My prediction

For the past few years, I've been predicting (to the few people who actually listen to me), that Dick Cheney would step down from VP (for health reasons was always my guess) and allow someone else to step in, thereby jumping to the front of the pack for the 2008 GOP nomination.

So, everytime I hear of some health condition effecting him (like deep vein thrombosis), I always think, "here we go, time to insert the 'man who would be president.'"

With all his health conditions and now the fallout of the Libby trial, I think things are shaping up for a Cheney withdrawl. In my daily read of The Huffington Post, I see that Ari Emanuel shares my feelings. But he's thinking that Cheney's replacement will be Condoleezza Rice. Now, I think that's a stretch.

Personally I think it's going to be hard for Hillary Clinton to even get the Democratic Nomination, but for Condoleezza, I think it would actually be even harder. That's not to say she's not qualified, in fact, she's probably more qualified than Bush was when he started running - ok, maybe that's a bad example.

Anyway, I say, in the next few months, look for Dick to step down and watch the rise of someone who has been very close to the Bush Administration. I don't think it will be any of the people that we see already running, so that means McCain, Romney and the rest are out of it. I guess that means Rice has a good shot. But if the Bush administration and the NeoCons want to maintain control, I think its safe to see them put one of their own in there.