2008 Woodie Awards
An Exit Strategy to Save Bush's Last Years
Brett Heiney
Issue date: 4/7/06 Section: Opinions
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With sagging approval ratings and a White House and Party surrounded by such controversies and political problems, George W. Bush needs to come up with an exit strategy so that he can leave office on some kind of good terms with the American people.
There has been a lot of talk lately about shaking up the Administration. Bush has taken a few steps already making slight changes, but I agree with some analysts who say he needs to make some major changes.
One change that has been suggested to which I agree is naming his heir so to speak. Some have suggested that Bush ask Vice President Dick Cheney to resign and place Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in that position. This could be an effective political move on Bush's part to back his choice for the 2008 elections.
Secretary of State Rice has said she does not plan on continuing in politics, but the lure of becoming the first female and the first African American President could sway her to take Bush's endorsement.
Cheney has been nothing but problematic for this presidency. A New York University's presidential historian, Paul Light, said, "Cheney is the de facto chief of staff. He's two steps down the hall. He's like a barnacle; he's not going anywhere."
The public image of Cheney is that he is a shady and secretive individual who makes deals in the back-alleys of the White House. His years of experience have placed him in a somewhat mentoring role for the President, and this has translated itself into the larger opinion of the Bush Administration in general keeping to the back-alleys.
I do not think Cheney is solely to blame for this, but he has been a major influence on how George W. has run this country. Cheney may be a good man at heart, but as a political figure he has always been seen as cold and distant.
Ridding himself of Cheney and bringing on board Condoleeza Rice as VP can only help alleviate the pressure that is being placed on the President by the GOP, Democrats, and the nation as a whole.
There has been a lot of talk lately about shaking up the Administration. Bush has taken a few steps already making slight changes, but I agree with some analysts who say he needs to make some major changes.
One change that has been suggested to which I agree is naming his heir so to speak. Some have suggested that Bush ask Vice President Dick Cheney to resign and place Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in that position. This could be an effective political move on Bush's part to back his choice for the 2008 elections.
Secretary of State Rice has said she does not plan on continuing in politics, but the lure of becoming the first female and the first African American President could sway her to take Bush's endorsement.
Cheney has been nothing but problematic for this presidency. A New York University's presidential historian, Paul Light, said, "Cheney is the de facto chief of staff. He's two steps down the hall. He's like a barnacle; he's not going anywhere."
The public image of Cheney is that he is a shady and secretive individual who makes deals in the back-alleys of the White House. His years of experience have placed him in a somewhat mentoring role for the President, and this has translated itself into the larger opinion of the Bush Administration in general keeping to the back-alleys.
I do not think Cheney is solely to blame for this, but he has been a major influence on how George W. has run this country. Cheney may be a good man at heart, but as a political figure he has always been seen as cold and distant.
Ridding himself of Cheney and bringing on board Condoleeza Rice as VP can only help alleviate the pressure that is being placed on the President by the GOP, Democrats, and the nation as a whole.