True, but the question will he? That is, will Bush “undelegate” the power he has bequeathed to Cheney? Stubborn Bush makes me doubt that. The new Congress may try to pass a bill that de-funds Cheney’s rogue, shadow national security staff, but Bush would have to sign it. Perhaps they could try to attach it to some bill that would be hard for the Prez to veto? But that might be a while.

john in caliifornia @ 93

If V.P. quits, who will bush pick as replacement? lessee … oh yes, joe “i want to be pres” lieberman – That way he is ‘bipartisan’, has no problem w/ conformation and gets a repub senate back – that will stick it in the dems eye-

late to this party

anyway, it’s petty obvious the person who replaces cheney will be whoever they think can win a presidential bid

that would be mccain, not liarman

I’m a newbie poster but frequent reader of this site.

Not sure how to link for you, but The National Security Archives which is housed at George Washington Univ has an electronic archive of Gates material–including his 1991 DCI nomination hearings conducted by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Gates’6-page letter from 1993 responding to the Independent Counsel’s findings of Iran Contra:

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/

My guess is he had heard enough from disgruntled generals to conclude that Rummy had to go, and was waiting to find the right time. Gates comes from the same well as Hayden — old pro, on our side, but not on Poppy’s inner circle (i.e., not Scowcroft or Baker or their ilk).

If V.P. quits, who will bush pick as replacement? lessee … oh yes, joe “i want to be pres” lieberman – That way he is ‘bipartisan’, has no problem w/ conformation and gets a repub senate back – that will stick it in the dems eye-

late to this party

anyway, it’s petty obvious the person who replaces cheney will be whoever they think can win a presidential bid

that would be mccain, not liarman