october surprise: BUSH DOES NOT SEEK "SECOND" TERM

[unblock]

he'd never accept defeat, but if the powers that be see him as the loser we all know him to be, they might decide to back a last minute replacement.

why would they do that? well, even if an alternative republican nominee would have no chance, bush losing in a landslide could cost the republicans the senate, or (gasp) even the house if it's a real disaster. a substitute candidate might lose, but might generate enough credible interest to avoid a huge anti-bush landslide, thus keeping congress in republican hands.

never mind the fact that an alternative could actually have a real chance of beating kerry. think, mccain even.

why would bush agree? well, they can always promise him whatever he wants, businesswise or retirement or whatever. they can also promise to make history kind to him with favorable books and such, which of course he would jeopardize by losing big.

he could do it as part of a convention "september surprise" or even in october.

think about it. scary.

[7th_Sephiroth]

1. yawn

tell me if they drop CHENEY, otherwise its all the same

[aquart]

2. This is my biggest fear.

The Republicans nominate someone their people don't loathe, so we lose the disaffected Republican vote, and the Democrats no longer see the need to fight so fiercely.

My only hope in this scenario is the totality of the corruption and the Bush ego. BushCo won't stand down.

I hope they take Congress down with them.

[MrBenchley]

6. Yeah, but...

The only Republicans most people can stomach are Giuliani or McCain, and the GOP would sooner nominate Kerry than either of them.

[NMDemDist2]

3. if (God forbid) they put McCain forward

it would sure make things "interesting"

i just can't see them voluntarily giving up power tho

[MrBenchley]

4. Not particularly scary...

I don't see how the hell a replacement candidate can generate coattails...

And his entire career has been failure after failure, always bailed out by rich friends of his dad...why shoul dhtis be different?

What is funny is that he might become the first ex-president who has to try to avoid extradition somewhere.

[Auntie Bush]

23. What is also funny is he might

become the first president who never WON an honest election!

[TacticalPeek]

32. He's not a president. He's a warlord.

:grr:

[tomreedtoon]

5. Would he give it up?

Even if his handlers told him to, he seems to be just the kind of spoiled brat to tell them, "I ain't gonna give up. Even if you take away my Gameboy."

The only way Bush would quit would be if he had some cover for his escape. Like, "I would really run again for President, but...I have to go on a mission in the heart of Darkest Africa to discover the Cities of Gold."

Or, "I'd be ready for a second term, but I have a greater calling...my trip to Mars. I want to go bash in that Marvin the Martian and put up a poster saying 'Mission to Mars Accomplished.'"

[MrBenchley]

7. USA Today called on him to resign

See the Editorials folder...

I doubt he will.

[goclark]

30. Or, Jesus Told Him

to become the next Billy Graham. He needs to go where God leads him now. Why wait!

[soothsayer]

8. one psychic sez * drops out in June, and then Kerry drops out

and Dems win with Wes Clark!

[Auntie Bush]

27. Did some psychic say that...or are you just jesting?

Curious minds want to know.
Please say you are not kidding and that Psychic is a good one.

[whistle]

9. Does Bush have the military brass in his back pocket?

...If he does, he'll declare martial law before he'll ever give up power. Can Bush fight a civil war on home soil and win?

[NMDemDist2]

14. no way, the brass is not happy with Rummmmydog plus

most of the guard is in the ME

[Nederland]

10. Old News

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1008784

TruthIsAll predicted this months ago, not that I believe her/him either.

[unblock]

21. actually i called it a LOOOOOONG time ago,

my call was that if the dow every got below 9000, the powers that be wouldn't even run him ... if they can't make money with a republican in office, what's the point?

i'm actually surprised he's lasted this long.

[onecitizen]

11. Did you hear Guy James today?

He said the Repuke Congressional members see him as a liability to them and will work to get him defeated. They have a plan. I soooo enjoyed that!

[notadmblnd]

34. So, do you think that Kerry could be their guy?

Could it be the reason for the sudden turnaround on Dean?

[wtmusic]

12. Ego

would prevent that from ever happening.

[amazona]

13. it doesn't scare me

If scandal is such that * has to drop out of the election in October, it's all over for the GOP unless they want to declare a civil war, and I mean a shooting war, on the voting population. McCain? What does the man in the street in most states know about him? He's that crazy POW with post-trauma disorder who has a black kid and his wife is on drugs? Isn't that what they were told? The GOP lies will come back to bite them in the butt!

[charlyvi]

16. Listen Up Everyone....

Bush will never do an LBJ....unless God tells him to!!!

[Sagan]

15. when he's running at 30% I'll believe it..

As long as he's polling anywhere near Kerry, they have to keep him, if only for name recognition.

[charlie]

17. Bush's plain old mean-assedness

would never let him do that. You know he hates the job, he would've retired yesterday if he could. He'll stick it out. In fact, he might be looking forward to winning. On November 3, he'll begin 4 plus years of lame duckhood -- PAAARTAY!! He'll be able to relax, loosen his collar, drink and snort more often, openly fuck over everyone who's crossed him, tell the whole world to kiss his pasty ass if they don't like it, and hand out the patronage and graft like a mafia don.

[Ishoutandscream]

28. Absolutely. You think he's arrogant now

Just think how he'd be if he "wins" in November.

[charlyvi]

18. Can't see this at all

Bush would never agree and Repubs are famous for closing ranks; after all, this is the party that put up Bob Dole to run against Big Dog out of a sense of obligation. On the other hand, they may not feel too obligated if his numbers keep circling the bowl. Interesting, no?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

19. I think Bush will stay.

Even if his approvals hit 35%, I see him staying. The Religious Far-right see Bush as a quasi-messiac figure. They've latched on to a president in unison in a way that hasn't been seen in several generations. The critical thinkers of the country will have gone Democratic in such a poll situation. The basic 35% of likely voters left are religious nuts and mean-millionaires. If the GOP were to pick another candidate, he would have to be a religious nut to keep the fully-acqauired religious fundamentalist vote; but such a character would still be equally-unacceptable to everyone else of the electorate. Thus, it would be pointless to change candidate.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

20. If they swapped tickets (they won't), it would only be to minimize the

damage in the House and Senate races. If it was that bad, they know they'd be losing the WH either way and the whole gang purged.

It's weird, because up 'till now the Repubs have staked EVERYTHING on the WH, have drunk Rove's KoolAid since he brought them midterm elections. Totally subjugated any sense of integrity or an independent check/balance from Congress to their "war president". Now that that "war president" has the stench of fear, flop sweat, scandal, and defeat on him, I bet there's a lot of calculating going on in a lot of offices on how to cut losses.

[struggle4progress]

22. Every poll I've seen suggests Republicans are still saying ...

that 85% or so of them plan to vote GWB in November. That doesn't spell "We're Dumping Bush" to me.

They do sound worried of late but they'll be doing something to boost their man: Arrest a bunch more Muslims as "terrorists," or claiming Kerry has mistress, or some combination of such crap. Right now, they seem to be blaming GWB's problems on "negative campaigning" by Kerry, a view which seems to have no basis in fact but can be used to crank up their party faithful for wholesale mudslinging.

[jean]

24. Yeah, but aren't there deadlines and paperwork to change and get

other names on the ballots and whatever other hoops candidates have to jump through?

Plus, this group is so utterly convinced in their own prowess and power, I don't think they'll step aside.

They'll be plundering and raping right up ril Kerry takes the oath of office.

[napi21]

25. Never happen! Pubs don't abandon their "guys".

They'll fight like heck for him, and pull every trick anybody can come up with to help him win, but they will never toss him over the side. And for sure Shrub will NEVER quit!

[knight_of_the_star]

26. Nope

BushCo is too arrogant for that. They will hang on to power until the very end.

[Hippo_Tron]

29. Republicans would be split in half

Not to mention that it would never happen in the first place.

[Walt Starr]

31. If he did it in October, Kerry wins by default! That's throwing the race!

It would be too late in nearly all states to alter the ballot under the law if he waited until October. He has to drop out before the convention (due to the lat timing of the Repuke convention this year)in order to replace him.

[unblock]

35. they're repukes, they'd find a way around it

whether it involves legally changing names or changing state laws or some well-choreographed resignations and appointments, republicans would never let a little thing like "the law" get in their way of good political strategy.

[TrogL]

33. That wouldn't happen

The new candidate would need momentum. The Kerry machine is already in place. If he was gonna step down, he'd need to have done it over a year ago.

[MAlibdem]

36. unrealistic....

the only way were if cheney replaced bush...and that wouldn't matter b/c cheney is almost more disliked than bush.

Bush would never willingly give up power...and he would not replace cheney because of the bush family's love of loyalty. gonna make him lose.

reminds me of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, so damn proud he had to march up the hill in parade formation...