Fred Barnes demonstrates how to live in a fantasy world w/o imagination

[BurtWorm]

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110008116

The president's most spectacular move would be to anoint a presidential successor. This would require Vice President Cheney to resign. His replacement? Condoleezza Rice, whom Mr. Bush regards highly. Her replacement? Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, whose Bush-like views on Iraq and the war on terror have made him a pariah in the Democratic caucus.

Mr. Cheney would probably be happy to step down and return to Wyoming. But it would make more sense for him to move to the Pentagon to replace Donald Rumsfeld as defense secretary, a job Mr. Cheney held during the elder Bush's administration. The Senate confirmation hearing for Mr. Cheney alone would produce political fireworks and attract incredible attention. At Treasury, Mr. Bush has a perfect replacement for John Snow, someone he already knows. That's Glenn Hubbard, former chairman of Mr. Bush's council of economic advisers and currently dean of Columbia's business school. He is in sync with Mr. Bush ideologically and has the added value of being respected on Wall Street.

With these changes, Mr. Bush would have brought in new Cabinet chiefs at three of the big four agencies. Only Justice would be untouched, but it might be too much for the president to force his friend Alberto Gonzales out as attorney general.

At the White House, highly visible changes would be required, starting with the most visible post of all besides the presidency--press secretary. Dan Senor, a Republican and former spokesman for Paul Bremer in Iraq, would be a perfect successor to Scott McClellan. He would be an articulate and forceful defender of Mr. Bush on Iraq. And if not Mr. Senor, then presidential counselor Dan Bartlett, who always does well in TV interviews.

As a new chief of staff, Mr. Bush's pal from his Harvard Business School days, Al Hubbard, could replace Andy Card. Mr. Hubbard is miscast as top White House economic adviser. To replace him, Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute would fit. He has close ties to the Bush White House. There's also a natural choice for national security adviser to replace Stephen Hadley. It's Zalmay Khalilzad, the tough-minded ambassador to Iraq. Once a permanent government is installed there, he could be summoned home.

[DainBramaged]

1. Fred Barnes, the dirty old sponge that needs to be put in a dishwasher

[Old and In the Way]

2. Hey Fred, don'tcha think we ought to at least pretend we have a

democratic system? Annoiting his successor? When did we decide we all wanted to be Republicans?

Fred ought to get his eyeglass perscription fixed. Those glasses are constricting the bloodflow to his brain.

[wtmusic]

3. Cheney as SOD again?

Heaven help us... :scared:

[leveymg]

4. Holy scheist. This is what I've been saying they'd do.

Cheney retires to his house on the Eastern Shore. Health reasons, cough, cough . . . Condi up or out. NFL? Lieberman in so he can gain Repug cred in time to run with the new White Knight Veep. McCain-Liberman in 2008. Bush takes a powder later this year.

That's the plan of action after they finally accepted the Early Out program offered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the CIA brass when Treasongate went to the Justice Dept for prosecution.

[oasis]

5. Joementum as Bush's Sec. of State? Not a reach. He's been sucking up

to the Chimp for the longest time.

[Marr]

6. God, I'd love to see Condoleeza Rice run for President.

She's lose huge.

Just like the Dubai ports sale- you can't build a party on fear, hatred, and racism, then expect your followers to put it all aside when it's convenient for you.

[rpannier]

7. And I'm Mr. Roarke your host...

Welcome to Fantasy Island.