I like Cheney and I am glad Bush kept him.
I did have and still have some doubts regarding how much better we all might have been had he selected a viable candidate for 2008 much like Reagan had in Bush 1.
I would much prefer that some conservative VP taken the reins from Bush in 2008 and extended the era another 4-8 years. I think that could have happened with the right choice.
By closing that door, it did allow Bush and Cheney to stick to their guns more fiercely— which I think many Freepers might contest but I really believe. There was no effort by the two to play to the coy middle. They even let McCain and Palin run against them which is incredibly generous given how awesome the two were.
I still believe the Bush presidency may rival Reagan’s
I do wonder if there was any way to hand it off. I would even have gone for Cheney pairing with some young conservative VP. That would have been awesome and the ultimate heart attack for liberals.
I liked Cheney, too...but I think he was the wrong pick for a second Bush term - and I have a very simple reason for that. Cheney didn’t want to run for the White House. This was a missed opportunity to get a fresh face on the big stage prior to the presidential election. We well may have had a different, better candidate than McCain running for president...and that may well have saved the country from the mistake of electing 0bama.