2008: Dick Cheney (R) vs Hillary Clinton (D)

[Senator-elect Spark]

The incumbent VP decides to run.. no recession happens

[darklordoftech]

Hillary would win because voting for Iraq would be seen as a lesser evil than being the person responsible for Iraq.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Cheney didn't run because he was dying, in need of a heart transplant. 

In 2004, when I supported John Kerry, I looked forward to the Vice Presidential debate.  I looked forward for John Edwards to just cream Dick Cheney.  And Edwards started strong, but a funny thing happened.  Cheney came off as extremely knowledgeable and authoritative WITHOUT seeming like a fascist or someone who scared people.  Were it not for his health, Cheney would have been the strongest GOP candidate in 2008, and may well have eked out a win.

Now I don't like Cheney; not at all.  But I was surprised by his impressive political bearing.  He came off like a President and not like a jacked-up local politician.  I think Cheney has been sold a bit short as a campaigner.  He's a lot stronger than he's been given credit for.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

I wonder who Cheney's running mate would have been...Hillary's for that matter, too.

I'm really not sure Cheney could have gotten the nomination...he was pretty unpopular and would be seen as unelectable.

If he somehow pulls it off and faces Hillary (who's not too well-liked herself) with NO recession, I think Hillary gets Obama '12's map.

[Grassroots]

Dick Cheney is complicated. When 2007 began, before the recession started, Cheney wasn't running due to his health. Lets say that along with no recession in 08, and Cheney being in a good health state similar to 2004, he runs for the GOP nomination. He would easily take McCain's lane, but Giuliani wouldn't fall like McCain caused him to IRL. Romney and Huckabee wouldn't get to where they were and we would have a three way race between Cheney (Conservative), Giuliani (Moderate), and probably Ron Paul (Libertarian) for the nomination. Lets say Cheney makes it through and wins the nomination. He was already pretty unpopular especially outside the party, and running against Clinton, who was strong in the south, makes for a very bad scenario for Cheney. The result for him is 2008 plus Indiana at best.

Don't get me wrong, I like Cheney a lot (very unpopular opinion) and he is a good campaigner. But he was exactly the thing the democrats were trying to shine on the republicans.

[AtorBoltox]

Wasn't Cheney's approval in the teens by 2008? Hillary landslide of course

[Agonized-Statism]

Vice President Dick Cheney (R-WY) / Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK)
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) / Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) ✓

[Alben Barkley]

Did everyone forget Cheney had like a 7% approval rating? LOL, this would be a massacre. Doesn't even matter if there's a recession. Hillary, who was not nearly as unpopular at the time, would easily win states like Arkansas too.

500-38

[Left Wing]

Did everyone forget Cheney had like a 7% approval rating? LOL, this would be a massacre. Doesn't even matter if there's a recession. Hillary, who was not nearly as unpopular at the time, would easily win states like Arkansas too.

500-38

I’d even go further than that. I’d say she takes Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska and Idaho

[One Term Floridian]

Hillary would crush him. Appalachia would be voting blue here too

[OSR stands with Israel]

Clinton/Biden 452 58.5%
Cheney/Perry 86 40.5%



Fun fact if Cheney doesnt pick Perry and loses Texas hed lose by the same exact EV margin as Goldwater did