From the NY Times front page:
In the annals of Washington conspiracy theories, the latest one, about Vice President Dick Cheney’s future on the Republican ticket, is as ingenious as it is far-fetched. But that has not stopped it from racing through Republican and Democratic circles like the latest low-carb diet.
The newest theory – advanced privately by prominent Democrats, including members of Congress – holds that Mr. Cheney recently dismissed his personal doctor so that he could see a new one, who will conveniently tell him in August that his heart problems make him unfit to run with Mr. Bush. The dismissed physician, Dr. Gary Malakoff, who four years ago declared that Mr. Cheney was “up to the task of the most sensitive public office” despite a history of heart disease, was dropped from Mr. Cheney’s medical team because of an addiction to prescription drugs.
“I don’t know where they get all these conspiracy theories,” said Matthew Dowd, the Bush campaign’s chief strategist, who has heard them all. “It’s inside-the-Beltway coffee talk, is all it is.”
Comments?
(cross-posted at Red State)
HH
Perhaps instead of printing gossip on the front page, they ought to take that space to offer a mea culpa for their coverage of the “16 words” including giving Wilson a platform to lie…
Gutrumbles
HH:
Agreed, but that will be a cold day in a traditionally hot place.
ape
perhaps instead of printing gossip on the front page they can get the real news about Kerry + the intern. damn that liberal media!
Ian Wood
Blah blah Cheney blah bad blah Bush blah lie blah blorp evil blah causes impotence blarg vote Kerry.
shark
Since they’re running rumor and speculation on the front page, maybe they want to give that space to real gossip columnists like Liz Smith or Cindy Adams?
Rey
The reason this was released by the Dihmicrats is because they fear it will happen. So, if you accuse the republicans of having an evil plan to replace cheney the the republicans must deny it. If they do replace cheney, the dihmicrats can say: “See we told you so…”
Tongue Boy
It’s the silly season
Ken Hahn
The Times will do anything to avoid the issues. Promote Joe Wilson, the 16 words, Cheney’s health and Edwards’ hair are their stock in trade because if the American people learn Kerry’s real views and his possible actions Bush will slaughter him this October. Does Kerry have to declare the New York Times’ operating budget as a campaign contribution?
Kimmitt
We don’t want to get into that, I don’t think; otherwise, the entire budget outlay for the Iraq war would make the Bush Campaign the most enormous on record.
Dean
Kimmitt:
Let’s make this explicit. Are you saying that Bush launched this war in order to be reelected?
Kimmitt
I’d state that the NYT exists for the purpose of getting Kerry elected to an extremely similar degree to which the war was launched to get Bush (re)elected.