Few batted an eye when Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean said Vice President Dick Cheney should resign, since such personalization of political differences has become the way of Washington these days.

Yet, this is one of those situations in which Dean should be careful. He might not like what could happen if his political rhetoric were to become reality.

After all, that would allow George W. Bush to name a new second-in-command, and go a long way toward anointing the president’s potential successor in 2008.

Dean’s comments reflect the mentality of talking first and thinking later that is all too prevalent inside the Beltway.

Whomever Bush would pick – unless that person at the time immediately took themselves out of the 2008 running – would almost certainly become the clear front-runner for the GOP nomination. That would potentially avoid, or at least limit, a messy Republican nomination fight.

Now, let’s be clear here. Barring revelations that would be shocking even to the most cynical, the chances that Cheney will resign aren’t even between slim and none.

They are none and none.

President Bush is a loyal guy, and a lame duck at that. He needs to curry public opinion to maximize his leverage on Capitol Hill for his legislative program, but he is never going to face the voters again. He worries little of the spillover on himself from any Cheney problems.

Now, one might imagine that the Democrats want the Republicans in 2008 to have the messiest, longest-lasting primary process possible in order to bleed party fundraisers dry and maximize disunity within the GOP.

Cheney is certainly a fat target. He was never popular with the public anyway, and of late, he has become the subject of the day for journalists and late-night comedians, not to mention Democrats, and even some Republicans.

But if one were to think strategically, there is little gain and much risk for the Dean team if Cheney were to accede to his request.

Dean, apparently figuring he needed another headline to continue the Democratic offensive that the White House and GOP are ethically challenged, used an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation” to make his suggestion.

Referring to former Cheney Chief of Staff “Scooter” Libby’s indictment in connection with the disclosure of a CIA operative’s identity, Dean said that if the vice president had authorized such a leak, then Cheney should not remain in office.

“It may be that the vice president leaked security information in a time of war in order to discredit political opponents. I don’t think the vice president has any credibility on national security whatsoever and I think he’s in deep trouble,” Dean said. “If it turns out that Scooter Libby, who said this week that his superiors ordered him to leak the information for political reasons, then this vice president may not be vice president very much longer. … If that’s true the vice president cannot remain in office.”

Now, the allegations about Cheney authorizing the leak are just that, but even if they were established fact, why in the world would Dean want Cheney out of office?

If that happened, then the next time Cheney was involved in a hunting accident no one would care.

Seriously though, it has been 40 years since the Republicans entered the presidential primary process without a clear front-runner if not presumptive nominee. This has led to relatively mild primary campaigns and the ensuing unity gets at least some credit for the GOP winning seven of the past 10 presidential elections.

Cheney has no presidential ambitions and Sen. John McCain of Arizona is probably the leader at this point in the GOP contest for 2008. But, his edge is a tenuous one and subject to questions about his acceptance among core conservatives, who dominate the GOP candidate selection process.

Why would Dean want to give the president a chance to strengthen the GOP hand for 2008? Who knows whom Bush would pick – maybe McCain, or perhaps someone more conservative and relatively unknown who might benefit considerably from three years in the public eye as vice president.

It makes me wonder if the cutthroat mentality that has taken over Washington these days isn’t overriding common sense.