In the car this morning, Tiffany and I were discussing the suggestions that Cheney may be bowing out of this election. The specter of another, more moderate, vice-presidential candidate scared us silly. Bush-Powell 04? Bush-McCain 04? A ticket like that would crush Kerry-Edwards 04.

Someone I read or heard yesterday (I know, cardinal sin of blogging, not remmber and linking your references, sorry) was pointing out that George W. Bush is a very loyal man. It is not in his DNA, this person said, to push Cheney off the ticket. But then he added that it is also not in his DNA to lose. If it came down to losing the election or dumping Cheney, I think he'd take the latter option. Though it will, of course, be couched as Cheney's doctor suggesting that he might not be healthy enough to run again.

Because we don't want to apologize to our constituents for selecting an ultra-conservative, corrupt, power-mad, (potty-mouthed), belligerent career oligarch as our Vice-President, do we? That would look un-Presidential.

Who then, to replace him? Hell, he could pick Howard Dean as his running mate, and Bush's ultra-right conservative base would still vote for him (who else is going to give them chest-beating and tax breaks?). And he'd get a lot of moderates and fence-sitters to vote for him.

If Kerry-McCain 04 was a dream ticket, how much moreso Bush-McCain 04? Though reporters were quick to point out last week that while McCain did turn Kerry down recently, he turned Bush down back in 2000 (and we were left with Cheney...)

I'm so depressed.