Hear the Rumor on Cheney? Capital Buzzes, Denials Aside (NYT)

[Moderator]

Now that the New York Times story is online, let's continue the discussion in this thread.

Here is the original LBN thread, for reference:

NYT Page One Thurs: Bush To Drop Cheney (from Drudge)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/politics/campaign/15vice.html?hp

Excerpt:

Democrats, as part of their campaign to discredit the competition, are energetically promoting the idea that Mr. Cheney is a drag on the ticket. But none of them are suggesting that Mr. Bush should drop him.

"He has come to be a polarizing figure who repels voters," said Tad Devine, a senior adviser to Senator John Kerry. But asked if that did not make Mr. Cheney a dream candidate to run against, Mr. Devine demurred. "I'm not going to lob one in that direction," he said. "I don't want to be the Kerry guy who says 'We want Cheney.' "

Republicans close to the Bush campaign say that the Democrats are using Mr. Cheney as a powerful way to attack Mr. Bush and undermine the White House. "When the Democrats attacked Dan Quayle, it didn't matter a lot," said Vin Weber, a former congressman who is the Bush campaign's chairman for the upper Midwest. "Nobody thought Dan Quayle was the president's most trusted adviser, with broad responsibilities. But Democrats understand that when you go after this vice president, you really go after the administration.''

But even some Republicans are now questioning whether Mr. Cheney should stay on the ticket. As one House Republican said, conspiratorially, outside the House chamber this week, "Watch Cheney." Another Republican member of Congress said that Mr. Cheney was increasingly viewed as a political liability.

"I don't think you fix the problem by changing the No. 2 horse, but Bush is facing so much heavy baggage going into November, he's going to have to throw some of that baggage off," said the Republican, who insisted on anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

[happynewyear]

1. They should restate this ....

"He has come to be a polarizing figure who repels voters,"

It should read that he has become a liability to the Republican party and that he REPULSES voters! The truth hurts F_ You Cheney. It hurts a lot ...

What a scumbag. :argh:

[daleo]

8. Or "A repelling figure who polarizes voters"

Works either way with Cheney.

[MissAnnThrope]

2. It's Not Just The F___ You Comment

Did you see him coming out and saying the same thing as his wife? That the states should regulate gay marriage and not the federal government and if Massachusetts wants to legalize, that's their choice?

I saw a thread earlier where Freepers were mad as hell at him. How dare he accept his daughter's sexual preference and crap like that. So Bush will lose the homophobe vote if he keeps Cheney.

[yellowcanine]

10. It is likely that the "eff yourself" comment was made public by a pubbie -

Leahy says he didn't do it. That means that Cheney probably knows who did. Heh.

[napi21]

20. Where do you think the homophobes will go?

I guess Pat Robertson could jump into the race, but it's probably too late to get on all ballots.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who hate DC, but they sure aren't going to vote for Kerry!

I guess the only thing they can do is stay home and gripe. GOOD!!!

[MissAnnThrope]

23. He Could, But...

How many votes could he take from Bush? I don't think that many, as while they may bitch and gripe, they're still not going to throw away their vote.

It would be nice if they stayed home and griped.

[Algomas]

3. The rats are devouring each other-a pretty sight indeed!!!

[Swamp Rat]

4. Hey! I resemble that!

The right wing pukes will consume each other in the end - cannibals!

[Judi Lynn]

5. Cheney dismisses speculation, says he'll stay on Bush ticket

Cheney dismisses speculation, says he'll stay on Bush ticket
By Associated Press | July 15, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Dick Cheney said yesterday he cannot envision any circumstance in which he would not run for a second term, saying President Bush has been ''very clear he doesn't want to break up the team."

There has been persistent speculation that Cheney would step down for political or health reasons.

Indeed, The New York Times reported today that rumors about Cheney's status on the ticket are rampant in Washington, fed in large part by Cheney's dismissal of his personal doctor. The Times said some Democratic members of Congress think the change in physicians will enable a new doctor to say Cheney's heart problems make him unable to stand the rigors of the campaign and office.

But Cheney was adamant in the C-SPAN interview, scheduled for broadcast Sunday, about running.

''He's made his decision," Cheney said of Bush. ''I've made mine. I suppose right now, because we're in the run-up to the convention, people don't have much to talk about, so you get speculation on that. It's normal. When we get to the convention, I think that'll put an end to it."
(snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/07/15/cheney_dismisses_speculation_says_hell_stay_on_bush_ticket/


You've never been funnier, Cheneyface!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. This 'speculation' cracks me up.

Yeah right, Cheney is going voluntarily relinquish power -- as if that would help Bush anyway... give me a break.

[goforit]

24. Yep...you got that right!!!.....This guy will never give up his MOJO!!!

[Zorra]

7. Simple. All Dick has to do is turn over our Ken Lay documents and the

other secret energy commission information and documents that he hasn't given back to us yet, because he is hiding them under the "protection" of "executive privilege". Now we all trust vice-president Cheney, and we know know that he has nothing to hide.

It's not like this information is a matter of national security.

Gosh, why doesn't he give us back our documents? We haven't even had a chance to look at them yet. Those documents belong to us, and I really want to see them.

Why, oh, why, will he not give us our documents?

Geez, it seems like he must be hiding something because, well, maybe he did something that was wrong.

Otherwise, why would he not let us see this information?

[Qutzupalotl]

22. Here are some.

Not nearly enough, but scary anyway.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/071703.c_.shtml

[goforit]

25. Exactly!!.....This is why baby bush is scwared!!!!

That bwad ol Chweney gonna bite him!!!

[yellowcanine]

9. A Republican referred to Dicky as baggage? Of course he insisted on

anonymity. That kind of talk could get you hurt real bad with the current gang of thugs in power.

[slappypan]

11. Psst! It's not just Cheney ...

... the other guy on the GOP ticket sucks too.

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. "he's going to have to throw some of that baggage off"

cheney is the least of chimp's problems. He is going to have to answer for WMD, Economy, Environment, Education, Deficit etc. I would bet that chimp would be more than glad to throw off any of these bags first. cheney has actually been the "president" anyway, so it would be unlikely that he would step aside for anyone.

[Doosh]

13. if Bush continues to drop, McCain or Guiliani will be VP by August

.

[starroute]

18. They may be caught by their own wedge issues

McCain just voted against the anti-gay amendment. Giuliani is pro-choice. Colin Powell (who also gets mentioned in this context) is black.

The Bush campaign has been focused so hard on appealing to its base -- and the most intolerant, kneejerk segment of its base at that -- that it would take considerable sleight of hand for them to bring in a VP candidate with appeal to moderates.

In their glory days of a couple of years ago they could have done it. But now I think that almost anyone they choose who is not hard right would be perceived by much of the Bush base as a betrayal.

[doctorbombeigh]

21. Agreed. These people have no real loyalty to anything...

for all their talk of it. They'll toss him overboard in a flash if it looks like they're losing (which it does). He can stay in his "undisclosed location" and continue to run the country, regardless of who is VP if they win. In fact, it will free Lame Dick up for more scheming to bring down the country and less time wasted on the protocol duties of the VP.

This administration has no policy - only politics.

[Doosh]

14. if Bush continues to drop, McCain or Guiliani will be VP by August

[Geo55]

15. Errr....ah....

Sooo...you wanna DUMP me huh ?

[The Night Owl]

16. Rumours of Cheney leaving the Bush ticket are a rouse...

Rumours of Cheney leaving the Bush ticket are a rouse designed to draw attention away from bad news.

[goclark]

17. ABC is saying the rumors

Reporter just said "where there is smoke there may be fire."

[underpants]

19. So who would be W's SECOND CHOICE?

:bounce:

[moondust]

26. MOAFF?

The Mother of All Flip-Flops? MOAD? The Mother Of All Disloyalty? MOAN? What you do when you're losing BIG TIME!

[Doosh]

27. the prospect of giuliani on the ticket is too juicy for them