Veepstakes Speculation
A really quite good AP article on the subject:
…REPUBLICANS
Given McCain’s age — at 72 on Inauguration Day, he would be the oldest first-term president — there could be more focus than usual on his choice for vice president.
McCain batted away questions Friday about what he’ll be looking for, saying it would be inappropriate to go there with Huckabee still in the race.
Even so, he offered some clues to his thinking. A regional strategy — picking a Southerner, for example, to help carry states in the South — doesn’t work like it did in the past, he said.
McCain even laid out a job description of sorts: “The fundamental principle behind any selection of a running mate would be whether that person is fully prepared to take over and shares your values, your principles, your philosophy and your priorities,” he said.
Under one theory, McCain should use his veep choice to shore up support among wary conservatives.
“That’s the high-profile, easy way” to get right with conservatives, said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union. “If you said, ‘I can’t change because I’m too old to change and I’m too ornery and I don’t want to be nice to you but I’ll select as my running mate someone you really love,’ then they’ll all say ‘OK, we’ll put up with the ornery old guy.’”…
…DEMOCRATS
Still battling delegate for delegate, Clinton and Obama need to keep their focus right now on securing the nomination.
Others, though, have more time to ponder the ramifications of the two candidates teaming up — in either order.
Many see that as the unstoppable “dream unity ticket,” says Goldstein.
Republican Galen, however, thinks it would be more of a nightmare scenario.
A President Obama, he says, wouldn’t want Bill Clinton roaming around “reminding everybody of how he would have done it.”
A President Clinton, he says, wouldn’t want to be overshadowed by the star appeal of Obama.
If the Democratic candidates decide to look elsewhere for a running mate, one strategy is select someone who reinforces their own qualities.
Obama, for example, could pick a Washington outsider to supersize his change message, for example a governor like Arizona’s Janet Napolitano or Kansas’ Kathleen Sebelius…
Anything is possible, but I really don’t see Hillary subordinating herself to Obama, and I see no upside for Obama in becoming Hillary’s VP pick (being a Clinton VP did just a bang up job for Gore, right?) - given this, I do look for a relatively unknown person to wind up as the Democrat’s VP pick - with Napolitano and Sebelius being very good choices for Obama. As to who Hillary would pick - look for a non-entity who won’t be able to upstage her, nor compete with Bill for the second-banana spotlight. Perhaps some former Clinton cabinet member, or a really obscure governor.
As for McCain - I’m thinking youthfu, governor and rock-ribbed conservative. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) would be best, but he only took office this year…oln the other hand, if its Obama, no one would be able to complain about Jindal’s experience, which actually far outpaces Obama’s even without the governorship. Mike Rounds (R-SD) is another possible pick - youthful, good looking family, solid conservative credentials on spending, regulation and education.
What do you think?
34 comments February 10th, 2008
