Tuesday, June 26, 2007

More Evidence Cheney Will Seek '08 Nomination


An article in today's Washington Post took a look at how Vice President Cheney is taking further steps to prepare his staff for an '08 bid.
Cheney has changed history more than once, earning his reputation as the nation's most powerful vice president. His impact has been on public display in the arenas of foreign policy and homeland security, and in a long-running battle to broaden presidential authority. But he has also been the unseen hand behind some of the president's major domestic initiatives.

Scores of interviews with advisers to the president and vice president, as well as with other senior officials throughout the government, offer a backstage view of how the Bush White House operates. The president is "the decider," as Bush puts it, but the vice president often serves up his menu of choices.

Cheney led a group that winnowed the president's list of potential Supreme Court nominees. Cheney resolved a crisis in the space program after the Columbia shuttle disaster. Cheney fashioned a controversial truce between the legislative and executive branches -- and averted resignations at the top of the Justice Department and the FBI -- over the right of law enforcement authorities to investigate political corruption in Congress.

And it was Cheney who served as the guardian of conservative orthodoxy on budget and tax matters. He shaped and pushed through Bush's tax cuts, blunting the influence of Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, a longtime friend, and of Cabinet rivals he had played a principal role in selecting. He managed to overcome the president's "compassionate conservative" resistance to multiple breaks for the wealthy. He even orchestrated a decision to let a GOP senator switch parties -- giving control of the chamber to Democrats -- rather than meet the senator's demand for billions of dollars in new spending.

On the home front, the vice president is well known for leading a secretive task force on energy policy. But in a town where politicians routinely scurry for credit, Cheney more often kept his role concealed, even from top Bush advisers..."Dick's major concern, one of them was, and I agree, that there needs to be a greater and more effective role for the vice president," Marsh, a longtime Cheney friend, said in an interview. "He holds the view, as do I, that the vice president should be the chief of staff in effect, that everything should run through his office."

In Bush, Cheney found the perfect partner. The president's willingness to delegate left plenty of room for his more detail-oriented vice president.
Vice President Cheney's steady hand has played an important role in the administration of President George W. Bush. By pushing for more influence for the office of the Vice President is Vice President Cheney signaling to his supporters that he will be running in '08? With the current list of possible Republican canidadates made up of papists, scientologists, and believers in evolution, the only chance for the United States to survive would be for Vice President Cheney to run. Let's hope he does.

3 comments:

pissed off patricia said...

Oh that's just bragging. Who wouldn't want to take responsibility for getting us to where we are today? I mean we are in such a great place in history and all. Every country loves us and admires us so. Okay there was that one report that we are considered one of the top three most dangerous countries, but what's wrong with being number three bully in the world? I bet with four more years dick can make us #1.

Ohio Neocon said...

We are in a wonderful place right now, even Hillary Clinton has admitted to that fact. As for the most dangerous countries in the world, that statistic is put out by a left-wing propaganda machine, so you have to take that with a grain of salt.

SouthLoopScot said...

You know what Ohio?
For once I agree with you! Dick should run for prez in 08!
The slaughter would be epic!
What with a 12% approval rate and all, Cheney would get creamed! Now that would be delicious!

So I say, go Cheney 08!