Should Cheney Be Next?

"The White House has never been a cozy place to work, but under this President Bush, who hates change and who has rarely been able to dismiss anyone, it became something of a sinecure."

No more. Richard Wolffe and Holly Bailey write in Newsweek: "Nervous aides, who knew Bolten wasn't done yet, began listening for random applause coming from West Wing offices, especially during senior staff meetings. 'It could be a clue' that someone was headed out the door, says a White House aide who didn't want to be named talking about the new boss. 'It's really weird right now,' says another senior White House official who likewise asked for anonymity. 'People are worried about their jobs.' "

A Thousand Days

Arthur Schlesinger Jr. writes in a Washington Post opinion piece: "The Hundred Days is indelibly associated with Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Thousand Days with John F. Kennedy. But as of this week, a thousand days remain of President Bush's last term -- days filled with ominous preparations for and dark rumors of a preventive war against Iran. . . .

"There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war."

Sean Wilentz writes in Rolling Stone: "George W. Bush's presidency appears headed for colossal historical disgrace. Barring a cataclysmic event on the order of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, after which the public might rally around the White House once again, there seems to be little the administration can do to avoid being ranked on the lowest tier of U.S. presidents. And that may be the best-case scenario. Many historians are now wondering whether Bush, in fact, will be remembered as the very worst president in all of American history."

Former Nixon White House counsel John W. Dean writes on Findlaw.com: "If anyone doubts that Bush, Cheney, Rove and their confidants are planning an 'October Surprise' to prevent the Republicans from losing control of Congress, then he or she has not been observing this presidency very closely. . . .

"One possibility is that Dick Cheney will resign as Vice President for 'health reasons,' and become a senior counselor to the president. And Bush will name a new vice president - a choice geared to increase his popularity, as well as someone electable in 2008. It would give his sinking administration a new face, and new life."

Another possibility, Dean writes: "Bush may mount a unilateral attack on Iran's nuclear facilities - hoping to rev up his popularity."

The Five-Point Plan

Mike Allen writes in Time: "The marker that is uppermost in the minds of Bush's inner circle is Nov. 7, when Republicans could lose control of the House and even the Senate. 'If we don't keep Congress, there won't be a legacy,' said a presidential adviser. 'The legacy will be investigations and fights over Executive privilege' with newly empowered Democrats. . . .

"Friends and colleagues of Bolten told Time about an informal, five-point 'recovery plan' for Bush that is aimed at pushing him up slightly in opinion polls and reassuring Republican activists, whose disaffection could cost him dearly in November."

The Bolten plan, writes Allen, includes tough talk on Iran, visibly beefing up law enforcement at the Mexican border, an extension of rate cuts for stock dividends and capital gains, continued courting of the press and -- get this -- bragging more.

Writes Allen: "White House officials who track coverage of Bush in media markets around the country said he garnered his best publicity in months from a tour to promote enrollment in Medicare's new prescription-drug plan. So they are planning a more focused and consistent effort to talk about the program's successes after months of press reports on start-up difficulties. Bolten's plan also calls for more happy talk about the economy. With gas prices a heavy drain on Bush's popularity, his aides want to trumpet the lofty stock market and stable inflation and interest rates. They also plan to highlight any glimmer of success in Iraq, especially the formation of a new government, in an effort to balance the negative impression voters get from continued signs of an incubating civil war."