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The VP Question
Some are already busy speculating about who we might see as Obama's choice for a running mate. I think that this will be a very interesting question in time, but as for right now I'm far more interested in who McCain might choose.
Many have offered up possible choices for Obama that might help him with the so-called "Reagan Democrats". This may be likely. I'd like you to consider Obama against McCain, sans running mates, for a moment. I think it's safe to say that the top issue in November will be the economy closely followed by the war in Iraq (and hopefully not a war in Iran). McCain is in a tough situation in that he's representing the party that can and will be blamed squarely for screwing both of these things up. Also, in gaining the support of his party he's had to shed his centrist appeal as a "maverick" in order to proffer his status as a genuine Republican. In my view, this means that he faces the difficulty of needing to distance himself from Bush to win the middle, but not so much that he alienates his party (though I'll admit that Republicans seem to live by a certain code of loyalty that may help him here). In any case, it seems that he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
There is another dimension that should be considered. Dick Cheney and David Addington have worked tirelessly to redefine the role of the Vice President, with Cheney going so far as to assert that this office lies neither within the Executive or Legislative branch, but rather within the "Go F*ck Yourself" branch. Consider also that the VP must be willing to assume the office of the President should the need arise. John McCain may not be in the best of health.
Taking all of this in total, I think that McCain's choice of running mate may indeed be a make or break decision in terms of being competitive. The question then becomes: Who will it be? I've heard Rice floated. I consider this a relatively strong possibility even though she has stated that she has no desire to run for any elected office. Not only would this choice give his ticket gravitas with the neo-con crowd, but it would also have the added bonus of trumping somewhat the historic implications of a Presidency by either Obama or Clinton.
However, I think there are probably some other choices around that may be even more well-suited to helping McCain be competitive. On the one hand you might see someone that appeals very strongly to the conservative base which could potentially free McCain to don once again his "maverick" hat. This could go the other way with someone who is meant to have more centrist appeal while betting on the essential loyalty of the party base. Either way, I think it has to be someone who would make a strong Republican candidate in their own right since we may well see McCain's age and/or health brought into question. This may well mean one of the other candidates, perhaps Romney or even Huckabee.
I'd be very interested to hear thoughts that any of you may have on this topic.
Comments (144)
Donald Trump, actually, had the best line on Condelezza Rice. Paraphrased: "Name one thing she has done? There are people all over the world dying to make deals, and she hasn't made one single deal as Sec. of State."
May 7, 2008 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm certainly no fan of hers. She's never impressed me in the slightest. In fact, quite the opposite.
Even so, she's definitely a name that I've heard thrown out there. I think that, my personal opinion about her aside, she would appeal to people like Bill Kristol, but may prove too close for comfort in the mind of the average voter.
May 7, 2008 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I knew you probably didn't like her DF. I'm just saying it's really shocking when you think about it. Condi's done literally nothing.
Agreed, she's definitely too close to comfort for most people. I think he'll make a very safe pick like Crist or something. (Not that I know much about him except he's from FLA...)
May 7, 2008 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not only that, but she'd cause McCain to lose a certain segment (or two) of the Republican base.
Won't someone think of the racists and/or misogynists?
May 7, 2008 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's a lesbian, there's absolutely no way the Republicans are going to run her.
May 7, 2008 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Similarly, Lindsey Graham is likely out for being gay.
May 7, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
The same reason I think Charlie Crist is likely out as a possible VP contender. There's far too much chatter about his closeness with certain young male Republican staffers. Not that I think this ought to disqualify him, mind you. As a gay man, and as an American, I don't think where you decide to place your genitals (provided they're welcome where you wish to place them) should determine your political future. Just saying that it's not likely McCain will be eager to have that potential scandal lying in wait.
May 8, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
If that is so, how in the world did she ever make that Freudian slip when she referred to Bush as her husband? That is an unbelievable flub for a person who never even had a husband unless she was fantasizing about it. Yuck! The very thought makes my teeth itch!
Also, don't you think that she could be tarred with being the one who ignored binLadin's warning before 911? It's all there in the record, although it's been effectively supressed.
May 7, 2008 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
My first thought when Rice started being floated was that it would be a very wise choice because of what DF mentions about the historical implications of the Democratic candidate. But the more I think about it, I think Rice's identification with the Bush administration could be a problem. "McBush" labels would be even easier to apply. I also thought her chances were diminished when the torture business came out last month.
May 7, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, so it's egregious when people say this about Clinton, but it's okay to fire away on Rice?
May 7, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lesbian? Maybe. There have also been rumors linking her to Canadian foreign minister Peter McKay:
That's from the Globe & Mail, Sept. 13, 2006: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060913.wRice13/PPVStory/?DENIED=1
But that link probably won't work for non-subscribers. The rumors were also covered, with pics (but, unfortunately for foreign-affairs gossips, also quashed) in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/13/washington/13diplo.html
May 7, 2008 10:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can't tell you, but I've seen more credible info showing what looks like a long term relationship with a woman she owns a townhouse with.
May 8, 2008 1:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, I would chase her around the bedroom more than just a few times. I don't think she is a lesbian. Not my business....but she is pretty hot.
May 8, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Are you sure? She sure is hung up on expensive high heels... makes me wonder
May 7, 2008 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Caringthinkingperson: I don't have opinion on Condi's sexuality, but why would high heels rule out her being a lesbian? Have you seen the crazy/intense jackets that Suze Orman wears?!? :)
May 8, 2008 12:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
it was my attempt at humor
May 8, 2008 3:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Caringthinkingperson: I know, I liked it... Me to (that's why I threw in the smiley face).... :) There's an SNL sketch about Suze Orman and her 3,000 intense and tacky jackets.
May 8, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've heard her name thrown out too. And if he chooses her, I will have to run to my living room and check for a Christmas tree, and see if Santa actually really did come early. Rice? The worst National Security Adviser in history and the worst Secretary of State in history, all rolled into one? With her blood drenched torture hands and angel of death black boots? Condi the admitted war criminal? Condi, who, if Barack gets elected, may very well go to jail? Condi, who is reviled by the African American community, by women, and by anyone who isn't as far to the right as a person can get? Condi, on whose watch world wide terrorism has exploded, and Hamas has become a legit government? Biggest gift we could get. Please God, let him choose this C-word.
May 8, 2008 12:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
What do you all think about Kathleen Sebelius (Gov of Kansas)? I don't know much about her but I've heard she's a rising star in the Democratic party too. Of course there would be people saying he's picking a woman for pandering reasons, but that would cover gender and rural. Not that I think he has problems with either of those groups, but maybe it would be enough to stop the media spin.
May 7, 2008 11:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tikitiki-tembo-no-sar-rem-bo-chari-bari-ruchi-pip-peri-pembo:
I like Sebelius, but I have an observation that is likely to get me attacked: I don't want us to go for every glass ceiling in one campaign. We need a large amount of Indys and Republicans to win this election. I just fear too much all at once. A woman and a black man? I'm great with it, but what about an old white man who is just sick enough of the current regime to vote Dem, but maybe not sick enough to vote for a black man and a woman? I am perhaps way off base here, and I don't mean to offend anyone. My gut is hoping that he just chooses a safe white guy like Webb. If the concern is to win over Hillary voters who claim, likely out of emotion, that they won't vote for Obama, I don't think picking Sebelius, Napolitano, or McCaskill (or even Gregoire) will bring them back. But I also don't believe they are truly lost. They will remember the two impending SCOTUS vacancies and come back to their senses. I have faith.
May 8, 2008 12:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Women are half the population. If Obama picks the right woman for VP, the pickup in their votes should swamp those of the old misogynist white guys you describe. Aside from Edwards or Richardson, I don't see too many prominent white male Democrats who cry out for consideration.
If Obama can persuade the country to elect a black president, getting a woman VP elected should be a piece of cake.
May 8, 2008 2:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've been hearing Bobby Jindal's name floated about recently as a possible VP for John McCain. He's the Indian American governor of Louisiana, he's very young, pretty popular with the right wingnuts.
May 7, 2008 7:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not incredibly familiar with him, but right off the bat he seems like he might be viewed as too young. He'll be 37 in a month, meaning that he's just barely old enough to meet the requirement in the Constitution to hold the office of President.
May 7, 2008 7:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
37 is much better than 837!
May 7, 2008 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think he will go with Crist. The poster boy for skin cancer.
May 8, 2008 12:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I saw Crist speaking for McCain a few days ago, explaining the most recent gaffe (don't recall which, maybe the 'we're in Iraq for the oil' slip-up). Up close, Crist has some wierd facial tics, eyebrow twitches and such. That may not disqualify him for VP, but there's something going on there.
May 8, 2008 4:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think Crist is a lot more likely if HRC is the nominee. He'll want to try to take Florida out of that equation.
May 8, 2008 7:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Limbaugh said this, so the idea of floating it must come directly from on high. This could be a Dan Quayle level of unforced error.
May 7, 2008 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
The outstanding Frontline episodes called "Bush's War," showed that the Rice emperor has no clothes. Her role in the first year's of the administration as NSA was a complete and utter disaster, one marked by both incompetence and an unwillingness to meet the crisis of her time. I suspect McCain will cater to the right and perhaps try to lure disfranchised Clinton women with someone like Elizabeth Dole.
As for Obama, I've yet to hear anyone suggest a rock-solid choice, and I think his choice is much more important than McCain's (ironic, of course, because McCain's age should make his choice more critical). As a fierce independent voter, I'd prefer Chuck Hagel if he would declare himself an Independent or join the Democratic party. Definitely some down side here, yes, but I'd like to see Obama shake the very foundations of the process by making such a bold and historic choice.
They would win in a landslide.
May 7, 2008 7:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Elizabeth Dole is an interesting option. Although she's the same age as McCain, she would definitely have a certain amount of appeal with women and also carries some weight with the party.
May 7, 2008 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, I will play this game. Please, please put Condelezza Rice on the ticket. I want her on the ticket because her time in the current administration is just the reminder that we need to motivate Democratic voters, Independents and some Republicans to get out and vote for the Democrat.
If she was on the ticket and I was sketching out a commercial, I would use the 9/11 commission hearings where she pretended she didn't know or she didn't want to know about the Presidential Daily Briefing.
May 7, 2008 7:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed! Can you imagine the commercials Dean will run on her? Brilliant. Seriously, can we come up with some Operation Chaos type campaign to get him to pick her? This would be the best news of the whole campaign. As someone who is trying to appear as something other than a Bush third termer, picking Rice would be incongruous, to say the least. But repugs are dumb, and they would probably look at the racial/gender aspect and conclude it's a good choice.
May 8, 2008 12:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think McCain will be hurt by any decision he makes. Right now the republican voters are warming up to the idea however I'm also betting they are doing so with their ideal VP candidate in their mind on his ticket. Right now he is trying to be everything to everybody. His SCOTUS panel was uber-conservative as the feeling is that the far right base will hold their nose and vote for him if they are promised like minded SCOTUS nominations. How will this play to the centrist/moderates he'll have to court as well? Will he dangle a moderate VP candidate to appease them?
Can you be everything to everybody in this day in age? McCain seems to like to cater to his crowd and with camera's everywhere and Youtube, that could be a real problem for him.
I like Hagel as Obama's Sec of Defense, however as a social conservative I don't thinkl there would be room for him atop the ticket.
May 7, 2008 7:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like the counterbalance of a social conservative like Hagel to Barack's "Most Liberal Senator" tag.
May 8, 2008 12:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's a National Review tag, not a legit measure. Trust me, the most liberal senator would not be willing to entertain nuclear energy, or even utter the words "clean coal." I disagree with my candidate on a very few issues, and these are a couple of them. With that said, he is not even close to the most liberal. He doesn't even support gay marriage! Sheesh.
Also, there is nothing he gets from Hagel that he doesn't get by picking Webb.
Obama/Webb '08.
May 8, 2008 12:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
libgirl: I know it's their tag, but it plays on radio. I listen to a ton of radio (sports and conservative talk, and NPR of course), and it's a hammer. I'm looking for a monkey wrench to this and other negative tags.
Speaking of the monkey-wrench idea, Hagel gives an earth-shattering signal that Barack's here to fix problems across boundaries. Not just install a far-left welfare state. Something he doesn't get with Jim Webb (whom I also admire). His "Purple Heartbreakers" NYT's editorial was incredible.
May 8, 2008 1:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I do not think the Republicans will give it to Rice or Jindal. They are going to depend on appealing to people's racism. Jindal is too young, too--they'll be trying to make Obama look inexperienced.
They might do a woman to try to appeal to crazed HRC supporters who think Obama is a misogynist for saying "periodically" but don't care that McCain called his wife a "____" or cracked Chelsea/Janet Reno jokes, etc.
May 7, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
It seems like Jindal might have a bit of a name recognition problem as well. I think we're more likely to see someone with more party gravitas.
May 7, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you're right. He won't have a name recognition problem after he gives a speech at the convention. Then he'll run himself after two terms as governor. He may become the Republican's Obama.
May 7, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmm.. That was definitely going somewhere, but you ruined it by insulting the reader's intelligence and mentioning Obama by name. You should have had more faith in your snark.
2.5
May 7, 2008 10:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jindal? Sounds suspiciously Muslim to me. And he's brown? How do we know he isn't related to Osama bin Laden?
May 7, 2008 10:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
My family will soon be declaring jindhad! Oh I pray to God that they nominate him as VP... I would love to see the racist sweat pour from their brows as they pull the lever for a son of India.
May 8, 2008 12:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kathleen Sebelius should be Obama's VP. She brings a red state with her to go blue, and can put a bunch more in play for Barack in the center of the country, like Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri. With Barack, they might even turn Idado, Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas blue.
Elections are won in the center of America. Their electoral votes are small, but there are a LOT of them.
May 7, 2008 8:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, sorry, I should have read all the posts first. I talked about her further up.
May 7, 2008 11:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've been trying to think of a Republican that would strike fear into the hearts of Dems, but I can't think of one. I think we're lucky that Schwarzeneger is foreigh-born, and isn't eligible, because if McCain put him on the ticket, it would be big trouble.
May 7, 2008 10:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Governator could be major trouble on the national scene. He's been far more successful in California than I ever expected.
I've been having quite a bit of difficulty myself in trying to come up with a heavy-hitter for McCain. I've even started to consider some possibilities from the pre-Dubya era. Gingrich comes to mind.
May 7, 2008 10:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
It really is tough, since all of the supposed big-hitters went down in scandal and disgrace. Bill Frist, for example, or the macaca guy. God help us if all of sudden Jeb Bush ends up on the shortlist.
May 7, 2008 10:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
He has made so many missteps that he had to hire a Democrat aide to repair the damage. Arnold has to go but he can't take Boxer or Feinstein's seat.
May 8, 2008 3:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Schwarzeneger represents no threat at all (even if he were native). He is now as a widely disliked as Gray Davis was before him -- he has a full scale budget crisis on his hands. No one wants to run that a record like that.
May 7, 2008 10:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
If only it were that simple. I guarantee memories of Terminator, Predator, and the family favorite, Kindergarten Cop would play a bigger role than pesky budget-balancing experience.
May 8, 2008 7:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure you would feel the same way if you were living in CA right now. He's lost both the left and the right... and no one wants to hear it's the state legislation's fault.
May 8, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Lindsay Graham is desperate for the job and feels he is a shoe-in since McCain/Lieberman won't happen.
May 7, 2008 10:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Looking at Intrade.com, the top five are:
1. Tim Pawlenty
2. Mitt Romney
3. Rudy Giuliani
4. Mike Huckabee
5. Kay Bailey Hutchison
May 7, 2008 10:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Some other names I'm seeing tossed around:
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota
Gov. John Huntsman, Utah
Gov. Rick Perry, Texas
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New York
Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
May 7, 2008 11:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
...and a few more:
- former Office of Management and Budget Director and one-time U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman
- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist
- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty
- former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.
May 7, 2008 11:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Giuliani might be holding out for Secretary of 9/11.
May 7, 2008 11:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rick Perry - just what we need another Govenor from Texas - HELP!
May 8, 2008 12:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's on Jon Stewart right now. They're talking about his Secret Service name, McCain thinks it's "Jerk", Stewart suggests "McDreamy"
May 7, 2008 11:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's Methuselah, I bet.
Holy sh*t, I spelled Methuselah right!
May 8, 2008 2:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the bridge collapse might have killed any hope of Texas Timmy becoming the VP. Minnesota is crumbling around him...
May 7, 2008 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's interesting that Tim Pawlenty keeps coming up on the various lists I'm seeing. But as it turns out, McCain revealed all on the Daily Show tonight:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/mccain-reveals-his-office-ticket/
May 7, 2008 11:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn. There goes the thread!
May 7, 2008 11:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dwight Schrute. I love it. That McCain. If only he wasn't a Republican and Bush's Third Termer, and a flip-flopper on torture, and . . . . . .
May 8, 2008 12:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
What about Michael Steele (Former Lt. Governor of Maryland)? He has been very high profile on Fox, and as a contributor to the State of The Black Union. He is by far the most forward Republican of color. I wouldn't put it past the GOP to think that was enough to combat Obama.
May 8, 2008 12:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain will pick Tim Pawlenty. He almost perfectly balances the ticket. He is young, very conservative, comes from a region that will probably be in play in the fall, and he has plenty of executive experience. The only downside I've heard is that he almost lost his 2006 re-election.
Obama will pick Jim Webb of Virginia. He is a former Republican with executive experience (Sec. of the Navy, I believe), is a conservative-moderate Dem that will counter Obama's "most liberal senator" status, has plenty of foreign policy (has a son IN Iraq), attracts Appalachia-working-class-whites, and hails from a battleground state this fall. His only downside I've heard is that he can sometimes be a poor or tempermental speaker.
May 8, 2008 12:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
I love Jim Webb, but the Democrats can't afford to lose his Senate seat, and he is also a freshman Senator. That is too much fresh meat. They are going to go with some kind of Govenor for straight admin experience. Napalitano of Arizona - Female, going right after McCain's base of operations - possibility - she's been very forward in Obama's campaign.
May 8, 2008 12:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Note also that the Republican Convention is in Minnesota this year.
May 8, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sebelius for Obama. Either that or Brian Schweitzer. Obama needs to add a further element of grandeur to the ticket that doubles down on the grandeur he brings himself. Sebelius brings a competent managerial appeal to the ticket, with the added bonus of being a white woman, the forming a dynamic "Ticket of Destiny" that shall not be stopped.
May 8, 2008 12:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
She is truly impressive
May 8, 2008 12:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Regardless of VP choice, I hope they don't use that name!
May 8, 2008 1:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Schweitzer doesn't support Obama.
May 8, 2008 1:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
In the interest of bipartisanship (and not to mention the coordinated dance moves of good old fashioned Motown) I expect him to nominate one of the remaining Keating 5. (Also on the short list: remaining members of The Dave Clark 5, The Jackson 5, and the MC5).
May 8, 2008 12:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
If Obama doesn't pick a female VP, Rice is a possibility, as he'd reap the bitter female vote. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins would also fit the bill in this regard.
I posted this about the dem. VP in another thread:
"Am I the only on with the feeling that if she were named Secretary of Homeland Security, Clinton would kill all 18 people between her and the presidency?
My list (which I formulated in the last minute) for good VP candidates is, in order from instinctively best down, William J. Fallon (imagine the look on McCain's face if Fallon actually accepted), Kathleen Sebelius, Janet Napolitano, Bill Richardson, John McCain (he's old enough that he probably remembers when the vice presidency went to the runner up), Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins. These last three would also help cement the Democratic majorities in the legislature."
May 8, 2008 12:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Tony McPeak (Former Air Force Chief of Staff) - Is a dark horse... Although wiki says he made some remarks critical about Israel's policies, so that might be too risky for Barack at this juncture.
All in all, Barack needs a VP that is:
1) trusted by the Military community,
2) Tough... As... Nails, and a
3) No nonsense kinda guy, with an abundance of moral authority to counter attack anti-American charges against the exotic-Barack.
May 8, 2008 12:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Fallon it is, then.
He's a prominent military figure, which endears him to the non-jingo hawks, but stood up to Bush, which makes him a liberal and moderate dream.
May 8, 2008 1:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just from the cold blooded perspective of winning, Fallon makes sense, and people like Fallon make sense. But picks like this terrify me. Militarizing our society even further; allowing the M.I.C. even greater unfettered access to the Executive branch; relative unknowns on any social or economic issue (better-- socio-economic cowards)... why risk these things? And who knows what kinds of Tri-lateral/CIA/COINTELPRO/Whatever-behind-the-scenes craziness is going on. To be a little more specific, who's to say someone like Fallon doesn't have some kind of sweetheart deal with say, a Chinese General or two, a Lockheed Martin exec or two, a World Bank technocrat or two. It's impossible to know, because our miltiary, especially at high levels, operates under near absolute secrecy. Whereas Democratic politicians, at least, have to operate under some kind of journalistic and public scrutiny... if only in an under-reported legal formality kind of way. At least people like, say John Edwards, or like Richardson, have some kind of public record.
May 8, 2008 1:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just watched some more video of Fallon. Holy jeez I'm liking this idea!
littleblackpropaganda: I actually think the military is in a mood to regroup and stabilize itself. They know they're now unable to conduct a war(s) against an actual country's organized force. They know that this counterinsurgency and anti-civil war stuff in Iraq is like "eating soup with a knife" and it's breaking our forces.
Also, I think they act suspicious of civilian Democrats who waltz in and try to tell them what to do. Dem Presidents have to work within their system. (Wasn't Kennedy kinda sabotaged a lot by his Joint Chiefs because of this kind of cultural divide?)
May 8, 2008 1:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Admiral William J. Fallon = GRAVITAS.
Or as Keifer Sutherland would say: "Latin: Gravitas."
May 8, 2008 1:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
The only problem is that, despite this falling out, Fallon is probably conservative enough to prefer McCain, so (if true) the only way for Obama to get him would be to convince him that McCain wouldn't win and that having a conservative VP would e a good compromise.
May 8, 2008 2:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Either way, we need to make sure the Obama campaign knows about this option! We need to each email the campaign or, if you're a campaign staffer by day, tell your supervisor (or whomever)!
May 8, 2008 2:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Outside shot, but I think Joe Lieberman would make an interesting choice.
Yes, I know he's run before, but that was with another guy.
May 8, 2008 1:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
The only problem is that we need him for our majority, which is why the only legislators on my list are R.
And don't anyone say he's a false D. He only really differs from the rest of the party on Iraq (he seems to hold the pottery barn view, which was my stance for a long time) and Israel (his age makes him a likudnic). On domestic issues he's true blue, and would destroy any lingering "Muslim sleeper cell" allegations.
May 8, 2008 1:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know what "true blue" is, but Lieberman is to the right of center on issues of artistic expression and was very much behind the hysteria following a wardrobe malfunction. In fact, on many social issues, he's more moderate GOP.
May 8, 2008 2:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
What's funny to me about this comment is that I honestly don't know whether you are referring to Obama or McCain!
May 8, 2008 1:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
How would Lieberman running w/ McCain destroy allegations of being a Muslim sleeper cell?
May 8, 2008 2:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain/Lieberman is a pretty frightening ticket. I could see that sewing up the R's and I's pretty well and not leaving much of the electorate left for Obama to work with. Plus, as a bonus, the D majority in the senate would be lost. Knife in the back is the image that comes to mind. Joe, what are you doing standing back there?
May 8, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
He literally endorsed McCain because only McCain asked him too.
This might, however, mean that Obama could successfully ask him to say that the McCain endorsement was only for the primary.
May 8, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yeah, would you please show some respect for Rice guys? There have been much worse than her, she seems to be the most moderate in the administration (I suspect she only trows the party line so she can keep some moderating influence), she has a story almost as inspirational as Reid, and she's famously intelligent.
May 8, 2008 1:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Any of the players involved in planning and implementing a policy of torture lost my respect.
May 8, 2008 7:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain/Gov. Crist. FL.
Obama/Gov. Strickland(sp?) of OH
McCain/Pawlenty
Obama/Gov. Sebelius
Why has McCain not picked a VP yet? He has been the GOP nominee for at least a month, if not more. What's the hold up?
May 8, 2008 1:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Probably becuase he can't get more than 30 seconds of TV coverage every night in light of the Obama/Hillary battle royale. Also, he needs to know the democraphic strengths of who he's running against...
May 8, 2008 1:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
If Hillary, black, if Obama, Hillary!
May 8, 2008 1:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know it wasn't so long ago that Veep picks didn't come until the convention...
May 8, 2008 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't Ted Strickland the guy who was doing his best "You go girl" nodding behind a ranting "Shame On You Barack Obama" Hillary Clinton?
May 8, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's think truly outside the box for McCain:
Christine Todd Whitman:
a) woman
b) up on the environment and energy (Cabinet post)
c) resigned for disagreements with GWB
d) centrist
e) executive experience (1st female gov of NJ)
f) hails from a blue section of the country
g) hails from the mid-Atlantic, geographically balancing things out
What more could you ask for? Anyone worrying about McCain not living through his term would end up with a woman president -- and one who doesn't have a husband already in politics.
May 8, 2008 2:35 AM | Reply | Permalink