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Let's Stop Freaking Over the VP candidates.
Nothing much to say here. The vice presidency is one of the least powerful offices in the federal government, but with the way we're becoming hysterical over every rumor of possible VP contenders you'd think it had all the powers of the presidency behind it.
The truth is, regardless of who Obama picks, we'll have a number of years to fight against them. And in the meantime, they'll have no authority to do all the horrible things we suspect they might.
The enemy is McCain. The enemy is the Republican Party. The enemy is not Evan Bayh, Tim Kaine or any of the other contenders we've heard about.
So, let's all relax, and worry more about winning in November all less about the candidate for the least powerful office in government
Sound good?
Comments (10)
The Vice President has been powerful for 16 years. And frankly some of us were hoping to have another powerful VP to fill in what we see as weaknesses.
August 5, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
No.
Hey the vp pick is huge. Its not like putting a new oil pan on the underside of the car where nobody notices or cares. People use it as a barometer of a front-runner's judgement and overall political posture. Says more than a score of policy papers.
You are maybe trying to put out a fire you feel you started, but don't worry. Its not going to be held against you. Including the "oh shit" comment you led off with.
We all KNOW who the enemy is, and we aren't saying any democrat is the enemy so don't worry about that.
But we do have strong feelings about how to get to the White House, and maybe VP picks are considered part of that trip.
August 5, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
That reply is to Anchor of course.
August 5, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
A strange request considering your last post flogging the issue.
August 5, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Chris,
Bb was just worrying he had set off some kind of Democrats-feeding-on-themselves type storm and is trying to establish his own bona fides as a team guy/lets-roll-to-victory guy. Nothing wrong with that.
Or such is my guess.
August 5, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please excuse me but I am sick of the VP speculation, and the Bayh speculation descended to cliche a couple of weeks ago. So I'm a bit impatient relative to the matter.
Given the brilliant campaign Obama et al have run I think they will make a good choice and need no advice from the chatterers.
August 5, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
us chatterers are also voters.
August 5, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
No. Sorry. I don't agree Big Blue.
The VP is more important now than ever (as the above poster note).
I also think residues of the Primary campaign remain and the risk to our candidate cannot be ignored. And a result, Obama has to proceed with extreme caution in choosing his VP pick, keeping McCain on the run and keeping those whose loyalties are with Clinton and not the party onside.
It follows many of us are rightfully fearful of Kaine because of position on abortion and Bayh because of his connection to Clinton. Other fears on those two have been detailed elsewhere throughout the site.
It's important also that we speak now.
We are clearly in a stage of trial balloons and smokescreens and you can bet Axelrod and Plouffe have their people distilling the reactions on this cafe and other forums. A comment or observation from some random poster here may help Obama campaign hone it's strategy. It behooves us to voice our opinions now and help the Obama campaign prepare.
August 5, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay - I can't resist. Just in case someone IS reading, here's my pitch again:
Joe Biden
He is glowingly, charmingly human (too much aloofness about the Obama campaign), can be a tremendously effective but not uncivil fighter, and, simply by his presence, would rob McCain's years of experience, bi-partisan achievement and long-standing respect of a great deal of its luster.
Those things ARE assets, but McCain isn't the only one who has them. With Obama/Biden you get the new generation/change leader who also has total access to all the important lessons learned over a career that's been even longer and more successful than McCain's.
And as for "overshadowing" Obama -- I don't think that's a concern. One would have thought that a Johnson would 'overshadow' the young whipper-snapper Kennedy. Obama is quite strong enough himself for that not to be a problem - a strong person can surround himself with strong people.
August 5, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do we really need to have the Neil Kinnock's speech rehashed and served up again.
Joe Biden can help in Obama's cabinet. But Joe Biden hurts Obama's election bid.
August 5, 2008 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
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