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Biden choice leaves McCain at a decision point
Biden brings at least 4 things:
1. Needed experience/gravitas
2. Moves Obama toward center
3. Supplies a toothy attack dog
4. Shows that while Obama may fight back in his own way and time, he *will* fight back (unlike perception of Kerry).
Our readers here tell us Mitt can't stand up to Biden, while Pawlenty is skewered by Republicans on Politico.com as thoroughly outmatched. (Maybe those things are true; maybe not.)
McCain folks must be asking selves, "Can we realistically win against Obama/Biden with the Bush coalition of religious dodos, etc., or should we try centrism?" If they're worried, would they *dare* leave the "values" base with nothing but an IOU, and run a pro-choice populist like Rudy or even Powell (suddenly they are mentioning him) to try to match star power and heft? Potential game-changer?
Comments (5)
I'm predicting Meg Whitman given McCain's shout-out to her at Saddleback. She helps him in 2 areas: economy which is McCain's weakness and she's a pro-choice woman to make his ticket as palatable as possible to disaffected Hillary supporters.
August 24, 2008 8:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
My hunch is that McCain wants Ridge but his strategists are telling Mitt. Biden nixed Pawlenty, who is why too boring.
It is interesting that yesterday the McCain people harped that whoever the choice would be, he or she would be ready to be CIC on day one. So can one really make the argument that Mitt would be able to handle foreign affairs. He has less experience than Obama.
For the last two months McCain has not been able to get any sizeable growth in the national polls, meaning that he has trouble inspiring people. I wouldn't expect the Republican brand/message at the convention to do much but fire up the social conservative base. He needs that base, without him he doesn't stand a chance in places like Ohio and Michagan.
And a pro-choice VP basically takes the abortion attacks out from their hand in which to play against Obama.
In the end, Mitt can play the center and pro-life, and they'll say being a company CEO has given him the experience to be CIC.
August 24, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pro-choice would be suicide and also would ruin their anti-abortion attacks on Obama.
So McCain is left with orthodox rightwingers.
I agree, it's Mitt.
August 24, 2008 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is going to have a hard time finding someone to offset Biden. I think most of the probables who might get the job done are also right wing whack jobs carrying too much baggage. Another issue is the more right leaning possibles may not be a good fit in this election. The country, apart from the normally right leaning but vocal minority, is more inclined to moderation. McCain has already shifted somewhat to the right so I think anyone to the right of him would hurt the republican ticket. Had Bush not screwed up so for the last eight years perhaps someone a bit more to the right could squeek by. Under the circumstances though I just don't see it. Mitt goes pretty much whichever direction the wind is blowing so he isn't such a great pick. It's too easy to portray him as a liar without scruples or convictions. Connecting him to the lax ethical standards as evidenced by big business would be childs play. McCain is faced with having to pull a John Roberts out of his hat. Such a person may not exist.
August 24, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think McCain wanted to hire someone much younger to neutralize the age problem. Now he can't because the younger candidates would get mauled by Biden in a debate.
If he names what the right want, he loses the middle, which would be fatal.
I think he names Joe Turncoat. He's going to figure that the far right is going to vote for him anyway, no matter what their rhetoric.
Obama has him boxed into a corner.
August 24, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
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