# D'Amato sez Bush should dump Cheney for McCain or Powell
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [July 7, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029 "2004-07-07T23:03:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029/21 "2004-07-08T18:46:05Z")
McCain wouldn’t take the nomination for VP; he was offered the opportunity to run as Bush’s VP in 2000 and declined.
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### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029/22 "2004-07-08T19:20:29Z")
Kudos to the Dopers for their masterly analysis of why the two men who might pull up the Republican ticket support wouldn’t be willing to take the VP slot.
So here’s an unlikely but intriguing scenario.
A group of moderates, largely but not exclusively Republican, equally disliking the Kerry/Edwards ticket and disgusted with the Bush/Cheney policies, play on the patriotism of Powell and McCain to draft them to make an independent run together as centrist candidates, “bringing America together” or some such slogan.
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### Author:  [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029/23 "2004-07-08T19:43:07Z")
Unlikely, to be sure - they’re both thoughtful and honorable men, but still loyal to their party. Why would they want to split its vote?
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### Author:  [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029/24 "2004-07-08T19:54:25Z")
I dunno, **Poly**. I don’t think that there are that many moderates in DC. Plus, even if it were possible, it’s too late in the game to gather signatures and money. Plus, I don’t think “McCain” when I think “Centrist”. I’m not even sure that I think “Powell” anymore, although I wish I still could.
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### Author:  [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damato-sez-bush-should-dump-cheney-for-mccain-or-powell/254029/25 "2004-07-08T22:18:47Z")
> [@Askia](#):
>
> … not that I think this will happen in a million years, barring Cheney’s health becoming a major issue.
>
> How much of an asset/liability is Cheney in a Kerry/Edwards match-up?
From _Capital Hill Blue_: [Cheney Faces Criminal Indictments; Other Illegal Actions Raise Warning Flags at White House](http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4799.shtml).
I’d say Cheney’s “health” is about to become a major issue.
BTW, the McCain endorsement ad was already pulled from the Bush website. No real idea who will be offered up as replacement, but some guesses I’ve heard so far include Frist. Frist?!! That’ll cost them the cat lover’s vote…
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