# Cheney's in the hospital again ... Who's the new VP going to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 5, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853 "2001-03-05T21:31:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/1 "2001-03-05T21:31:57Z")
Looks like Dick Cheney’s ticker is in the hospital for yet another adjustment today. I guess that means that the President is in charge of the country now. But I digress. Under the theory that it’s never too early to start some uninformed speculating, who do you think our new Vice President is going to be if and when Cheney has to resign? My WAG is that governor of Wyoming (or was it Montana?) who turned down the job as AG a couple months ago. No serious track record, doesn’t seem to be terribly controversial, yet conservative enough to satisfy the Republican base. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/2 "2001-03-05T21:35:31Z")
Colin Powell. ---
**Author:** ![wahoo11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8baadc/32.png) [@wahoo11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wahoo11)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/3 "2001-03-05T23:03:11Z")
This Democrat wishes Dick Cheney a speedy recovery.The country needs his competence more than any VP in our history. I doubt Bush would pull Powell out of State. He has previously stated he is not interested in VP.Tommy Thompson,HHS Secretary,has impressed alot of people on both sides of the aisle.He could get the call. Get well Dick. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2001, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/4 "2001-03-05T23:51:02Z")
I’d rather have a wrongheaded incompetent in power than a competent one. I’m mailing Cheney a bacon cheeseburger. Who’ll replace him? I dunno. Some other millionaire bozo on the Bush favor list, I suppose. What difference does it make? ---
**Author:** ![Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Tommy\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/5 "2001-03-06T13:56:26Z")
I know that in the event of the Pres. and VP getting assasinated, killed in an accident, or otherwise dying, the third in line is the **Speaker for the Dead** … oh, whoops, I mean the Speaker of the House. So, that being the case, wouldn’t Dennis Hastert, the current speaker, move into the VP spot if Dick doesn’t stick. ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/6 "2001-03-06T14:09:57Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Tommy the Cat_ > wouldn’t Dennis Hastert, the current speaker, move into the VP spot if Dick doesn’t stick. No. Those are rules for _presidential_ succession. There are no such rules for VP. The Pres picks a new one. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/7 "2001-03-06T14:11:26Z")
Nope, the Speaker can succeed the _President_ if both the Prez and Veep kick, but if just the Veep dies or resigns, then the President chooses his successor (as long as a majority of both houses of Congress approve the choice) per the 25th Amendment. I suppose the Prez could _appoint_ the Speaker as veep, but it would be unlikely. The 25th Amendment has been invoked exactly twice: once when Agnew resigned and Nixon nominated Ford as his successor; and less than a year later, after Nixon resigned, when Ford’s becoming President left the Veep spot unoccupied. Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller to the position. ---
**Author:** ![uberDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f04885/32.png) [@uberDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uberDave)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/8 "2001-03-06T14:50:09Z")
C’mon. Two shrubs are better than one. He’ll pick Jeb. Besides, he owes Jeb bigtime. nyuk nyuk nyuk. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/9 "2001-03-06T15:19:16Z")
I don’t think he’s going to die, or become disabled to be VP. Too many people are praying against **that!** ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/10 "2001-03-06T15:21:10Z")
What if he picked Dan Quayle eh? ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/11 "2001-03-06T15:38:05Z")
Tend to agree with Wahoo - not Powell, Thompson a possibility. I don’t understand Powell. It seemed he could have either of the top 2 slots, said no. Wanted out of the limelight, wanted time to himself, etc. All reasonable reasons. Then he takes SecState??? Not an informal advisor. Not even a lesser Cabinet. The big one. ``` I don't see Cheney surviving his term. ``` ---
**Author:** ![wahoo11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8baadc/32.png) [@wahoo11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wahoo11)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/12 "2001-03-06T17:51:00Z")
No Cheney won’t survive unless Smirk takes away some of the pressure/responsibility that he’s heaped on him.W’s a delegator and has shifted an astonishing load to his VP…implementing the legislative agenda,completing the transition,formulating an energy policy,playing referee between State and Defense and God knows what else while Bush plays super Education Secretary,gladhander and tax cut cheerleader. lurkernomore - As I recall,the reason Powell won’t be POTUS is because his wife is adamently against it. ---
**Author:** ![wahoo11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8baadc/32.png) [@wahoo11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wahoo11)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/13 "2001-03-06T17:57:03Z")
No Cheney won’t survive unless Smirk takes away some of the pressure/responsibility that he’s heaped on him.W’s a delegator and has shifted an astonishing load to his VP…implementing the legislative agenda,completing the transition,formulating an energy policy,playing referee between State and Defense and God knows what else while Bush plays super Education Secretary,gladhander and tax cut cheerleader. lurkernomore - As I recall,the reason Powell won’t be POTUS is because his wife is adamently against it. ---
**Author:** ![PlanMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/14 "2001-03-07T03:12:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by uberDave \* > \*\*C’mon. Two shrubs are better than one. He’ll pick Jeb. > Besides, he owes Jeb bigtime. nyuk nyuk nyuk. \*\* Yessss, dubya, please take Jeb … we gotta get him outta Florida … he wants to shift money from young-offender intervention programs (that could stop a wayward youth from going astray) to more post-crime punishment. Also, wants to “reform Career (Civil) Service” by making a significant percentage of the middle-to-upper level state government workers “at-will” employees, with no career service protection = \* What, you refused to build a new road for Big Bux Developer and Campaign Contributor??? Your outta here!\* Of course, he “promises” we will be protected from patronage and all that. But I am ahead of myself, seems the Veep went home today “feeling fine.” And I do NOT wish any ill health on Mr. Cheney. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/15 "2001-03-07T15:40:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PlanMan \* > **But I am ahead of myself, seems the Veep went home today "feeling fine"** What did you expect him to say? That his oversized heart is sputtering and throbbing like a lawnmower engine and he feels like a rhinoceros is sitting on his chest? You could take a politican’s head off with a rusty Skilsaw and it would tell you it was “feeling fine.” ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheneys-in-the-hospital-again-whos-the-new-vp-going-to-be/56853/16 "2001-03-07T16:02:10Z")
> [@](#): > > _Ukulele Ike_ > You could take a politican’s head off with a rusty Skilsaw and it would tell you it was “feeling fine.” Can we test this proposition? N=(say) 40?