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"The president's job is to think not only about today, but tomorrow"
george bush delivers deep insights in a speech given on
April 19, 2007
Tipp City High School
Tipp City, Ohio

and annotated them, and read FDL & Next Hurrah.

There are, I think, 3 threads. The base piece was written very circumspectly - no overt criticisms (you have to read between the lines), attributed quotes that qualify as critical or at least non-flattering, but all the hard stuff is unattributed. In other words, I think the reporters wrote a hard hitting portrait, but nothing like a hatchet job.

The first piece has a couple heavy-handed awkward edits that stand out, and are hatchet strikes. The 2nd is a bit more subtle, but it's still looks editted to me, with some jarring language for a portrait. These are along the lines of "squelching" "squashing" "crushing" - all very descriptive verbs where the background tone is much more circumspect.

The other jarring thing (though it doesn't look like an edit) is the claims that Cheney's strong arm tactics with the courts have handcuffed Bush. OK, there's a tad of evidence Cheney may have ticked off Kennedy on the court, but otherwise this looks like crap.

So it looks like planned pressure on Cheney that at the last minute was made a good deal more vicious.

I have a difficult time understanding just what Fred Thompson would gain by joining the administration while every other Republican is jumping ship or running away from Bush as if being chased by a swarm of killer bees. So long as Thompson is undeclared he can bask in the political limelight of ingenuous reluctance and not suffer the inevitable popularity slump the early declareds will suffer. He has nowhere to go but up.

If he becomes VP then he inherits Iraq, and its negative baggage, before the election and no matter what he does, he'll become prematurely open to criticism. Does Thompson really want to endure photo ops with Bush? He'll look like an ethical sell-out when the carrot of power is waved under his nose.

but it's not pie in the sky.

No GOP candidate has more than a slim chance in '08. So Freddie becomes VP in 07 - heck maybe even Pres before the term is up! He runs as incumbent; if he's made everyone feel safe and warm, hasn't publicaly barfed in any world leader's lap, hasn't been caught eating puppies, (and naturally the media will be fully cooperating) it's by far the best shot of the GOP surviving 08.

The needle on the Republican political compass of building a case to dump Cheney appears to be swinging towards true north. It’s hard to tell if George the Younger will bend to the will of advice from his elders, or sit back and let a palace purge engineered by others out to sink Cheney succeed.

At this point in time, Fred looks to be the natural pinch hitter choice looking for a 4-year contract.

Get Fred in, actuate the Iraq Study Group plan, draw down the troops rapidly and keep the rest behind the wire to reduce causalities, let contract foreign drivers deliver freight and fuel to the permanent bases to keep from reporting U. S. military deaths and casualties.

The troops stay in Iraq to enforce the Carbon Laws; Fred looks like a dude who can get the job done with a chance of hitting a grand slam. No matter if Fred or Hillary wins, the objective of U. S. trigger pullers guarding the Oil has been met. Access to oil profits by the Multinational Oil Corporations stands a better chance with armed U. S. taxpayer supported troops at the ready. The U.S. Imperial Empire marches on into the sunset.

"The president's job is to think not only about today, but tomorrow"
george bush delivers deep insights in a speach given on
April 19, 2007
Tipp City High School
Tipp City, Ohio

"It’s hard to tell if George the Younger will bend to the will of advice from his elders, or sit back and let a palace purge engineered by others out to sink Cheney succeed." But I don't think these pieces would have been written without Bush's blessing. You've got Josh Bolten, James Baker, John Ashcroft and others on record (not saying anything damning, but still being critical). You've also got rather jarring attempts to fit W with a halo.

I'm not entirely sure whether Fred is part of the plan - he's stuck up for Cheney and Libby pretty strongly. But it also looks to me like the plan has been modified at the last minute (some clumsy editting).

My meter is on the Baker group Et al. Boy George may not have any say in this. The Republicans have to come up with someone other than the bunch that has been in the Republican debates on TV.

"The president's job is to think not only about today, but tomorrow"
george bush delivers deep insights in a speach given on
April 19, 2007
Tipp City High School
Tipp City, Ohio

...Fred's association with Cheney makes it an orderly transition. After all, the WaPo pieces don't really attack what Cheney did (except around the edges), but how he did it. So same policies, but he doesn't run a shadow gov't, doesn't have spies in all other agencies, doesn't worship Baal in the WH basement while beating drums made from hides of his enemies... And his scowl is so much more attractive than that tired old Cheney snarl.

Ditch the Doberman. Say hello to the Basset hound.

Fred runs the same talking points on Iraq. "We have to defeat them there so we don't have to fight them here". Fred would insure the Veto of any increase in taxes on the Uber wealthy class. I can hear the ink on those campaign donation checks drying as I type this. Cheney may be in on this. He has picked a way to exit. But, somehow I can't see Cheney putting down the needle of power addiction willingly .

"The president's job is to think not only about today, but tomorrow"
george bush delivers deep insights in a speach given on
April 19, 2007
Tipp City High School
Tipp City, Ohio

...Cheney aides, "proteges" and "friends" (not sure all of the last are "former") on record that I think you may have something.

Maybe it was getting slapped down by the 4th Circuit (the most conservative in the nation), or the fact that his "4th branch" arguments have been treated as laughable by the press. Whatever. He's made LBJ look like a wuss and done at least 25 years of damage in 6.5 years. He can retire to Wyoming, sit on the porch with a 120 proof IV drip and shoot caged birds, feeling proud of his accomplishments.

Liz Cheney is an adviser to Feel-Good-Freddie.

... but I generally concur. Thompson has been given imprimatur from the pundit class and journamalists as well. Aside form the fact that Fred isn't suited to lead anyone anywhere but astray, the 'plan' includes the unfortunate result of insulating Cheney from retribution.

This all assumes the narrowly defined strategy goes accordingly. I have serious doubts about success for any attempt to oust Cheney. Unless, he dies or suffers oxygen deprivation while being trickled charged by the Energizer Bunny®.

Do you suppose EB's commercial acting gig is just a cover? He couldn't be one of ours, Cheney would just out him.

I can feel Photoshop beckoning... I don't think my skills are up to it, but I might give it a try.