When does the incumbent US President customarily select and announce
his Vice-Presidential running mate?
Earlier in 2004 I saw Vice President Richard Bruce Cheney state in a
matter-of-fact way that he was on the Republican ticket for 2004-NOV.
I thought at the time it was presumptuous of a VP to say so.  I would
have expected that the normally barely visible VP to sound very
deferential and say, only when asked,  I would be honored to serve
again if the President were to ask me.

So, is there a protocol or custom that the VP waits for the President
to formally announce the fall ticket?

Hello grthumongous-ga,

I couldn?t find anything about a protocol for an incumbent president
announcing whether he is planning to keep the incumbent vice president
as his running mate for re-election. I have found a recent reference
to President Bush indicating that he will retain Cheney as his running
mate and several earlier references confirming your recollection about
Cheney stating that he will be on the 2004 ticket.

I believe the selection of the VP is up to the incumbent President but
I can?t provide information for my basis for saying so. I trust
another researcher will find this information for you.

~ czh ~

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040224-103800-5086r.htm
February 25, 2004
Bush affirms Cheney on fall ticket

President Bush denies reports that he plans to replace his vice
president on the 2004 ticket, delighting staunch conservatives and
emboldening Democrats who plan to make him the target of their
special-interest charges.

The president said in November 2002 that Dick Cheney would be his
running mate again, but recent reports have mused about Mr. Cheney's
imminent replacement. The reports have become so numerous that Mr.
Bush addressed them ? humorously ? in his speech Monday to the
Republican Governors Association.



http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86199,00.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/politics/national/stories/050703dnmetcheney.7f8a3.html
Cheney: I will be on 2004 ticket 
VP speaks at SMU, says health fine despite laryngitis
05/07/2003 

By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News 
Vice President Dick Cheney confirmed Tuesday that he would be
President Bush's running mate in 2004.
"The president has asked me if I would serve again as his running
mate," Mr. Cheney told The Dallas Morning News during an interview in
Dallas. "I've agreed to do that."