WI: Dick Cheney Ran in 2000?

I've never seen this idea touched upon, which baffled me. While Cheney doesn't have the same Good Ol' Boy charm Dubya did, he seemed to be a well-accomplished and fairly respected (at least within the GOP) politician who had the credentials to be President. What do you picture happening if he ran in 2000, with perhaps Jeb Bush as his running mate?
 
Basically same as 2000 election. Maybe a bit more aggressive defense wise, such as attacking Iraq even before or immediately after 9/11
 
Basically same as 2000 election. Maybe a bit more aggressive defense wise, such as attacking Iraq even before or immediately after 9/11

One doubt I have about the election turning out the same is that Cheney does not have the same easygoing charm Bush had that let him narrowly win the election. Now that both candidates are middle-aged stiffs, do you think Gore could possibly win?
 
Cheney is also more of a foreign policy person (he was Sec Def after all), which was much less in demand in 2000; the campaign was mostly about domestic issues (taxes, Social Security, etc.). He's going to have a lot less ability to play on that in a pre-9/11 world.
 
Not his style. Cheney has consitently gravitated towards roles that gave him real power in exchange for a limited profile.

He's also, for lack of a better word, creepy. He can't do retail politics to save his life.
 
Al Gore beats him. Cheney lacks the folksy Texas Swagger of GW Bush and isn't a culture warier like Bush. Plus, as someone else mentioned, Cheney is more interested in Foreign Policy than Domestic.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
Cheney for his entire life has basically not given a single fuck about his reputation. He's completely tone deaf to his image, which I happen to think is rather unfair, and he never would have been able to run a Presidential campaign or appeal to people. His finest moment as a politician was his smack down of Edwards in the 2004 VP debate. That was tearing someone down, not building himself up.

I also don't think he would get past the Primary electorate of 2000 for the GOP. Post Lewinsky, there was definitely a moralist undercurrent in the party base, and Cheney's support for gay marriage or civil unions (I think he has a gay daughter) would not go over well. McCain would have the maverick label and would take Cheney's support from the foreign policy establishment (remember, the realists and Neoconservatives all were behind McCain in the 2000 Primary, while the isolationists were behind Bush or were backing Pat Buchanan), and the fiscal conservatives had Steve Forbes, while the social conservatives had Alan Keyes. Cheney had no base from which to run from.

Also, was there ever any indication, ever, that Cheney wanted to be President?
 
Also, was there ever any indication, ever, that Cheney wanted to be President?

Apart from selecting himself while searching for a Vice Presidential candidate?

I think Cheney clearly understood that he had less than no chance. His only route to the Presidency would be through the Vice Presidency.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
Who would be his VP pick, assuming he won the nomination?
Probably someone really peppy and appealing to people who can rally the Social Conservatives and Donors behind him.

George W. Bush would probably be his best bet, but if he was to go a different route, I would say Lamar Alexander.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
Apart from selecting himself while searching for a Vice Presidential candidate?

I think Cheney clearly understood that he had less than no chance. His only route to the Presidency would be through the Vice Presidency.
Well, sure, he selected himself to be the VP pick, but he never really showed any indication of running in 2008 (I know he has health issues, but even before that, there was never any indication), and I can't seem to remember there ever being talk of him wanting to run for President before 2000. If there was a time for it, it would have been '96, as there was a real Republican vacuum that year of any sort of leadership, with Bob Dole eventually being chosen to take the whooping. But I don't remember him coming up at all.
 
How close am I to Gore Vs. Cheney?

genusmap.php


Vice President Al Gore (D-TN)/Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT): 320 Electoral Votes
Former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (R-WY)/Former Senator John Danforth (R-MO): 218 Electoral Votes
 
Well, sure, he selected himself to be the VP pick, but he never really showed any indication of running in 2008 (I know he has health issues, but even before that, there was never any indication), and I can't seem to remember there ever being talk of him wanting to run for President before 2000. If there was a time for it, it would have been '96, as there was a real Republican vacuum that year of any sort of leadership, with Bob Dole eventually being chosen to take the whooping. But I don't remember him coming up at all.
Cheney was only a speculated candidate 2000 and preceding. In 2008, not only did he have health issues, he was less popular than Bush, because he was seen as the shadow president behind the scenes calling the shots. Not to mention, his support of torture is branded to his legacy.
Jeb Bush.
2000 is too soon for Jeb Bush. Even if George W. Bush doesn't run and Cheney wins the nomination by appearing more conservative, Jeb had only been Governor of Florida for less than one year (inaugurated in 1999). Him accepting the Vice Presidential nomination would be seen as 'jumping ship'.
 
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He gets pummeled in the primaries. Basically, the only way he could win is if that Bush doesn't run. And if he clinches the Nomination, he may pick a moderate like Pataki or Collins. A Cheney/Collins ticket or Cheney/Pataki may not lead to Florida, 2000. But Cheney also is pretty unlikable, but Gore is not that charismatic (the "sigh" thing from the debates).
 
He gets crushed in the primaries, My money would be on McCain if Dubya isn't running. As such McCain runs and probably wins the presidency against Gore. He may even win the popular Vote.
 
Not his style. Cheney has consitently gravitated towards roles that gave him real power in exchange for a limited profile.

He's also, for lack of a better word, creepy. He can't do retail politics to save his life.

Yeah, this is 100% correct. I had the misfortune of seeing him give a speech once at an event during the 2000 campaign, and man, he's rough. Would have probably been mildly trounced in 2000.

If he did manage run, his VP would be really important, and I imagine he would pick a young charismatic star in the party. I can't think of any Republicans in 2000 who fit that bill.
 
Yeah, this is 100% correct. I had the misfortune of seeing him give a speech once at an event during the 2000 campaign, and man, he's rough. Would have probably been mildly trounced in 2000.

If he did manage run, his VP would be really important, and I imagine he would pick a young charismatic star in the party. I can't think of any Republicans in 2000 who fit that bill.

Kasich?
 
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