The Supreme Court held its own version of a national election and elected Bush and Cheney, by a vote of five to four. The answer to this question is therefore academic. After spearheading almost eight years of horribly destructive national policies, the answer no longer matters to the increasingly bleak future of America or its citizens.
But the answer to a logically following question surely does matter, or soon will.
Since 2001, Cheney has consistently declared he wishes to retire to private life when his term expires in January 2009.
This also is not at all remarkable, given that he will be almost 68 years old, particularly in view of his long history of serious heart problems.
In June 1978, while campaigning to be Wyoming's Representative in Congress, Cheney suffered a heart attack. He was 37 years old at the time. Cheney suffered a second heart attack in 1984 and a third in 1988. Two months later, Cheney underwent a four-vessel bypass operation, commonly called a quadruple bypass.
On November 21, 2000 the Florida Supreme Court ruled that recounts should be made in the contested Florida presidential election. This decision gravely imperiled Cheney's planned professional future. At 3:00 AM the next morning, Cheney suffered a fourth heart attack.
The Florida Supreme Court decision was overturned by the United States Supreme Court. Cheney recovered and was seated as Vice President.
Less than two months later, in March 2001, Cheney experienced unstable angina and underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty. Cheney was found to suffer episodes of asymptomatic ectopy. A defibrillator was installed in his chest.
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