Evidence that the News Media are Bored

Some believe Cheney may have dismissed doctor to get out of race

Here's my question: if Bush wants Cheney out, or Cheney wants out, why is such an elaborate scheme necessary? It ain't like he has to have a doctor's note.

And again with the "prominent Republican" label being given to Alfonse "I have been nearly invisible for six years" D'Amato:

But some prominent Republicans, including former Senator Alfonse D'Amato, believe Bush would do better without Cheney on the ticket.

Here's the link to the NYT story which notes:

Mr. Cook's column came less than a week after Alfonse M. D'Amato, the once-influential Republican senator from New York, said on the cable station NY1 that Mr. Bush should replace Mr. Cheney with Mr. Powell or Mr. McCain. Mr. D'Amato's motives have stirred speculation among New Yorkers, although some who know him well said that getting attention might have been primary among them. An assistant in Mr. D'Amato's office said Wednesday that he would have no further comment on the matter.

Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said that Mr. D'Amato's comments had not thrown the White House into any evident frenzy. As Mr. King recounted it, he was recently at the White House with another member of Congress and had a brief conversation with Mr. Bush. The other member of Congress mentioned Mr. D'Amato's comments to Mr. Bush, Mr. King said, and Mr. Bush laughed.

"He didn't seem concerned or angry," Mr. King said. "And then I said that Al is getting married on Sunday and he's got other things on his mind." Mr. Bush responded, Mr. King said, by saying, "Tell him the president wishes him well on his wedding day."

At least the Times get's D'Amato's status right. And I suspect that they have well-identified his motivations as well as Bush's reaction to the whole thing.

Given that an alarming number of people in this country can't name the Vice President, and further that the empirical evidence suggests that runnning mates make little difference in elections, I find all of this discussion to be somewhat, well, silly.

Update: Kevin of Wizbang has a similar assessment: Slow News Day.

Update II: James Joyner comments.

And I will further add: I expect that Cheney's numbers wil go up after the debates.

Posted by Steven Taylor at July 15, 2024 08:46 AM | TrackBack