This is a short diary with some jaw dropper item via Huffpo citing the conservative Insight magazine. The article, at Insight online, is behind subscription wall here “Cheney seen retiring after midterm elections.”
Servers overload maybe encountered.
Opening graph at Insight
Vice President Dick Cheney is expected to retire within a year. Senior GOP sources envision the retirement of Mr. Cheney in 2007, months after the congressional elections. The sources said Mr. Cheney would be persuaded to step down as he becomes an increasing political liability to President Bush. The sources reported a growing rift between the president and vice president as well as their staffs.
This has huge implications. Changes the landscape.
Further accessed excerpts from full article here
[..]They cited Mr. Cheney’s failure to immediately tell the president of the accidental shooting of the vice president’s hunting colleague earlier this month. The White House didn’t learn of the incident until 18 hours later.
Mr. Cheney’s next crisis could take place by the end of the year, the sources said. They said the White House was expecting Mr. Cheney to defend himself against charges from his former chief of staff, Lewis Libby, that the vice president ordered him to relay classified information. Such a charge could lead to a congressional investigation and even impeachment proceedings.
“Nothing will happen until after the congressional elections,” a GOP source said. “After that, there will be significant changes in the administration and Cheney will probably be part of that.”
Already, senators expect Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate whether Mr. Cheney authorized Mr. Libby to divulge classified material. Mr. Libby has told a grand jury that unnamed “superiors” directed him to relay the content of a National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq in July 2003.
[..]
Mr. Bush, the sources said, has rejected the advice from circles close to his father, the former president, to dismiss Mr. Cheney. They say Mr. Bush has long regarded Mr. Cheney as the experienced hand in national security, as well as being trusted by the conservative wing of the Republican Party.
Aside the strategy going forward, for candidates in 2006 and 2008, one can conclude this is more than a trial balloon.
The ‘Cheney Coup’ has enormous consequences long term and must be righted. A new Veep will cleanse and right the system. Vice Cheney has usurped the presidency, violated the Constitution and International Treaties.
The question arises, how good is the source – Insight Magazine? Rawstory has a headliner, and dubs the source dubious but notes that they do, occasionally, nail breaking scoops.
Perhaps this is a psy-ops or maybe it’s intended to push Cheney out the door. Rove is that you?
Clearly the senior GOPers are worried with elections only 8 months away. AP reporting today that the GOP governors are concerned about the stumbles, not liking the grassrooots feedback.
Over the past week there have been several critical articles from the conservative camp. William F. Buckley’s scathing piece ‘It Didn’t Work’. This can’t be helpful. Paul Pillar’s piece in Foreign Affairs on Cheney’s pressuring to fix the intelligence for the Iraq war.
A new CBS poll shows Bush has taken a dive, down 34% approval – soon after straight shooting Dick’s quail accident followed by the DPW ports deal. Cheney’s approval is at 18%. And then it’s the secrecy. The Iraq war, orchestrated by Cheney, is meeting with buyer’s remorse here and over there.
The sharks are smelling blood in the water. Most damaging to the base are the last two events. Dick’s facts on the shooting accident did not sell well among hunters. Heard on far right talk radio is that Cheney is followed by an ambulance when he travels, even on hunting trips.
Then there’s UAE DPW deal. We’re told not to worry, nothing will change since the Coast Guard is responsible for port security. Now it’s revealed the Coast Guard made known their concerns.
This one issue – the UAE deal – has knocked away the BushCo tripod strategy: Fear. National Security. GOP’s guard your safety.
And having demonized all Arabs as terrorists, it becomes difficult to reverse oneself. Have no doubt, Bush ‘will stay the course’, as the deal slips through. But Chickens have come home to roost.
Cheney needs to go. The Why is laid out by one of our own. Take the site pass and go read Sidney Blumenthal’s “Cheney’s Coup”