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VP DECISION HAS BEEN MADE: Not Bayh, Not Daschle, Not Clark
Steve Clemens reports that a VP decision has been made, though not revealed.
He reports that it will not be Bayh (a huge sigh of relief for all the anti-war voters out there), Daschle or Clark. It also won't be Senator Jack Reed, though Obama thinks very highly of him.
But he also says NOT to count out Clinton, Gore or Kerry.
But according to Clemens, all signs point to Biden. I'm in agreement here.
Thoughts?
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Comments (104)
Oh, what I found most interesting what that apparently, Bayh was scrapped because of concerns the campaign saw over the internet.
And people think Obama doesn't listen to his constituents... Well, if that's really the case, then all the better that he listened to the netroots on this one.
August 18, 2008 12:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
I said as much that it behooved us to speak out against Bayh or forever hold our peace when I posted on Bayh two weeks back. I am glad I did, and that many others were as forceful as I on this.
It was part trial balloon part accommodation with the Clinton mob. Obama earned a better choice.
August 18, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hope it won't be Biden, if Obama wants his message of change to be carried, it has to be an outsider of Washington.
So I think as the announcement approaches, there will be more and more speculation...
I never thought Bayh would have been a serious contender just because of his position on Irak.
So I still think Kaine, Warner or Schweitzer are potential. I would have liked Hagel as Obama's VP but sadly it won't happen.
August 18, 2008 12:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
So I still think Kaine, Warner or Schweitzer are potential. I would have liked Hagel as Obama's VP but sadly it won't happen.
No. No. No.
And FUCK NO!
August 18, 2008 1:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Veddy veddy interesting. Well, I am glad it won't be Bayh. I remember my "Oh God, no, noooooooo" reaction when that name was floated earlier.
August 18, 2008 12:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently there were enough people like you out there to discourage Obama from picking him.
I think, in the end, that's probably the best decision. Bayh is not the worst, in my opinion, but he just had some really, really huge negatives. Stuff the GOP would attack him with so hard he wouldn't be able to get up.
August 18, 2008 12:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hope we won't be crying in our soup if Obama loses Indiana and the election if Indiana would have put him over the top. Again, if Bayh has an Iraq problem did not Biden also vote for the War as well.
August 18, 2008 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I understand it, there's even a possibility that Obama might lose Texas!
August 18, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had no particular problem with Bayh until he said he "couldn't recall" joining an organization to support the Iraq war. We have had enough public officials with faulty memories.
August 18, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just can't imagine it could be Kerry. I like the guy just fine, but I don't see what he brings to the ticket this cycle other than baggage still fresh in voters' minds.
Gore would probabaly lock this thing up (could there be better reassurance, in the public perception, on the experience issue?), but I just can't imagine he would do it.
Hillary would bring a huge boost initially and lots of strengths on the campaign trail, but could backfire dramatically in the end. And it might look like (or be spun as) a cave of a magnitude that would have people wondering who's really in charge on that ticket.
The closest thing to a consensus I've been able to discern is that most seem to think Biden would be a strong choice, even if he's not their personal favorite. (That's kind of where I'm at with Biden, too.) That might indicate a good, balanced pick, albeit not an earth-shaking one.
See, I said I wasn't going to speculate about VP anymore, but here I am doing just that. I guess it's one of the few things that injects a little fun into an otherwise anxiety-ridden pastime.
August 18, 2008 1:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Biden. Love it.
August 18, 2008 1:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm leaning towards Biden. But is there anyone else who is still supposedly in consideration that has stronger national security credentials?
August 18, 2008 2:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
No one that I can think of off the top of my head. Which if why I'm leaning more and more towards Biden. Not as my first choice, but as my prediction. Obama seems to want to cover his supposed weaknesses, and Biden would do it.
The advantage is that Biden could crush McCain and his camp. on foreign policy and national security and leave Obama to fight the domestic battle. That would be the smart move, anyway.
August 18, 2008 2:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Clark. The biggest negative against him is that he's never held elective office. Still, that wouldn't have stopped, for example, Colin Powell from being elected President, much less being nominated for VP.
I still hope it's Clark. ONLY Clark among the leading contenders can go toe-to-toe with McCain on military issues.
August 18, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Biden? Not bad at all, but not great for the Change meme either.
I've been thinking Bill Richardson has got all the credentials for the job. He's a current governor, a former House Representative, a former Ambassador to the United Nations, AND a former U.S. Secretary of Energy. The cherry on top: the Latino vote. The sprinkles: he and Obama seem to truly like each other and have wonderful rapport whenever they've appeared together.
Personally though, my dream pick would be Russ Feingold. Now THERE is a man who would be a kick-ass Change VP!
August 18, 2008 3:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
You can two dollops of whipped cream to the Richardson sundae: Colorado and Nevada.
August 18, 2008 7:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
With all due respect to Mr. Clemmons, and I think he is due immense respect, a couple of weeks ago his 'sources" assured him that Obama was to announce Byah as his running mate on a specific Wed.
August 18, 2008 3:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just five days ago Clemons said that word had reached him that Evan Bayh's chances have moved to better than 50/50.
As much as we would all like to think that the netroots has that much influence to sway a VP choice in five days, it's highly doubtful.
It's obvious that Clemons is like the rest of us when it comes to the VP choice; he doesn't have a clue who it will be. But rather than admit as much, he continues to throw out names.
So while Clemons and others like him waste their time and energy chasing down VP rumors, Frank Rich reports that "the public doesn't know who on earth John McCain is."
August 18, 2008 4:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. And say again I think the pick will surprise all of the chatterers and be someone who has been on nones short list, except perhaps Clark.
By the way I noticed the whackjobs a No Quarter took Clemmons Clark post and ran with it to bash Obama, after extensively lauding Clemmons for his consistently following "the Golden Rule" in his postings.
August 18, 2008 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't understand why Clark was ruled out. Especially, if Biden's being considered for purposes of foreign policy and national security.
August 18, 2008 5:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Because Clark belongs to the "Clinton Wing" of the party.
August 18, 2008 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Disagree here. Clark clearly held back on criticism of Obama during the primaries, and it was definitely to keep himself in VP contention.
August 18, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Clark lost out because he had the temerity to actually say truthful things about the most famous POW in the history of the world! He actually said that being a POW doesn't have anything to do with being President, or CinC; that McCheat has never formulated policy or run anything, or achieved anything of import.
And he didn't back down when he was beat over the head for it either.
I hope Clark will serve in the administration, but he will not be VP because he said unpopular truths. (Oh, and Obama repudiated him as well -- much to my severe disappointment!)
August 18, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm on my way out the door, but I just wanted to say that the reason I used Clemens was because Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight sourced him for the info, which is how I got it. I figured if Nate thought it was worthwhile to post about, it couldn't hurt for me to do the same. =)
Though it's, of course, entirely possible that Clemens is way off the marker.
August 18, 2008 7:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, Biden was my first choice, way back in Jan. - so I'm tentatively smiling - big time.
I don't think he hurts the "change" theme at all:
1) No one who's ever listened to him believes that Joe Biden is a big propoent for 'politics as usual' or that things wouldn't have been run VERY differently if he'd been in charge, and
2) count up the number of years that his party has been in power (WH and/or Congress) and the number the Dems have been out of power and then consider what he's accomplished compared to most any Republican - say, a John McCain.
Simple concept: to change the system you need someone who knows the system. Two "newbies" in the White House wouldn't make nearly the dent that an Obama/Biden combination could achieve. Do you want it to "look like" change or actually "make change"?
The only one I could think of that would be better as far as electability would be Gore -- the only more or less equal would be Clark (but then you'd have little experience with Congress in the WH) -- and of course Hillary would be strong in both areas (tho not as strong as Biden in experience) BUT Bill just totally prevents that. It could never work with him lurking in the hallways.....
August 18, 2008 8:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
My guess is that it it going to be Gore. What a winning ticket that would be! Even though he said that he wasn't interested, I never got the feeling that the door was completely closed. Also, now that he has made such tremendous progress with his global warming work, it might be a great idea for him to move into the next stage of that work on a new stage. I have this deep feeling that that is what is going to happen!
August 18, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I will be doing a happy dance all day if Biden is picked as VP.
August 18, 2008 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
The only problems with Biden is his demonstrable impatience with fools and his plagiarism of some years back.
August 18, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
After the allegations of plagiarism from Wikipedia last week and the current rumors about the cross in the dirt story, I'm not sure it would be very wise for McCain's camp to bring it up. Plus, do you think McCain wants to talk about what everyone was doing 28 years ago? Biden may have been lifting someone else's speech, but St. John was cheating on his wife.
August 18, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
AWESOME! Delaware's THREE electoral votes are locked-up for sure now!
--
OBAMA/SEBELIUS '08
August 18, 2008 9:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
I appreciate your sentiments about Kathleen S., but just know the Hillary supporters would go double ape shi*.
August 18, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Considering the talent pool, Biden is not a bad choice. I can live with it.
August 18, 2008 9:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
ABBa.
(Anyone But Bayh)
August 18, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Clemons is only saying, on Clark, what Clark has said, that he is not scheduled for convention appearance.
Rachel Maddow's hypothesis is that any scheduled speaker is de facto not VP, therefore Clark is still open.
Biden is smart but boring; "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" makes jokes about how long he talks.
Hagel? Somebody's got to be kidding.
Nobody with the letter "B" in the name. Try saying "Obama/Bayh"---nope. Try "Obama/Biden"---nope. "Obama/Clark", in contrast, fairly rolls off the tongue.
August 18, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's not Clark because of the way Obama and camp hung him out to dry when the GOP outrage machine was in hypermode.
August 18, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Eh. It was a test balloon about McCain's war record, and it was twisted out of context like a gigantic pretzel by the media. After the firestorm, they had no choice but to tamp out the fire. I think Clark's the pick. Then have attack dogs like Webb and Kerry, et al, out there also talking about McCain thinking he ought to be president because he was a POW.
August 18, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what I've been saying all along. You HAVE to think about marketing & as well as other obvious fits Obama/ Clark simply sounds the best & rolls off the tongue. It's a no brainer...
August 18, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama/Bi(n La)den...
August 18, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bayh would have been a horrible choice...just disastrous. I really like Biden, but I was really hoping that he would be in the Cabinet--Sec'y of State to be specific. From the beginning, I thought Richardson would be the best choice--governing experience, WH experience, Midwest governor and Latino to boot. The only negative is he's not the best campaigner, but when the lead guy IS the best campaigner, is this really such a problem?
August 18, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
What about naming Gore as a one-term VP and giving him the energy portfolio, then naming a successor in 2012 who would be seen as Obama's successor to run in 2016?
August 18, 2008 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
That last clause almost made sense...you see what I mean. New VP in 2012 who can be groomed for running in 2016.
August 18, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I saw Richardson at the IL state Dem convention last Wednesday where he was keynote speaker. He gave a pretty good speech at the breakfast to 1700 people. But an hour later he gave the same speech upstairs with the bullet points and jokes just shifted around a bit to all the same people. You'd think he could prepare more than 15 minutes for such a big gathering of grassroots Dems in the nominee's home state.
August 18, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Out of the likely picks (i.e., are Gore's or Kerry's chances realistic?), I've actually been warming up to Biden lately...national security experience, elder statesman, and I think he'll make a good attack dog. I really think that Obama needs a sort of non-evil version of Cheney at his side: an unapologetic asshole who says it like it is.
But then again, I really hoped for Edwards to be on the ticket in 2004 and I don't think he turned out to be a very good pick..
August 18, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Biden has a propensity to gaffe but otherwise he's a forceful attack dog with an older authoritative sounding voice that drips contempt for Bush and McCain.
I didn't think any more highly of his signature foreign policy issue - partitioning Iraq - than Iraqis did and sure as hell don't like his kowtowing to the banks and credit card companies as the senator from DE.
August 18, 2008 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a Senator for Delaware, he had to represent his constituents.
Another issue is that Biden didn't get rich off of any such deals, he's one of the few Senators who are not Millionaires.
August 18, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Biden is also really strong on with women. His favorite bill that he put together and got passed was a Violence against Women bill.
I read somewhere that Obama voted with Biden 94% of the time over their years together in the Senate. Biden is a lot more than foreign policy - he's been fighting the good fight for years and years. Sure the GOP could attack Obama for the hypocracy of demonizing McCain as part of the problem for his 24 years in the Senate, considering Biden has 35 years there, however in doing so the GOP would be highlighting Biden's experience.
The two things the GOP has been attacking on Obama was inexperience and security credentials, Biden has both of those in spades, actually more than McCain in both. Basically the only thing McCain has over Biden is his military service and POW years.
Biden did work with Luger in trying to make war the absolute last resort and explained his eventual war vote in saying he mistakenly believed Bush had a clue and falsely believed Bush was smarter than he proved to be.
Biden commutes to work every day on Amtrack and knows the names of every conductor and ticket taker. He was sworn in at the hospital bedside of his sons who were injured in a car crash that killed his first wife and daughter. He's had two brain surgeries in the 80's for blood clots, and his son is going over to Iraq in the fall as part of his National Guard Unit.
August 18, 2008 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama/Biden -- the plagarists ticket.
Nobama '08.
August 18, 2008 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just out of curiosity, do you think McCain or his aides have read any Solzhenitsen lately?
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/mccains-cross-i.html
or what about Wikipedia?
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/politicalinsider/2008/08/did-mccain-plagarize-his-speec.html
August 18, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just keep proving your ignorance.
August 18, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't worry -- Once this election is over, your man, McCheat will be in a permanent cone of silence -- they'll have to put him in one because he's had to keep all his cursing and spewing on hold for so many months! He'll be yelling until he strokes out!
August 18, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why don't you read up on the so-called 'plagarism' from Biden's run in the 1908's before spouting off. He used an rhetorical framework taken by Neil Kinnock (Brit politician) in an ad and routinely referenced him. On one occasion he didn't (either forgot or thought he had) and an aide to Dukakis made copies of the tape and sent them to every press outlet. It was before Youtube and the internet, so it took a while for folks to gather the (many) tapes where Biden had said the same thing, crediting Kinnock. - Even someone who studies plagarism ... and dislikes Biden! ... says he was given a bum rap. --- Insults are easy to throw around: but much more effective if you back them up with facts.
August 18, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Er, he's not that old! -- 1980's! 1988 specifically
August 18, 2008 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like Biden also, but here's a crazy thought: Dodd?
For pretty much the same reasons as Biden.
August 18, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
(Bar)AkObamaDodd sounds a lot like Ahmadinejad...
Obama Joe Biden sorta sounds like Osama Bin Laden. Or Obama Bi(n La)den...
August 18, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
As I said in 2000 and 2004, silly folks deserve the silly results they get.
Not claiming you would, but anyone who votes on such a basis deserves the results that it leads to. my problem is that the rest of us have to live with such results too!
August 18, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like Dodd, but I think he lost his shot when that story surfaced about that questionable mortgage he got.
August 18, 2008 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have a suspicion that it will be Clinton.
I have a lot of concerns with that (namely Bill), but damn that would be strong and absolutely drown out McCain. It would be a huge story.
That said, I really like that Gore is in the mix. Seems really unlikely, but you never know. Gore may feel that another VP round might give him his best opportunity yet to address the energy & warming crisis. It would also be a huge story, maybe even bigger than Clinton.
August 18, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I honestly don't think he's been ruled out. I think he was picked, and I think he was informed Friday/Saturday. Did you hear him on Colmes' radio show?
August 18, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Who are you talking about?
August 18, 2008 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
By "he" I meant Clark. I was trying to reply to a poster above.
August 18, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Biden's an idiot.
August 18, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well said. That must be the smartest observation here today.
August 18, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPev5sEdTjg&e
It would be like Shawshank Redemption, Obama would be Andy, the dreamer wanting change, and Biden would be Red, the lifer who knows how to get things done.
August 18, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Biden ran two really great presidential campaigns getting a grand total of 0 delegates. But he'd help Obama govern.
August 18, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the biggest road block to a Clinton V.P. nomination is Michelle Obama. This campaign has undoubtedly put great pressure on the Obama family, especially given that Barack would be the first non-white president, and the nut-jobs that is likely to aggitate.
I think Hillary's comments bringing up the specter of Barack's assassination sealed her own V.P. coffin. I seriously doubt that Barack will ask Michelle to live the next 4-8 years with a V.P, (Hillary) who explicitly raised this specter.
I also don't believe that political pragmatism could override such a consideration, even for a pragmatic Barack. This is Barack's life partner, his "rock". I doubt he would ask her to make that level of emotional sacrifice. Just my feeling.
August 18, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clinton didn't bring up the "spector of Obama's assassination". Please, please don't be a media drone.
August 18, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are joking, right?
August 18, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why would I joke about you being a media drone?
August 18, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I can see that you have no argument so I'll end it here.
August 18, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I (kind of) disagree.
While Michelle may be against Clinton (for lots of reasons, including, but not limited to the assassination quip), I think the biggest obstacle in Hillary's way is Bill. He's just too much of a distraction/wildcard for an Obama administration. I wasn't exactly in love with Hillary by the end of the campaign, but even I would accept Hillary on the ticket if it wasn't for Bill.
August 18, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
NOOOOOOOOOO! Pleasepleaseplease let it be Clark. McCain is being surprisingly successful with his all-military, all-the-time posturing, and Clark is the ONLY one that can take McCain down and expose him for the dilettante that he's always been.
Biden CAN'T do it. Being on Senate commitees won't do anything to counteract McCain's military record. In my opinion Obama gains nothing with Biden, much as I like him. Biden would make a better Secretary of State.
Only Clark can stand up to McCain on military issues, and only the VP slot will give him the platform that he needs. Just being another Obama spokesperson is not enough. Clark NEEDS the VP slot so that the media attention will be on him constantly and he can hammer McCain at every turn.
August 18, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clark is 3rd Division stuff. He's best left running his mouth on morning chat shows.
August 18, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, so we know from your posts that your against Bayh, Biden, and Clark....is there anyone you DO prefer or are you just shitting on everyone for fun?
August 18, 2008 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excuse me.
One only needs to click on my screen name to read that I believe Mark Warner is the obvious selection. My belief was further reinforced last week when Warner was given the Keynote address. A huge clue was left out there and I'm surprised no one picked up on it.
To repeat what I have said before.
I would be super happy if Claire McCaskill were his VP. She would be my 'heart' pick. I would be content with Chris Dodd. I think Sam Nunn would be logical. And I like what Brian Schweitzer would bring to the ticket.
But there are problems (electoral college map, future make of the make of the Senate, gay Democrats) with all of those which I have outlined before.
I am uncomfortable with Clinton and any of her surrogates -- Bayh, Clark et cetera, a right toxic bunch they are.
Others like Biden, Kaine, Sebelius would endanger the ticket, I believe.
August 18, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, You can't have Warner! We need him in Virginia. He's running against the idiot Gilmore (and beating him by about 60 points!) You can't have him!
I think we need to get Wes Clark captured and tortured real quick, and then released just in time to run. He can have all kinds of cool anecdotes about when he was waterboarded, and how a guard scratched a mosquito bite in the shape of a cross right before he gave ol' Wes a piece of bread (the eucharist) and then........
August 18, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the reply. I just found it curious that you hadn't injected any of your own preferences into the conversation.
August 18, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
From all the major sources, it seemed like the shortlist was Bayh, Biden, Kaine, or Sebelius.
If that is the pool, Biden is far and away my pick.
Although, I don't think he would be anywhere near as good as Webb or Schweitzer. But, I don't think those guys are in the running.
August 18, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a Biden for Veep supporter I fear this would be the Biden float, akin to the Bayh float and Kaine float of a week or so ago.
Give him some press before you look elsewhere.
August 18, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
It could be a decoy float, but I doubt it's a trial balloon this late in the process.
August 18, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shortly after the room is depleted of all oxygen, from the AHAT (all Hillary all the time) experience, with tears still streaming down the faces of PUMAs everywhere, one by one the veep contenders will walk to the stage, in a slow motion gait, befitting the soundtrack of Chariots of Fire. Clinton, Biden, Daschle, Reed, Clark, Kerry, Kaine, all standing shoulder to shoulder clapping profusely, as the new Vice Presidential pick is announced to the music of 2001: A Space Odyssey – Al Gore enters the room, wearing a suit made entirely of hemp, carrying a gauntlet which he immediately hurls to the floor and declares, “Bring it on”!
August 18, 2008 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 18, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lieberman kills any chance at the Gore longshot.
August 18, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
No term limits on veep? Would love to see Obama/Gore.
August 18, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was listening to NPR today, and they kept throwing around the idea of an Obama/Powell ticket. I'm not so sure about that one.
Thoughts?
August 18, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd begrudgingly accept a Powell endorsement, but that's as far as I'd be willing to go to cosy up to Powell.
August 18, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Powell would have to bare his soul concerning the little UN perjury episode. He's complicit in the mess of the last eight years, so there'd have to be some MAJOR crow eating.
August 18, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
NPR has lurched farther to the right in the last few weeks. Cokie, Juan Williams, Ralph Reed and others. I'm not trusting them or their motives.
I even heard a guest on the Diane Rehm show bring up the Obama kills babies theme without her saying anything to object. She used to be very good about smacking down people when the blurted out absurdities like that.
As for Biden, he's another Senator and tends to run off at the mouth uncontrollably at times. I don't think he would help the ticket.
August 18, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
NPR has lurched farther to the right in the last few weeks. Cokie, Juan Williams, Ralph Reed and others. I'm not trusting them or their motives.
Well I forget who was reporting, but it wasn't one of them.
August 18, 2008 8:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Powell? I HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THAT MAN.
If Obama is going to take the General route, it would have to be an ass cracking no nonsense ethnic cat like General Anthony Zinni.
The management of the home front requires the technique of a candidate who can also operate on the Global front. That's Mark Warner.
August 18, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
In reponse to Chrono Spark WRT Obama/Powell
That combo lept out at me a little while back when there was a rumour that Powell was going to endorse O. And while I know Powell's not a progressive, I'll admit that I liked it.
I think it would be a masterful stroke to let the air out of McCain's so called military/foreign policy advantage.
When McCain says "I know how to win in Iraq" Powell can say, "I actually won a war in Iraq."
I think it would be a Karate Kid crane kick to McCain's nuts.
August 18, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
That could be effectively done with an endorsement. Clark would have the same effect with the Balkans. Any Powell endorsement will be diminished by the fact that it's boiled down to one black man endorsing the other.
I don't know why the Obama camp is running away from Clark so overtly though. He's a good ally to have - I wonder if he went off message with his McCain attack, and Obama has had a deathgrip control on the message coming out of his camp.
August 18, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a really good question. I think I'd much rather let Clark keep playing 'bad cop' to Obama's 'good cop' as long as McCain keeps relying on the "I'm a POW" schtick. Let Clark keep drawing attention to the fact that crashing a plane and being tortured in prison for 5-1/2 years has no bearing on fitness for the role on C-in-C. Even if McCain hadn't been held, his military resume would have zero leadership up until the point he was actually given command of people, not machines.
August 18, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll be at peace with anyone Barack chooses...except Hillary.
August 18, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please no Wes Clark. Listening to him campaign in 2004 was like sitting at the breakfast table on an overcast Sunday morning, fixing a bowl of unsalted oatmeal, washing it down with a glass of tepid tapwater while reading the maintenance manual to your washing machine.
August 18, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
that's harsh...
August 18, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes it is harsh. Father, and a bit silly -- kind of like judging Al Gore on his disaster of a presidential run back in the 80's. Clark didn't know what he was doing in '04, didn't even know what he really wanted to do.
And it could be Clark. Obama's strange neglect of Arkansas may point to an assumption that Clark as VP will make the state a done deal.
Other than that, I'm not in the habit of predicting, I have no idea who Obama will pick. But I do have to agree Clark would do way more of what Biden supposedly would do. I mean, I love Biden, but what does he really bring? Joe and Jane Doe who think McCain's being in a Vietnamese slammer makes him great Commander in Chief material don't read participation on Congressional committees as the same thing.
Congressional committee? What the F does that mean? Give me a guy who's SERVED.
Yes, strange but true. Gone is the understanding that Eisenhower and his driver probably wouldn't make equally good presidents. But speaking of Eisenhower, Clark's about as close to that as we can get.
August 18, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wes Clark is to the left what Fred Thompson is to the right. Looks good on paper, might get a small segment of the loyal base fired up ... then you see them on the stump, and you realize, ehhhhhhh, not so much.
And please, there is no comparison with Gore and Clark. Gore didn't win the biggest election of his career, but he had battle scars. He had been through the meat grinder of high profile, high pressure elections on a National stage as a Senator and Vice President under high scrutiny. Wes Clark has never won an election in his entire life, and you want him to learn the ropes in this country's most important election in the last 30 years? How about not.
August 18, 2008 7:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gore if he'll take it.
Clinton if he won't.
August 18, 2008 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill Richardson?
August 18, 2008 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama was clear he wants someone he's comfortable working with, someone who shares the same philosophy of governing (consensus), and someone who complements him.
I like Joe Biden -- he's a good attack dog, but he stated a few weeks back that he should have been the democratic nominee. I got the impression VP is totally beneath him.
Hillary and Obama don't share the same philosophy for governing.
Gore, no. He wouldn't do it. We're talking about the VP here. He's a Nobel prize winner.
Tim Kaine doesn't necessarily complement Obama (they're very similar), but he definitely shares his philosophy for governing and is someone he can easily work with. I think he's the VP pick.
Don't know enough about Clark, but it seems the Obama camp hung him out to dry. Maybe a feint.
Sibelius -- no, the wrath of the PUMA's...