New group tries to convince Cheney to run in 2012
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/22/art.cheney1.gi.jpg caption="A new group wants Dick Cheney to challenge President Obama in 2012. "]
Washington (CNN) - A new group wants former Vice President Dick Cheney back in the White House.
The organization - "Draft Dick Cheney 2012" - launched on Friday, and unveiled their new Web site. Their aim: To convince the former vice president to seek the Republican presidential nomination in the next race for the White House. But there may be a major roadblock to the group's pitch - Cheney himself.
"The 2012 race for the Republican nomination for President will be about much more then who will be the party's standard bearer against Barack Obama, the race is about the heart and soul of the GOP," said Christopher Barron, one of the organizers of the Draft Cheney movement. "There is only one person in our party with the experience, political courage and unwavering commitment to the values that made our party strong – and that person is Dick Cheney."
The former vice president has been a frequent outspoken critic of the Obama administration's security policy. He recently suggested that Obama was "dithering" over deciding on adding more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. National polls suggest that the former vice president remains popular among conservatives and Republicans.
Does Cheney want to run for the White House? He was quite blunt earlier this month about whether he had any desire make a bid for the presidency in the next election. At an event in Houston for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who's running for Texas governor, Hutchison was joined by Cheney, who endorsed her bid against fellow Republican incumbent Rick Perry. During the rally, Hutchison yelled out to the crowd "Cheney 2012!" and some one in the audience quickly responded "We need you, Dick!"
Cheney's response: "Not a chance."
Barron says the group hopes to follow up Friday’s Web launch with a more formal structure, which will include building a database and reaching out through social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Barron adds that there is no budget set yet, and that the effort is grassroots at this point. He says the group plans on targeting tea party events and plans on building grassroots chapters in key early presidential caucus and primary states including Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
–CNN's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
Can't we just nuke ourselves and be done with it?
These Cheney fans are morons in more than one way, they use the theme "draft Cheney 2012" but these idiots fail to realize that Cheney was deferred from active duty in 'more than one draft order' which shows his cowardliness.
The article stated that Cheney would be drafted for the job. Those folks must not recall history. Cheney's record on draft dodging is legendary. The coward has no problem sending other kids to die in conflicts but he has a yellow streak on his back when his turn has come.
Dick Cheney? The same Dick Cheney that sent Scooter Libby to the St. Regis Hotel? The same Dick Cheney that shot his hunting buddy in the face? The same two-heart-attack Dick Cheney with the implanted defibrillator and deep venous thrombosis? The same Dick Cheney that censored congressional testimony that global warming posts a danger to the public?
No. Absolutely not. I would not be surprised if this guy ends up in jail in the next five years. He's a criminal.
Yup. The guy responsible for putting this country into debt and making us hated around the globe. That's who we need for our next president.
To date our oldest president was Ronald Reagan, who took office at age 69. In 2012 Dick Cheney will be 71. It's possible.
Personally I oppose him on many things, and as of now I expect I would vote against him almost as much as 'for' his opponent. However, he towers over all the other Republican contenders in experience and in consistency and in plain old gravitas. So I might not like where he's going, but I think he would be utterly competent doing it.
will he be out of prison by then ?
well, since he good at dodging "drafts" I will bet my salary he dodges this one too. Cheney is a coward, a fake, a liar.
That would bring the Democrats out in full force. LOL
......Are we being, PUNKED'?............I just have to laugh. The republicans, have lost it!.......
Please, PLEASE nominate Cheney as the GOP candidate! It would make 2012 such an easy landslide for Obama!
Dick Cheney is a sociopath. I really can't imagine anything worse.
time to move to cuba
I wish I could think that such a proposal is a joke but we all know it is not. Those behind such a terrible idea are the real enemies of America and on this Thanksgiving weekend I am grateful that Cheney's health problems will keep him from even considering running.
I'm pretty sure he would get a deferment if drafted!
Who is the genius who though of this? Can he say heart attack?
Is this "Draft Cheney" movement going to nominate him as their candidate before or after he's indicted as a War Criminal and for abuse of Presidential power?
Let's see, he actively pursued 5 college deferments during the Vietnam War, citing that he had other interests.
Yet now in the waning years of his life, he will very freely send our fellow citizens into harm's way without adequate plans for success and safety.
Sounds like he's trying to wash away guilt from his youth rather than to do anything worthwhile for our country.
This is April fools day right?
I have more of a chance of getting elected president than Cheney does. Cheney and Palin... a dream ticket for the Democrats.
If the American voter has a choice between the rookie (Obama) and the fiend (Cheney), then I guess it's time to move elsewhere! After eight years of paranoia and warmongering prior to what we have now, why Americans would go back is beyond me! Keep Cheney where he belongs: In retirement!
Great..looks like these nut cases are not happy with two wars and a bad economy..They now want a third and send this country back to the stone age.
Draft Dick Cheney? Please, give him another deferrment!!
You have got to be joking!!! I wonder how he would interview candidates for political office? "Enhanced" interview techniques? I bet he'd take the White House swimming pool and install a nice "waterboarding slide" for the kiddies to play on.
If the Republicans really think that Cheney represents the true values of the GOP and America...God help us all.