WI: Dick Cheney dies in 2003?

Zioneer

Banned
So we all know Dick Cheney has had significant heart problems and has had many close calls during his political.

So what if he has a heart attack and dies in 2003? Since he was a very influential VP, what would happen to the Bush presidency? Who would Bush pick as a new VP?
 
Nothing

Nothing would change. Cheney was infuential, but the idea that he called all the shots is silly. Bush would have picked another VP, probably someone from his cabinet (Rumsfeld maybe?), and would have kept the same basic advisers. He wins reelection the same, he acts the sames.

The only thing, if the VP is younger, and runs for president in 2008, we have a slightly different race. Obama will still win, but it will be different.
 
Nothing would change. Cheney was infuential, but the idea that he called all the shots is silly. Bush would have picked another VP, probably someone from his cabinet (Rumsfeld maybe?), and would have kept the same basic advisers. He wins reelection the same, he acts the sames.

The only thing, if the VP is younger, and runs for president in 2008, we have a slightly different race. Obama will still win, but it will be different.

While overestimating Cheney's influence on the Bush Presidency, particularly in the first term, is difficult to do, depending on when in 2003 we're talking about, you're essentially correct. If Iraq's already been invaded, if Bush has already embraced Cheney's secrecy/extreme executive power agenda, not too much will change in the post Cheney era. The caveat to this is that Cheney's death may lead to the departure of other officials in the administration. Considering the fact that Bush considered allowing Cheney to leave in 2004 and replace him with Bill Frist, I think Frist would be Bush's pick here. Of course, Frist was inclined to run in 2008, so that might create some headache for Bush later on.
 
Nothing would change. Cheney was infuential, but the idea that he called all the shots is silly. Bush would have picked another VP, probably someone from his cabinet (Rumsfeld maybe?), and would have kept the same basic advisers. He wins reelection the same, he acts the sames.

The only thing, if the VP is younger, and runs for president in 2008, we have a slightly different race. Obama will still win, but it will be different.
I agree. The notion that Cheney was calling all the shots and Bush was merely a puppet is asinine, IMO.
 
Absolutely. Same regarding Rumsfeld. Everybody knows it was Karl Rove who was giving all the orders. If you don't believe me, ask Colin Powell.:D

Actually, Rove objected to Cheney as VP, his reasons being that he wanted to distance W from his father and go off in their own direction. Bush, however, had his heart set on Cheney from the very beginning, if Decision Points is to be believed.
 
I'm thinking McCain or Powell for VP.

Again according to Decision Points, this was George W. Bush's VP shortlist:

Lamar Alexander
Tom Ridge
Frank Keating
John Engler
Jack Danforth
Jon Kyl
Chuck Hagel
Bill Frist
Fred Thompson

Of these nine candidates, Bush himself said he was VERY impressed with Jack Danforth in particular, and came very close to offering the job to him, but went with Cheney instead.

So, if we're talking about no Cheney back in 2000, then Bush would most likely have gone with Jack Danforth instead.
 
Again according to Decision Points, this was George W. Bush's VP shortlist:

Lamar Alexander
Tom Ridge
Frank Keating
John Engler
Jack Danforth
Jon Kyl
Chuck Hagel
Bill Frist
Fred Thompson

Of these nine candidates, Bush himself said he was VERY impressed with Jack Danforth in particular, and came very close to offering the job to him, but went with Cheney instead.

So, if we're talking about no Cheney back in 2000, then Bush would most likely have gone with Jack Danforth instead.

That makes sense, but Ridge might be more interesting.
 
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