Vice-President de facto , Dr. Condeelza Rice?

[lutefisk]

I was looking at the pictures of Team Bush-Rice on this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1838707

...and it occurred to me that Rice has been placed in the role of de facto vice-president. While Cheney is rarely seen by the public, only appearing briefly at Republican fundraisers, Rice is very often and very publically posed next to Bush and given a prominent speaking role. Bush hates been upstaged, so I think this is significant. (And I don't think she is being put out there simply because of "world events.")

Is Rice being positioned to run as part of the Republican ticket in 2008 as de facto incumbent vice-president? A charming, intelligent, attractive snake-in-the-grass male candidate teamed with Rice would be a powerful ticket.



edit: And of course she (and the public) are being prepared for Rice stepping into the role for real, should Cheney exit the stage before his term is scheduled to expire. I think there is little doubt that Bush would replace Dick with Rice.

[liberal N proud]

1. Someone has to be the puppet master

[flordehinojos]

2. yeah! two puppets on a string:

[WI_DEM]

3. Do you think Cheney wants her as Vice President?

[Bobbieo]

7. She got Cheneys approval to be there!.

BTW - she looks downright mean.

[Vincardog]

4. Rice is being set up to be the next one take the fall for aWoL's follies

[lutefisk]

9. Maybe, but they've been grooming her for years.

I don't think they'll throw her away, yet. There are so many others they can set up to take the fall.

[JAYJDF]

5. Scary thought but I can see it happening

Condi has proved herself inadequate in her current job. Isn't it called the Peter principle, where if you screw up bad enough you get promoted?

[SheilaT]

13. The Peter Principle

is where you get promoted until finally you're promoted to a level you can no longer perform at.

As much fun as it may be to say nasty things about Condi, she needs to be taken seriously. She is by far the most powerful woman in the administration, possibly the most powerful woman ever in American politics outside of Eleanor Roosevelt.

She may well be the v-p candidate in two years. Yeah, the black-hating conservatives won't like it, but a lot of "undecideds" who ought to know better will then have the opportunity to both show how open-minded they are (and what a Big Tent the Republican party is) by voting for that ticket. Her being on the ticket would also show Democrats for hypocrites if they don't nominate a woman (and Hillary is the only possible choice). So the Democrats lose no matter what. Hillary is far too divisive to be elected. And if she's on the ticket, she's still a white woman, and so points go to the Republicans for nominating a black woman.

It will be the actual pairing that will matter a lot. As with the Democrats, it's much too soon to worry or try to predict who the Republicans will wind up as their nominee, but thinking about it, if in no other terms than as various pairings, could be a useful thought experiment.

[Swamp Rat]

6. I'm starting to doubt there will even be a real election in 2008.

[Demeter]

8. Psychiatric Nurse and Bimbo, Maybe

She probably dispenses the meds, takes the temps, and feeds him the daily bullshit. Then there's the recreational events....

But make no mistake, it's the man behind the curtain pulling the levers and making the smoke and lightning and thunder: Darth Cheney.

[brentspeak]

10. Condi "Who's Osama bin Laden?" Rice sure did a great job as NSA

Didn't she?

[fishwax]

11. I don't doubt that's what they're thinking, but I do doubt that it'd work

I don't think anything with condi would be a powerful ticket, because I think by 2008 anyone so intimately connected with the iraq war will have too much to answer for. And she doesn't exactly have any great success as SOS to showcase. I think her (lack of) substance as a candidate would be easily exposed.

[elehhhhna]

12. It'll backfire. Cons don't want a woman, let alone a Black woman,

in the top job/s.