2004: Bush drops Cheney

In OTL many within the GOP proposed that Bush should drop then VP Dick Cheney but he declined.

What If he did, say Cheney had a serious heart attack or something...

Who does he pick as his VP? I doubt Powell or Rice would take the job...

How does this affect 2008?
 
Depends on how you look at it, and what issues come up.

It must be said that no legislation attacking homosexuals ever came anywhere near the Bush White House, and Cheney was the reason for that - his daughter is a lesbian. Bush was probably still going to be unpopular. If its Rice or Powell (and I don't think either would go for it to be honest) it would certainly crack the black stigma, but I doubt that matters much against Obama or Clinton.

The only way to save the Republicans by early-mid 2006 was somehow for them to smarten up dramatically. That probably needs a POD long before 2004, though.
 
In my mind, Condi would absolutely be offered the position, and absolutely say yes.

Bush is obviously a big Condi fan, promoting her time and time again within his staff. And she's one of the few people who has stuck around for all eight years, so she seems to like working for him as well. Plus, with race and gender taken into consideration, it would at least temporarily give the news something new to talk about other than the Iraq war.

Incidentally, while most of 2004-2008 probably wouldn't change all that much, I think the 2008 election would almost certainly have seen Condi run...and probably win the election. And as a black woman winning the Republican nomination...that would be 1000% times bigger than a black man or white woman getting the democrat nod.

Could she have won? Maybe, maybe not. But if Bush dumped Cheney, Rice is the obvious (and best) choice for VP, for all concerned parties (except any Democrat candidates).
 
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