My future as a political soothsayer?

Two weeks ago, on April 9, in an article entitled "Beyond the Bush impeachment" I suggested a possible scenario in which Dick Cheney would resign as Vice President in order to try to save his boss; Bush would appoint Condoleezza Rice as his replacement; Bush would resign after being impeached by a new Congress in 2007; and Ms. Rice would become President. Several commenters scoffed at this.

And yet, in the Sunday Times today, Sarah Baxter writes:

REPUBLICANS are urging President George W Bush to dump Dick Cheney as vice-president and replace him with Condoleezza Rice if he is serious about presenting a new face to the jaded American public.

They believe that only the sacrifice of one or more of the big beasts of the jungle, such as Cheney or Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, will convince voters that Bush understands the need for a fresh start.

The jittery Republicans claim Bush's mini-White House reshuffle last week will do nothing to forestall the threat of losing control of Congress in the November mid-term elections.

Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard magazine and author of Rebel in Chief, a sympathetic new biography of Bush, said: "There are going to have to be sweeping personnel changes if people are going to take a second look at the Bush presidency."

Barnes, who is close to the White House, said he believed Cheney would be willing to stand down in order to help Bush. "It's unlike Bush to dump somebody whom he likes and respects," he cautioned. "But the president needs to do something shocking and dramatic such as putting in Condoleezza Rice." [Emphasis mine.]

Republicans are already preparing for Step 1. Will the dominoes fall in place?

For further reading see:

• "Dump Cheney for Condi, Bush urged" by Sarah Baxter
• "A 'Third Term' for Bush: Condi Rice, Dick Cheney and Karl Rove need new jobs" by Fred Barnes

LP