NPR: Cheney to Be in Charge While Bush Has Colonoscopy

Cheney to Be in Charge While Bush Has Colonoscopy

I'm getting to be "that age now," as my mother says. The age that means uncomfortable things like colonoscopies. I'm going to have one in a few weeks, so I can sympathize with President Bush, who The Associated Press reports will have a colonoscopy Saturday.

This actually marks at least the fourth time Bush has undergone this procedure. In the late '90s, doctors found some benign polyps, so they want to follow up over time. I give the president full marks. Just thinking about having it done once is daunting, let alone four times.

The other part of this news, of course, is that when you have a colonoscopy, they knock you out or at least relax you enough that you're not completely coherent. So this means that Vice President Dick Cheney will be in charge while the president is indisposed, so to speak.

Hmmm. I know some people who will be nervous with Cheney in charge. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, for instance, might have a long day Saturday hoping for the president to get back to work quickly.

3:19 PM ET | 07-20-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

And who is in charge when Bush is not having a colonoscopy?

Sent by Carol Still | 3:56 PM ET | 07-20-2007

As much as I would love to see Bush turn over the reigns of power, having Cheney backstage is more than scarey.Then again, I suspect Dick is used to calling the shots by now...

Sent by Mike Christopher | 4:16 PM ET | 07-20-2007

Upon learning of the temporty change my first reaction was, "My God, we could be at war with Iran 5 minutes after Bush goes under."

Sent by Jerry Schwab | 4:45 PM ET | 07-20-2007

Let's hope none of Chertoff's "gut feelings" come true while W's under anaesthesia...there has been a lot of talk lately about an upcoming attack - are we being prepared for something?
Didn't McNamara tell us of government planned attacks in the US to justify invasion of Cuba? Perhaps a Cheney Emergency Presidency will wake us up to the dark realities of this administration.

Sent by Lee Carleton | 8:16 PM ET | 07-20-2007

So during his colonoscopy the president will not be completely coherent? Will anybody notice?

Sent by John R. Otten | 2:37 PM ET | 07-24-2007

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