VP speculation

Very good Andrew!

Tell me more about Kathleen Sebelius. I like Joe Biden. I understand that Jim Webb would be a good fit.

Save John Edwards for Att. Gen.

Andrew, my favorite take on the Veepstakes appeared in the N.Y. Times yesterday, written by columnist David Brooks:

"My first thought on the running mate question is that to balance his ticket, Barack Obama should pick a really old white general. Therefore, he should pick Dwight Eisenhower. John McCain, on the other hand, needs to pick someone younger than himself. Therefore, he also should pick Dwight Eisenhower."

I don't care which side you're on. That's funny.

Anyway, since Eisenhower is no longer with us, here's my take on your suggestions:

McCain:

Mark Sanford (helps with the pigs) - Actually, Andrew, Sanford HURTS the pigs. He vetoes legislation when they try to drain the taxpayer-provided trough with wild spending and new programs. Of course, the pigs almost always overwhelm him by their sheer numbers in the General Assembly. Terrible choice, since regardless of whether McCain or Obama wins, the pigs in Congress in BOTH PARTIES will do little to change their habits.

Mike Huckabee (helps with the base) True, but how much will he hurt in the quest for the mushy middle? He is, after all, an ordained minister, and there are plenty of people who think having religion disqualifies one from political involvement, owing to a gross misinterpretation of the purpose of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Most Americans are, after all, products of public skoolin'.

Mitt Romney (helps with independents, the Midwest) - Already stated my objections to him. Let's move on.

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (helps with the base) - Similar problem to Huckabees, without the ordained part. Brownback is the most rabid anti-abortion possibility out there, to the point that many of us who are simply right of center find him a bit too, uhhh, right wing.

Florida Gov. Charlie Christ (helps with the gays?) - Helps with the gays? You mean helps get rid of them, or enshrine their relationships in law? He'd actually be a pretty good choice, long as he'd agree we're foolish NOT to tap into oil and natural gas resources off the coast of Florida. Wouldn't hold my breath on that one, though.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (young, smart, swing stater) - Probably a good choice, but I'm not sure he's been vetted thoroughly enough to withstand national scrutiny. Kinda like a potential Thomas Eagleton situation there. But, then, on the other side, Obama will probably be the nominee, and we still don't know exactly who or what he is.

Of that bunch, Andrew, I'd narrow it down to Crist or Pawlenty. But I notice you conveniently avoided Condi Rice. Don't count her out. The perfect counter to the Obama-Clintin race-gender war.


Obama:

John Edwards (helps with white men, and working class whites generally) - ... couldn't even help John Kerry carry his home state of South Carolina or his adopted home state of North Carolina in 2004. Has since then reverted to populist pandering.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (foreign policy, Western values, hispanics, swing stater) - I like Richardson and may have considered voting for him over McCain if it had come to that, but Richardson never got above, like, 3 percent in his race for the nomination - then he abandoned all semblance of being a moderate when he suddenly lurched to pro-Obama, anti-Iraq war mode a couple of months ago.

Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (lots of foreign policy experience) ... loose cannon. Bring him on.

General Wesley Clark (military experience) - Managed to work his way up the military hierarchy until he became a prime example of the Peter Principle, after which he identified himself as a Kool-Aid drinker and self-destructed.

Sen. Joe Biden (experienced, smart, witty) - ... and yet another loose cannon. I think the time he threw his hat into the ring for the Presidential nomination, he never cracked the 2 percent mark. Yeah, that'll help.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (women) - She has the same problem on the abortion issue as Brownback, only from the other side. Intransigence doesn't help claim the middle ground. On the other hand, if Obama manages to avoid having Hillary muscle her way onto the ticket as VP, Sebelius would certainly help soothe the wounded feminist egos out there. Probably not a bad choice. And she is smart. Usually wrong, but smart.

Word on the street is that both camps are trying to entice the world's most knowledgeable, charasmatic, political savvy individual that has been born yet. This individual is a warrior still blessed with youth. An excellent money manager he is frugal and smart. Why if he'd lived in the bible times he would have slew giants, parted the red sea and lead people out of slavery. This individual appeals to men and women

Nah, Ed, Andrew's too young. One of those annoying Constitutional deals, I think.

Perhaps he could run on the ticket with Chelsea Clinton in 2016.

Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (lots of foreign policy experience) ... loose cannon. Bring him on.

- JDTippett

Loose cannon?
Jim Webb can bring Virginia, W. Virginia and probably Ky. in as Blue states.
He is a decorated war veteran and seved as Secretary of Navy, a perfect offset to McCain's loose 'nuke em now', stance.
back atcha.

PAPPY, the man loaned a handgun to a staff member during one of those road trips and, when the guy got stopped by airport security, it didn't immediately own up to the fact that he, not his staff member, owned the heat.

Perhaps "loose cannon" is too strong. Let's just call him a "loose handgun." You'd think a man with that kind of military experience could, at the very least, keep track of his own weapons.

Besides, PAPPY, the guy's a WRITER. Who wants a lowly WRITER being Vice President of the United States?

Oh, yeah, and no matter how you WISH it were true, Webb cannot carry West Virginia OR Kentucky for Obama. Virginia, maybe - probably, even - but Obama may well be able to carry Virginia anyway if the latte slurpers in northern Virginia (Washington, D.C., suburbs) come out in large numbers.

Obama will win Virginia with or without Webb, I just put him on there cause he's a hero of the party right now.

Obama may even have a chance in West Virginia, but I suspect only if you have a John Edwards type on the ticket.

I doubt Kentucky is in play but I did see a poll this morning showing McConnel polling even with his Democratic challenger... but I'll believe it when I see a few more polls to confirm it.

Andrew, we need to stop agreeing on these things. Our reputations are at stake here.

Andrew, we need to stop agreeing on these things. Our reputations are at stake here.

- JDTippett

Oh ye of little faith. Come November and you will bow in awe of my prestigious prognostications.

Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia will be blue because of Webb.

If Webb is a loose handgun, then McCain is a loose 50 cal. water cooled machine gun. Did you ever read some of the language he has used against even Repubs he disagreed with ? I'd give examples except that would put zn and daneboy to shame .

Loose cannon, indeed. . .

PAPPY, I can forgive McCain for his occasional choice words aimed at fellow Republicans. I've had a few choice words for him and his snuggle buddy, Lindsey Graham, myself in recent years.

Surprise, PAPPY! Not all Republicans march in lockstep, and it seems it takes us less time to figure out who's going to lead us into battle than it's taking the Democrats.

McCain
- Joe Liberman

Obama won't matter since the republickans will miraculously 'win' another close one.

Surprise, PAPPY! Not all Republicans march in lockstep, and it seems it takes us less time to figure out who's going to lead us into battle than it's taking the Democrats.

- JDTippett

If tonight's furtive fundraiser is indicative, it would appear that the Prez intends to continue leading youse guys, at least in the battle for contributions.

McCain
- Joe Liberman

Obama won't matter since the republickans will miraculously 'win' another close one.

- g papadopolis

Papa,

As much as I wish the Republicans would take Joe off the Democrats' Senate roster, I can't imagine them welcoming a Senator with one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate as the guy to be 'one heartbeat away'.

Same argument in reverse against those that think Obama could possibly choose Hagel. He's too conservative. However, he would be a great cabinet choice for Barack.

Interesting speculations. No one mentioned the fact that McCain had two or three prospects at his home in Arizona over the weekend. One really interesting guest is Bobby Jen....(okay I can't spell and I'm too lazy to look it up) from Louisiana. Also there was our very own Lindsay Graham. Also I forget who the other guy was

You may be right. We may be sweating it but only if Republicans stay at home in November. And they may do that what with Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity bashing McCain as they are. But then again, we're going to rent every van and bus in the state and park them. Will the Democrats get out and walk to the polls for Obama? Also don't count on Obama showing up in SC. If he makes one visit here for the general election, I'll be surprised. Remember we have 8 electoral votes. Obama will not waste his time in SC. He'll be in California, New York, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania: Big electoral votes there. We might see McCain once but he too will be focusing on swing states with big blocks of electoral votes. I don't think McCain feels he owes anything to SC the way Bush did in 2000. But that's just another two cents worth.

But then again, we're going to rent every van and bus in the state and park them.

- merrymacsc

to keep Osama Obama out, I'm game then....

You may be right. We may be sweating it but only if Republicans stay at home in November. And they may do that what with Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity bashing McCain as they are. But then again, we're going to rent every van and bus in the state and park them. Will the Democrats get out and walk to the polls for Obama? Also don't count on Obama showing up in SC. If he makes one visit here for the general election, I'll be surprised. Remember we have 8 electoral votes. Obama will not waste his time in SC. He'll be in California, New York, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania: Big electoral votes there. We might see McCain once but he too will be focusing on swing states with big blocks of electoral votes. I don't think McCain feels he owes anything to SC the way Bush did in 2000. But that's just another two cents worth.

- merrymacsc

Jindal is the wildcard, but the best choice if McCain wants to shake it up and help build the party at the same time, win or lose.

McCain, even in defeat, could ironically be like Goldwater, paving the way for the next real conservative President.