I'm amazed at some of the wizards on this site. Kucinich?

Hillary is, let's be clear, a terrible choice for any number of reasons. She is not a number two for anyone, and provides no balance to Obama. Plus, they can't stand each other, and that would be clear during a campaign.

I think Obama would do well to run with a woman - I think Sebelius or Napolitano is the best choice. But he might do just as well if not better with a moderate to conservative Southern or Heartland male: Hagel (a great choice who embodies Obama's themes of crossing over), Sam Nunn (really good choice), or Gov. Kaine. Or Gen. Zinni, an antiwar (Iraq, that is) military guy.

Dark horses on the table only because they could help bring in important swing states: Gov. Strickland in Ohio, Rendell in Pa., and Sen. McCaskill of Mo.

Posted at May 8, 2008 9:52 PM in response to NOT good Obama Veep choices

Folks, we can talk about history and oppression against black people, how older people are hardened by these experiences and that it is reflected in their language (as in Wright's case), but the bottom line is that Obama can't legitimately talk about uniting and bringing everyone together by moving away from the old ways while he's been so closely connected to someone who doesn't reflect that. Religion is way too often a disuniting force in our country. Whether language that drives wedges is from White Evangelicals or Black preachers, it's wrong. As a strong Obama supporter, I say he has to address this in a much more forceful way, almost as Romney did in response to bigotry and misunderstandings surrounding his beliefs. He has an opportunity now both to dispatch with these ridiculous, insidious Muslim hate rumors and to put in their place Wright's more scurrilous and hurtful remarks - all while articulating what he believes, how it supports and underwrites his public policy views, and speaks to the proper role (or none) of religion and belief in politics and society. Not every voter has read his book[s], and now that he's viewed as a very likely nominee for president and very potentially the next president, he needs to really lead on this and take control (as much as he can) of the debate about him and what he's about.

Posted at March 14, 2008 10:32 AM in response to Ferraro and Olbermann and Wright. And Hill and Bill. (Oh my.)

Demos need to get off this idea of a ticket of Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama. It just won't work.

Aside from the obvious skepticism most voters would take of the two on the same ticket because of the heated and nasty nature of the campaign, they are not a good complement. To win, Demos have to take the independent vote from McCain. That will require someone far different as number two than either of them.

They need some regional balance, someone with extensive national security experience (neither one has it), someone who can help bring at least a swing state or two, and/or someone from executive experience (Governor, etc.). Neither one gives the other any of these.

This is just Hillary's way of trying to marginalize Obama into a "Number Two" guy. If he really is a new breed of character, when asked if he'd consider being on a ticket with her, he'd way, "I will - when pigs fly.".

Posted at March 9, 2008 1:11 AM in response to Why the Clinton campaign is pushing "Obama as VP" so hard (and the best way for him to respond)

Thank you for bringing this up. I too am frustrated at Dems' argument that either candidate is a better option in the end than McCain. I disagree stridently. Voting for a Democrat like Clinton who plays on our fears, knows only traditional interest-group politics and is implicitly campaigning to suppress new voters doesn't make sense.

If, after years of nominating no-win candidates who get the Demos' nomination by playing traditional interest-group politics (Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry, even Gore), the Democrats won't learn their lesson and nominate Hillary Clinton, then they deserve to lose and start over to learn their lesson. Under no circumstances will I vote for Hillary or any Clinton (or any Bush, for that matter), and if she's the nominee will happily vote for McCain, a man of character with whose policies I generally disagree. I'd rather have someone with integrity in the White House than one whose policies might be more like mine but who will further the corruption, cynicism, and gridlock of the past 25 years.

The Democrats need to get it, or they can forget about a huge chunk of the one-third of the population (and steadily growing at that) that's independent. Obama offers that chance, and a chance to win this November, but only because he could drive turnout through new voters and independents Hillary can't.

Posted at March 8, 2008 8:21 AM in response to Younger Dems, Hillary Haters, LISTEN UP!