.

n/t

[neverforget]

25. "proud to present our vision" You mean your vision of endless war

skyrocketing deficits, millions of unemployed, and an arrogant, self-righteous infallible puppet for a President? Sorry, I want my country back Dick.

[Voltaire99]

27. Cheney on the ticket is best for us

The longer he can attract the flies of scandal, the more it will hurt the administration.

God forbid the Schwarzenegger effect - the GOP replacing Cheney with a figure whom people actually like!

The last thing Kerry needs, after all, is to have to compete on the personality front: Kerry is a candidate tooled primarily to the project of defeating a Bush-Cheney ticket that has run out of gas and friends.

[kysrsoze]

31. The operative word should be prosecution

but yeah, I agree with the above poster. Let's keep this quiet so they don't replace him.

[saltpoint]

32. What if Cheney goes and the Republicans choose --

-- Zell Miller?

They're low enough to pretend that that would be a "bi-partisan" ticket.

[Thor_MN]

33. I wonder if the Dick was paranoid enough to get them to remove

The remote control features built into his pacemaker?

[bpilgrim]

35. they were ALL wrong during his last campaign and most of his 3+ years

i expect nothing more.

besides it goes against the brand strat -> LOYALTY
(requirement #1 in taking over the world)

peace

[wabeewoman]

36. But the scarecrow

couldn't function without his brain...

[Benhurst]

39. Cheney's safe. Dubya likes Dick. n/t

[shamanstar]

41. cheney isnt the problem

as if dropping cheney would make bush more likeable?
do they think we are stupid?
nevermind.

[DemonFighterLives]

43. The Repubs. have not played all of their cards yet.

We still have the finding of Osama, the finding of the WMD's in Syria, 911 Part 2: The Dirty Bomb and the replacement of Cheney, which may not be necessary if they pull off the first 3.
:nuke:
Heck, I hear they caught some more evil Al Qaeda just today. By their count, there was never any room for Iraqi's in Iraq.

[lebkuchen]

45. Edwards looks like a cherub next to that monster

and his "deeply pissed off" expression.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

46. Romney

There is no one more dishonest than an olympic commitee member....

Ned

[NNN0LHI]

47. Romney is just another Republican Chickenhawk. Bring him on n/t

[Piperay]

48. uncle dickie is 63????

Geesh, he looks and acts like he is at least 20-25 years older than that.:wtf:

[sendero]

53. I want Cheney ....

... to go down with the ship like a good captain.