Cheney's surgery excuse to elevate Condi??

The following story brings me to the long anticipated (by me at least) thought that Cheney would use a medical excuse to resign, and Bush to appoint current Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to the office of Vice President. She's been confirmed by the Senate twice, most recently earlier this year, so I don't see her having a problem being confirmed.

Such a scenario would immediately vault her to frontrunner status as heir-apparent for the 2008 GOP nomination. (That field is still wide open, with Virginia Sen. George Allen and former NY Mayor Rudy Guiliani leading early straw polls, such as the one that Patrick Ruffini runs monthly.)

Granted, the surgery described in the article below appears to be minor.

QUOTE(AP)

Cheney to Have Surgery Next Weekend
Sep 16 5:26 PM US/Eastern
WASHINGTON

Vice President Dick Cheney will undergo an elective surgery next weekend to treat an aneurism in an artery behind his right knee.

The condition, discovered earlier this year during a routine checkup, needs to be treated "as to not become a problem over time," Steve Schmidt, counselor to the vice president, said Friday.

"The procedure will be performed under local anesthetic," Schmidt said. "It will take place next weekend. It will involve a short hospital stay. The vice president will return to work shortly thereafter."

Schmidt said more details will be announced next week.