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Posted on 05/15/2009 1:18:55 PM PDT by lewisglad
The former vice president's current media blitz begs a question: could he actually be planning a presidential run? Here are 8 signs you might be seeing "Cheney 2012."
Dick Cheney has always insisted he never wanted George W. Bush’s job. Seems unlikely he’d jump into the 2012 presidential fray, right? Not so fast. Cheney has been appearing on television with a frequency typically reserved for presidential aspirants, and if history is any guide (he selected himself for vice president in 2000), humility won't hinder him. Could he be gearing up for a run? Stranger things have happened—Richard Nixon, for example, was Cheney’s equal in provoking liberal ire, and it was eight years between his vice presidency and his presidential win in 1968. The Daily Beast gathers eight clues that Cheney—and his doggedly loyal supporters—are paving the way for his presidential run in 2012.
1. The media blitz
At this point, someone should just give him his own show. The former vice president has been carpet-bombing network news, taking to the airwaves to criticize President Obama every chance he gets. In the past few weeks, he’s spoken with Sean Hannity, Neil Cavuto, Bob Schaeffer, and radio host Scott Hennen. He’s also scheduled to give a major address to the American Enterprise Institute next week. The thrust of his message? “Obama is making us less safe.” It seems like we should expect more of Cheney, not less. “I'm not trying to start any rumors,” wrote Steve Benen at Washington Monthly, “but Cheney is certainly acting like a guy who plans to run for something. He's doing lots of media interviews, cultivating his connection with Limbaugh, attacking the president, and giving at least one speech at a major conservative think tank about his vision for the future.”
2. His old fans are coming out of the woodwork
The New York Sun's editors love Dick Cheney so much that they recently brought their deceased publication briefly back to life, apparently just to praise the idea of a presidential run by the former VP. An infamous Sun editorial in 2007 suggested Cheney run in 2008. And though that didn’t happen, the paper printed a reprise of said editorial last month on its previously defunct Web site, arguing that it made the right call at the time. "Our own view is that Mr. Cheney just might have beaten Mr. Obama, particularly if he had broken with Mr. Bush on the bailout of the banks and the seizure of AIG and Fannie Mae, actions that both Messrs. McCain and Obama backed.” And while the Sun stopped short of endorsing Cheney for 2012, writing instead that "a new generation of leaders" was needed, famed neocon Bill Kristol went all the way this week on his Weekly Standard blog, writing, "Of course, everyone’s first choice for president in 2012 is Dick Cheney." Given his close ties to the Bush administration, it is at least somewhat possible he wasn't being sarcastic.
3. He hasn’t said he’s not running for president
OK, that may not be enough to convince a jury of his peers, but as far as these things go, you’re in it until you say you’re not.
4. There could be a Bush on the ticket
They wouldn’t even have to print new bumper stickers. Speaking about former Florida Governor Jeb Bush on (no surprise) Fox News, Cheney said, “I like Jeb. I think he's a good man. I'd like to see him continue to stay involved politically.” He added, “I'd probably support him for president.” Does Cheney think his best shot would be to hitch his wagon to a Bush’s star, or perhaps, more sinisterly, does he realize the only name less popular than his own—and therefore the easiest to beat in a primary—is Bush?
5. Republicans are too scared to tell him not to
Would you want to stand in Cheney’s way? In a Washington Post article about Republicans’ uneasiness over Cheney’s attacks on the Obama administration, not a single critic would go on the record. “Cheney remains powerful enough that most of his GOP critics are not willing to take him on in public,” the Post wrote. "The fact that most people want to talk [not-for-attribution] shows what a problem it continues to be," said one Republican strategist who talked not-for-attribution. "Cheney continues to be a force among many members of our base, and no one has the standing to show him the door."
6. He’s younger than John McCain
That’s right. Despite his four heart attacks (the first one suffered at age 37) and his geezerly stoop (complete with an inauguration stint in a wheelchair), the former vice president is only 68 years old—four years younger than John McCain. And come 2012, he would be 72, the same age McCain was in 2008.
7. He’s chosen himself before
In 2000, Dick Cheney was appointed to the head of George W. Bush’s vice-presidential search committee. After surveying the field, he chose himself. Over the last eight years, his self-regard has only grown. Which could mean he’s in line to give himself a promotion.
8. It’d probably go better than last time
It’s true that he still lacks a particularly large base of support, but after eight years as vice president, it must be somewhat bigger, right? And, now that he swims in the deep end, he’s shed some of the baggage that prevented his campaign from taking off in 1996. "You have to be a little bit crazy to run for president," Bill Kristol theorized at the time, "and Dick Cheney is a very sane man."
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Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding! No more calls please, we have a winner.
lol!
Well, Cheney would not be the first President in a wheelchair.
Cheney is awesome. Always been awesome. Always will be.
He had an agenda but it’s not a run for Prez.
Cheney is defending the Admin’s policies. With the dems running their mouth and duping the idiots of this country, he has no choice. Now we have Pelosi running her mouth non-stop and she stepped in it big-time. Cheney has no interest IMHO.
LOVE that graphic!
Television and 21st century public appearances would have ruined Roosevelt.
Cheney is being the patriot that he is ... exposing the lies of the zero administration, and doing everything he can to inform America of what is REALLY happening.
The question, "Why not release the reports that prove there was extreme good intel from the EIT's", indicated that there WAS good intel, and we were not being informed about it.
It's none of our business anyway, we gave our elected the freedom to govern as they saw fit ... truxting them.
While I doubt Cheney is running for president, he obviously is an individual who has always been motivated by many factors besides patriotism. Right now one of his major motivations is obviously to defend his own role during the Bush administration, i.e. speaking up for Dick Cheney.
I will vote for him if he picks his wife as his running mate and his daughter as AG.
One could only hope.
Oh man, wouldn't that cause a massive liberal head explosion epidemic ;^)
He won’t run, but I’d love to see him slice and dice bambi in a couple debates. He’d have the chosen one looking like a dog chasing its tail. For heavens sake, McCain is awful, and he held his own until he tried to get to the left of zero in that second debate.
I happen to agree, much as I believe that he'd be a SUPERB President, in the same league as Reagan (though with somewhat less charisma). Damn, if it wasn't for his heart problems, the ticket in 2000 wouldn't have been upside down - and he'd have absolutely kicked Gore's ass.
5. Republicans are too scared to tell him not to
Would you want to stand in Cheney’s way?
Well, not only is he very popular among the base, but he owns a couple hundred full autos and has already shot someone in the face (OK, OK, it WAS an accident - and I truly do feel more sorry for Cheney than the guy he shot, because the guy recovered, but Cheney will feel badly about his carelessness and shooting a friend for the rest of his life). Still, you don't mess with a guy like him - which is exactly why I like him so much. DAMN those heart attacks!
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You want to know why this story, this kind of speculation is out there? Simple: Cheney is defending both himself and the Bush Administration's actions in the War on Terror. The opposition KNOWS that Cheney didn't do anything legally wrong, so he can't be doing it for that reason. That leaves vanity and truth. Cheney is not a particularly vain man, which is quite easy to see (how vain could you be if you were balding, a bit fat, hunched over, and had multiple trips to hospitals where you have to take off your clothes?) That leaves truth - and they simply cannot conceive of someone standing on principle like this, so they have to REALLY stretch - to speculate that someone with a pacemaker and 4 heart attacks, who'll be 72 at the next inauguration and who frankly disdains the whole process and the inside-the-Beltway mindset, is considering a Presidential run. All things said, the author of this article and those who think Cheney's running say far more about themselves than about the best Veep in history.
But would I be THRILLED to be wrong, to have him run for POTUS. Think of how a Cheney/Bush, or a Cheney/Palin ticket would give the entire Left a collective case of apoplexy.
He may be positioning himself as the opinion leader of the Republican Party, in order to have a big say in who WILL be the nominee for 2012. I would welcome him in a role which involved him finding a good nominee and being very articulate in explaining to the Republican base why they should unite behind him (or HER).
GREAT graphic. Thanks for the chuckle.
Now if could only be a campaign poster. :>)
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