Almost Half Of All Americans Favor Impeachment Of Bush And Cheney
A new poll reveals at least 45 percent of Americans support the impeachment of President Bush. But when it comes to Vice President Cheney, the numbers rises to 54 percent in favor :
The White House declined to comment on the poll, the latest bad news for a president who has seen his public opinion standings dragged to record lows by the unpopular war in Iraq.
The US Constitution says presidents and vice presidents can be impeached -- that is, formally charged by the House -- for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" by a simple majority vote.
Conviction by the Senate, which requires a two-thirds majority, means removal from office.
Just two US presidents have been impeached: Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 and acquitted in 1999; Andrew Johnson was impeached and acquitted in 1868. Disgraced president Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 when a House impeachment vote appeared likely.
An impeachment resolution is before the House, and has nine co-sponsors, so far. But Democratic leaders, including Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, who allowed her grassroots activists to drum up 'unofficial' support for impeachment of the president during last year's mid-term elections, is now opposed to impeachment proceedings going ahead.
