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The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign

US News and World Report says rumors of Cheney's impending resignation are flying around DC - as well as speculation Bush would appoint Condi Rice to replace him - and wouldn't that be the ultimate Machiavellian move?

I don't buy it. I think this will be Cheney's position to the very end. [hat tip Patriot Daily.]

Update: Democratic Daily asks whether a sitting vice president can be indicted. Dan Froomkin says yes. I put the question to a former Independent Counsel from a past administration I ran into last weekend and also was told yes.

Update: Don't miss John Nichol's just posted piece at the Nation on why Cheney won't be indicted. I agree. At most Cheney will be an unindicted conspirator. As I opined here:

It's possible there will be no indictments in this case. But, my instincts tell me there will be, and they will relate to perjury and making a false statement to a federal official, or a conspiracy of some sort, rather than to the actual leak of Valerie Plame's identity. Maybe Cheney will be one of those caught in a false statements or conspiracy charge. Since he's considered the most powerful man in Washington, it's unlikely. His staff, and the White House Iraq Group, however, may not fare so well. And Rove's biggest liability may be his story that he first heard of Plame from a reporter, but he can't remember which one, and that his call to Matt Cooper was initially about welfare reform. That's about as convincing as a drug dealer who agrees to cooperate and then says he can't remember who sold him the kilo of coke.

Another great post today: David Corn.

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    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#1)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:06 PM EST
    Well sometimes it's nice just to daydream.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:06 PM EST
    The Scowl won't give up his position without a fight. And anyway, who would run the country? Dumbya or Condi? I don't think either one is qualified to run in place much less run a country.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#3)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    JM, how do you get any work done? Of ocurse I should ask myself the same question...

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    I read Froomkin's column as saying that the president CANNOT be indicted, though the vice-president can.
    But none other that then-solicitor general Robert Bork concluded that, while "the indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would impermissibly undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions," the vice president was fair game. The "brief from the solicitor general argued that, while the president was immune from indictment, the vice president was not, since his conviction would not disrupt the workings of the executive branch."
    Where did you see that the president can be indicted?

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    Sorry, I typed too fast. I meant vice-president, I've changed it. Apologies for any confusion.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    Cheney is out; retired; gone to hiding. Full-pardoned; despised. Adios, creep. If Rice is the replacement, the Titanic will sink vertically. McCain is the obvious VP replacement, since he can run in 2008. If because of Bush's insecurity and sense of guilt they pull the noose of the conspiracy tighter (or if McCain won't do it, which seems unlikely), and pick Rice for the Bush Handholding Job, might as well just park the Clown Bus in the courthouse fountain -- it will be there for the duration.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    Rice is tainted with the Administration's sins; that there would be anything "Machiavellian" in promoting her, only the right-wing USNews is dumb enough to imagine.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#8)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    I know that it was a typo but isn't the only constitutional problem to indicting the President that he can (and would) pardon himself according to Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution? An indictment would therefore only cause political damage to the president. link

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    If Mr. Cheney resigns, and Condi (not my sistah!) Rice is appointed to the VP spot, I predict Bush will have to resign for one reason or another - and Ms. (not my sistah)Rice will be President. Seriously.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#10)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    Ah hah! The evil Cheney gone. Rice as his replacement... Success.... getting what you want. Happiness...wanting what you get.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#12)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    As an irony fan, I would love for the first black chick VP to be a Republican.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    roy - Seeing as how only Repubs will appoint blacks to actual power positions, it appears very logical. Darkly - Thank you for telling us about the rumor. No one had heard about it... No, wait. Wasn't that what the post was about.....? No wait you are telling us some Repubs don't want her to be appointed or run in '08.... Well, now that is a surprise since no Repub besides her wants to run... No, wait. What's that Senator's name from Airzona???? MrsFrench - Do not worry. No one will every think that you are a sister of SecState Rice. And Bush will not resign. But she may run for President.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#14)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    Wow, it's so telling how desperate the rnc is when they spin cheney's indictment ... before it happens! Ohhh, the rnc is the only party that supports blacks, guess that's why bushco has LT 2% of the black vote. NAACP, bush won't meet with them. Katrina response, hey, the fewer black folks the better, and we can remake their neighborhoods into places white rich folks can exploit. Current budget, cut all benefits to black folks to pay for Katrina. Yep, rnc, the party of black folks.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:07 PM EST
    I predicted that Cheney would resign and McCain would take his place in the post "Where Was Cheney" back in 10/11/05.
    During the 2004 election, I found it strange that McCain campaigned for Bush after the way Bush treated him in the 2000 Republican primary and the “swift boating” of fellow Vietnam veteran Kerry. I thought then that when (I felt it was certainty that he would be failure) Bush got in trouble in his second term that Cheney would go first and they would appoint McCain.
    I agree with Paul - Rice could get the Bush Handholding job. Her or Karen Hughes. I agree with KTH - Rice is tainted with the administration's sins. They need someone on the outside and clean.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#16)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:08 PM EST
    Cheney's position to the very end: Go f*ck yourself.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:08 PM EST
    I'm hoping for a Cheney trial same time as the Sadam trial we could get two of the Iraqi war criminals at once

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#19)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:08 PM EST
    i think i'm a tad confused by judge bork's interpretation. the SC already ruled, in the case of jones v clinton (i believe) that a sitting president can be sued civily, without major disruptions to the executive branch functions. a sitting president can be impeached, without unduly disrupting executive branch functions, though that would seem to be a significant distraction. where, in the constitution, is it written that a sitting president is immune from criminal indictment and prosecution? correct me if i'm wrong, but i kind of got the impression that the whole purpose of establishing a chain of succession, in the event the president, for whatever reason, isn't able to continue serving, was to prevent undue disruption of executive branch functions. would any statute of limitations be held in abeyance, pending completion of the incumbent's term in office? what about witnesses, etc.? for a "strict constructionist" kind of guy (assuming this is the same bork. could there possibly be two of them?), this opinion seems to be going out on a limb quite a bit.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#20)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:08 PM EST
    Darkly - What's funny is that the Brits still stand by their remarks. Anyway, I'm sure that you thought that what you said when telling me what you thought I said when I said what I thought you said.... And the beat goes on.

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#22)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:08 PM EST
    Darkly - What is even more funny is that what the Brits said/believe is the base of the whole issue. Guess you would like to forget about that. Now, if the Brits are correct, why did Wilson decide to try and find an issue??? Couldn't be he was just looking for something, could it??? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm???

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:09 PM EST
    Thanks for the fact-attack against PPJ aka dim, the card remora, PILA. In response to your recent rants: Let's just say, PPJ, that I hope that Wilson does decide to file a lawsuit, and then I would gladly let the chips fall where they may. YMMV. TTFN, Whizzy. Got a problem with that?

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#25)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:09 PM EST
    Paul-You forgot the investigation on Ashcroft's "stunning ethical breach" before he was forced to recuse himself from the Plame leak case. Remember Waas's article posted on TL

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#26)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:10 PM EST
    Posted by edger at September 5, 2005 03:24 PM
    It has not happened yet, but there remains a real possibility that Katrina will swamp the Bush administration and leave it wrecked beyond repair ...a change requiring a fundamental cultural shift in how the US is governed.
    Fundamental shifts, phase shifts, are extremely threatening to the status quo. Terrifying especially to those with power and/or privilege. But they are moments of greatest opportunity, and also moments of greatest danger. Will we thank Katrina in future for the opportunities she handed us, or hate her for the dangers, pain, and death she brought? Much of both, I suspect. ..."fundamental shifts" that we can now only glimpse the most tenuous shadows of, like the low, far off rumble of an approaching social and political tsunami of monstrous proportions.
    October 19, 2005 Rawstory headlines: *Rove, Libby said they talked to reporters *Two Cheney aides cooperating with leak inquiry, those close to case say *More coming tomorrow in leak case... Late ... *Report: Bush knew of Rove's role in leak early on *Former Powell aide slams Cheney 'cabal' - Blasts 'secret' decisions by Cheney, Rumsfeld; calls Rice 'part of the problem.' *Arrest warrant issued for DeLay - $10,000 bail for ex-GOP leader in money laundering case And yesterday this from the NYT published on gainesville.com "Bush to Blair: First Iraq, then Saudi ...one sentence in a two-page document, which says that Mr. Bush "wanted to go beyond Iraq in dealing with WMD proliferation, mentioning in particular Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea and Pakistan." ----- We have leaders who are not responsible. That is, they don't take responsibility for the misery they cause, not because they are not accountable, but because they have not been HELD accountable, by the electorate, and the public generally, until lately, and especially until Katrina shone it's terrible blinding light and death ray on them. How much closer do the dots have to get? Are we awake yet?

    Re: The Latest Rumor: Cheney Might Resign (none / 0) (#28)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:10 PM EST
    "Why of course the people don't want war ... But after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship ... Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger." Hermann Goering, Nazi leader, at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II “See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”George W. Bush, May 24, 2005