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
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cheney palin for the gop in 2012. President Obama would not even need to campaign. He could devote all his energy to getting ready for his second term.
If there is any sure way for the Democrats to win 2012, it is with Cheney or Palin on the ticket.
Dick Cheney is a traitor. What would the Repuglicans have said if any former Democratic elected official conducted him or herself in the manner he has, questioning every step the sitting President had made? This man should be brought up on charges. He has proven over and over that he is unfit for office. He (and the others in the party of "No") disgust me, collectively and singularly. Go away!
I'm a conservative Republican who likes and respects Cheney. But draft him for President? Are you people out of your mind? Dole, McCain, and now you want to hand a lifetime achievement award to another candidate who can't possibly win the general election?
I'm no political strategist, but wouldn't it make more sense for the Republican party to look forward, rather than back? Especially considering the fact that Cheney had rock-bottom approval rates and the Bush/Cheney administration was largely to blame for the Democratic sweep in congress?
Not to mention that Cheney is about as likable as a rancid, shriveled up prune.
Just my two sense.
After 8 years of DIck Cheney as running this country didn't we learn enough!!!???
They have GOT to be kidding....Cheney was central to America descending into the various quagmires we now struggle as a nation to free ourselves from. Hopefully by 2012 he will be wearing an orange jumpsuit and serving jail time for both treason and war crimes.
This is a joke right?
This man is a murderer and war criminal – no better than Hitler or Pol Pot. Except that Hitler was more intelligent and Pol Pot was better looking.
Cheney should be tried at the Hague and anyone who would want this sociopath to be president should be locked up with him.
This is either: (1) yet another sign of how self-deluded the rightwing underbelly of this nation is......a discredited DICK back in the whitehouse? Really?!? or (2) the "draft" group is just a covert group of [D]s that realize any move to re-inflict the Bush/Cheney FAILURE on America again is sure to be a boon for the [D]s.
The problem is, most everyone doesn't like him.
Are you kidding me, or what?
Why would we want a President whose finger prints are all over some highly suspect political moves in hiding his less than above board deeds. During the last round of presidential elections his own party kept him out of the main stream. He conveniently sits back with no responsibilities and take pot shots at a sitting president that has them. This guy has some serious character flaws, president ... no way.
Oh, this will be awesome. By awesome, I mean fail catastrophically.
I sure hope not....he is one big DIVIDER....
WHY can't anyone remember that it took President Bush over 4 months to decide to send troops for the surge?????? WHY?????
Mr. Dick is afraid of the word "draft".
The US military was deferred from drafting him six, yes, six times.
When asked about that, Cheney commented, "I had better things to do."
He does have a good hand soap though, it completely removes the blood of US soldiers that he has on his hands.
mike
Dont these morons know that he would not pass the physical because of his heart? Not just because of its condition due to the bypasses, but because he doesnt have much of one at all anyway.. That man is too frightening to even imagine in the white house.
I'm all for drafting Cheney–into the Army.
It would be hard for Cheney to run for president from jail........but I wouldn't be surprised if he tried.
What a wonderful gift for the Democrats! With approval figures in the single digits, Cheney has less than the proverbial snowball's chance.
We don't need another war president like Bush in the WH. Cheney was responsible for advising Bush to invade Iraq a war closest to the Vietnam war that Nixon ended and Obama was suppose to end months back. It appears that we need someone that can make decisions without hesitation.
the truth would come out ... cheney will no part of the truth
if he is still alive by that time, and he was president for eight years while his puppet, bush was in the white house. this would be a horrible mistake to have this man in the white house again
One word for this group who believes Cheney is a respectible man with the right principles, experience and character.
DENIAL
Here we go again with this war criminal.. Imagine Sarah and him in the White House; then his electronic heart gives out, and voila we have Sarah Palin, the most imcompetent of them all as the president of this once great nation. I can't believe how low some people will stoop for power and money.. Its all a bad dream
This is why the GOP will be dead in the water for the foreseeable future. It needs to do two things to get people interested in it again. 1. Become the party of fiscal responsibility and 2. Dump the Religious Right or at least marginalize it. Then it will appeal to the middle.