President Bush says he wants Vice President Dick Cheney to join him for any 2004 re-election run. I hope in the months and years to come, he changes his mind.
Whatever one thinks of Cheney’s politics or ethics, his health will be a much bigger issue the next time around. Cheney could still be offered a high-level job in the administration, and this would afford the president a great opportunity to select a woman or person of color. What an historic move that would be, and what a chance to reach out to people who may feel underrepresented now.
The first President George Bush had to decide whether to keep Dan Quayle on his ticket when he ran for re-election. But a decision to drop Quayle would have been a sign of weakness, while a decision to drop Cheney (for health reasons) could be considered a positive step.
