I know we've heard lots of rumors about this topic, but I see no diaries on this...
I noticed in The Hill magazine this morning (sorry - couldn't find a link on their website)that Albert Eisele has written a column in which he predicts that Bush is going to replace Cheney at on the ticket. He bases this prediction on the fact that in a little noticed development, Cheney was taken to a hospital in the Fredricksburg, VA area just before he went to Asia about six weeks ago.
Was this "the big one, Elizabeth?"
Furthermore, apparently Cheney's pacemaker is an obsolete model that has a life expectancy due to expire this summer.
So my co-worker and I began to throw around who they're thinking about:
- We eliminated Giuliani because he's pro-choice and pro-gay rights, alienating the base, and because he won't even get you New York.
- We considered Tom Ridge, who is a veteran, but he's pro-choice too. He helps you in PA, but his presence possibly hurts Bush in states where he needs evangelicals to get him over the top - MO, CO, MI.
IIRC, the same goes for George Voinovich in Ohio. But even if I'm mistaken he's acceptable to the Christian right, he voted against at least some of the tax cuts.
So we settled on these...
Norm Coleman: He could help Bush look more "moderate" and "pragmatic" despite having been a loyal foot soldier for the administration (except for ANWAR) in his Senate term. No one here buys that of course, but perhaps fence sitters in the Midwest, particularly in MN, are more sanguine. Plus, with a Repub governor, they could just replace him with no party change.
Condoleeza Rice: Increases the "diversity" factor in two dimensions, has no paper trail on divisive hot-button issues. Would make it more difficult for the Dem VP nominee to rip into, since, well, chivalry isn't quite dead yet. In the Repubs' dreams, she puts CA in play. However, the downside is, well, does the GOP really want Iraq and their neo-con foreign policy front-and-center?
Zell Miller: Now I don't think that the GOP is worried about GA, but he has the "former Democrat" thing a la Coleman. He also probably at least marginally helps the GOP in any Southern state they're worried about. (This may be why Daschle hasn't kicked Zell out of the party; could he be waiting for Zell do something that looks blatantly opportunistic so they can then slam him?)
Bob Ehrlich: He's going to have a tough fight for Gov in 2006, and I don't see how he ever wins a Senate seat. He doesn't get you MD, but he might be of some marginal value in PA and/or DE. Of course he's had to moderate himself to sell himself statewide in MD, and maybe he has the same problem as Ridge, in which case they'd be better off with Ridge.
Hmmm..House people?
Heather Wilson from New Mexico?
Rob Portman from Ohio?
Neither of them have much of a profile, but they seem the most plausible House members from their respective state.