August Surprise?

Will Cheney step aside in August, leaving an open slot on the ticket for someone else (Powell? McCain? Giuliani?)? The NY Times states in a story today that a circulating theory "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."

Polls show the Bush/Cheney ticket trails Kerry/Edwards by about 5%, but a Bush/Powell ticket pulls ahead by 9% -- a decisive 14% swing, making clear Cheney's unpopular standing. If these guys will do anything to win, it's hard to believe loyalty to Cheney will win out over the sheer desire to win at any cost. Look for a rock-the-boat change to come, and Kerry/Edwards better be prepared to properly attack it.