GOP Nominee
Former Candidates
VP picks are the big unknown left in the election. Until the debates we’ve not got any other things to wait for.
I think many Republicans focus on the VP pick for another reason. Different segments of the Republican Party view McCain with suspicion. His career in the Senate has been as a maverick, not as a typical politician of any segment of the party.
So we’re all treating McCain’s VP pick as a window into what McCain really believes and what his priorities really are.
So with that in mind which VP picks would make you press the panic button?
Try to think of more than just the also-rans from the primary. Which picks mentioned in the media would get you angry or scared?
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
For me it’d be:
Bloomberg
Lieberman
Huckabee
Graham
Crist
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I’d only push it for Bloomberg. I’d get near pushing it for Lieberman or Crist. I’m OK with Huckabee at this point, if there’s evidence that he’d be a benefit. Ridge is fantastically underwhelming, but I’d endure him.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Anyone that competed against McCain for the nomination (minus Romney), and anyone tied to the Bush administration.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Doug,
It depends on how you define ‘pressing the panic button.’
There are no potential VP candidates that would make me, out of spite, actively work against my own self-interests to facilitate Obama’s election as you have previously suggested you would.
With that said, I would be dissatisfied with the selection of any of the following, and would begrudgingly, if the polls are close in Florida, hold my nose, realizing the national security and judicial consequences at stake:
Huckabee, Brownback, Jindal, Crist, Romney, Palin, Sanford
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Aron,
Odd mix there. Most of them could be classified as serious so-cons, but Crist is far from a traditional so-con, so that doesn’t seem to be your main criteria. And Sanford rarely speaks about social issues, and is generally considered reasonably libertarian in outlook.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Bloomberg or Lieberman would probably make me stay home; maybe Huck too.
Most anyone else would be fine.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
What’s so horrible about Graham? I actually like him.
I’d push that panic button in the case of a Bloomberg pick because of his nanny-state tendancies. If I want to eat a dish loaded up with trans fat in an NYC restaurant that ought to be my prerogative. He’s too liberal on the second amendment as well.
Huckabee as VP nominee would annoy me greatly because:
1) He’s economically liberal - and that’s the last thing the GOP needs after eight years of Bush fiscal insanity. The party needs to reclaim the mantle of fiscal responsibility
2) It would signify that the religious right has too much influence on the GOP. They’re already having a hissy fight because they didn’t get “one of them” as nominee even though McCain is pro-life and doesn’t support gay marriage.
3) He’s just a ticking time bomb. He says stupid things like the “Obama just got shot at” schtick. He’s an accident waiting to happen. He loves the limelight and sooner or later he’s going to screw up.
If McCain picks Romney it will make me throw up in my mouth a little and roll my eyes - but I’d get over it quickly.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Matthew,
Crist is well to my left on too many issues…felon voting rights, global warming, mandating caps on greenhouse gas emissions, reparations for descendants of slaves, etc…believes Schwarzenegger is a great governor.
Only recently did Sanford cross the line in my book…
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I don’t know if anyone would make me do anything other than vote for McCain. Some would make me groan, but ultimately, I don’t think that the next VPOTUS will ever be POTUS, probably regardless of who’s elected.
As I said in another thread, I think McCain should pick his version of Lieberman ‘00, that is to say, someone who reinforces the ticket, the way Lieberman did for Gore in 2000. Gore was running as a clean Bill Clinton, and Lieberman actually was a clean Bill Clinton, which is why Joe helped reinforce that narrative which led to a popular vote victory for Al, even against a sexier candidate in the young, interesting governor of Texas.
McCain’s running as a Republican who is “not one of THOSE Republicans,” and he should pick a VP who can say the same thing. Anyone with sufficient experience pissing off the powers that be in the GOP will do. Pawlenty is still fine in this regard. So are Crist, Ridge, Bloomberg, and even Huckabee.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
the next cabinet:
President - John McCain, US Senator (R)
Vice President - Bobby Jindal, Governor (R)
State - Joseph Lieberman, US Senator (I)
Defense - Tom Ridge, former Governor (R)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - General David Petraeus, US Army
Treasury - Rob Portman, former US Congressman (R)
Commerce -John Chambers, CEO Cisco Systems, Inc.
Attorney General - Rudolph Giuliani, former NYC Mayor (R)
Education - Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives (R)
Energy - Mitt Romney, former Governor (R)
Agriculture - Marilyn Musgrave, US Congresswoman (R)
Heath and Human Services - Mike Huckabee, former Governor (R)
Homeland Security - Eric Cantor, US Congressman (R)
National Security Advisor - John Bolton, former UN Ambassador
Director of National Intelligence - General Michael Hayden, CIA Director
Housing and Urban Development - Frank Keating, former Governor (R)
Interior - Barbara Cubin, US congresswoman (R)
Labor - Michael Steele, former Lt. Governor (R)
Transportation - Mary Fallin, US Congresswoman (R)
Veterans Affairs - Duncan Hunter, former US Congressman (R)
EPA - Marcus Peacock, Deuputy Administrator EPA
FEMA - General James Jones, retired U.S. Marine Core
Office of Management and Budget - Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay
Drug Czar - Jim Talent, former US Senator (R)
Trade Representative - John Kasich, former US Congressman (R-PA)
UN Ambassador - Ryan Crocker, US Ambassador to Iraq
Surgeon General - Bill Frist, former Senate Majority Leader (R-TN)
Solicitor General - Michael J. Garcia, US Attorney, (R-NY)
Chief of Staff - Mark Salter
Press Secretary - Kevin Madden
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
If Huckabee or Romney end up being the vice-presidential pick, I would cry and cut my wrists in utter agony and despair as I vote for McCain in November, remembering what’s at stake in the war.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Alex: “I would cry and cut my wrists in utter agony and despair”
Whoa. I guess we know who the emo on race42008 is.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:27 pm
For me there are only 2 that would make me completely digusted
1.) Crist
2.) Bloomberg
I would still vote for McCain but that is it. No money, no enthusiasm no nothin.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Doug, have you not seen my Facebook profile picture?
http://profile.ak.facebook.com/v227/1635/111/n500895016_7073.jpg
Tight, busy shirt, skeletal-skinny arms, and over-accessorizing (and my lovely McCain pin). Alex sure can sport the emo/scene look, can’t he?
(Does the fact that I’m in the GOP just get weirder and weirder or what, eh?)
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I will vote for McCain with anyone he picks with the exception of Huckabee. At that point I will leave the ballot blank. I won’t work against McCain, but the question is, who will have me work for McCain and I really can’t think of who that will be.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Bloomberg
Lieberman
Huckabee
Crist
would make me nervous.
I dont think VPs help much but Romney
might just a little in CO and Michigan.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Alex whats with the continued loathing of Mitt Romney? As an economic conservative i figured he’d be right up there at the top of who you’d like McCain to pick.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I guess people are not buying that McCain has already chosen Pawlenty. Seems a completely reasonable if not predictable choice. Rumbles few feathers.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Alex whats with the continued loathing of Mitt Romney? As an economic conservative i figured he’d be right up there at the top of who you’d like McCain to pick.
Why, Sean, you mistake me for someone that endorses charlatanism!
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
I WOULD just like him to announce a vp already the long he waits more nervious i am!
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
#20:
Don’t get too anxious. Both McCain and Obama’s camps are saying that it will be early August when they announce their running mates
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
By the way, I’ve been convinced for a while now that McCain will pick Pawlenty.
http://race42008.com/2008/05/23/what-do-candidates-look-for-in-a-vp/
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Panic Button:
Bloomberg
Lieberman
Huckabee
Crist
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Panic button:
Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Would make me seriously consider actually donating to McCain and working for his campaign:
Sanford
Whitman
Romney
Talent
Paul
Thompson
Added to my Panic Button:
Graham
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Nobody that I can think of would make me vote for Obama or even leave a blank ballot (although, given that I live in Illinois, a protest gesture could probably be justified). Of the major possibilities, Huckabee would probably make me most unhappy, followed by Bloomberg and Lieberman.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I worked for Talent but I’d be very surprised if he was under consideration. I’d be very glad though.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Panic button on anyone but Palin (j/k, that was for Ted).
For those Ridge doubters - in lieu of the comments made by Ridge regrding the VP slot on fox today…. if Bush had not performed poorly in western PA (including Erie, Ridge’s home county), Bush would have been captured the 21 EV.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
My vote for McCain isn’t a done deal. All bets are off if the VP pick is Lieberman, Bloomberg, or Huckabee. Anybody else, and I’ll vote for him. If it’s Romney, I’ll work for him and donate money.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
matt,
I think you are close on that cabinet, you certainly put a lot of thought behind that, but….
There are not enough women in that cabinet, and only 1 minority. As well, it was already leaked that Fred Thompson will be in McCain’s cabinet. Charlie Black will be chief of staff and Mark Salter would continue to be the most powerful member of the team, without a title.
I also believe that people such as Gary Bauer would have a cabinet position, as a lot of the bad feelings between McCain and Bush were because Bush refused to employ any of McCain’s backers in 2000. McCain has some loyalty to repay from 2000. Also, look at Governors who are nearing the end of their second term. Huntsman, Pawlenty and Sanford would get high level offers.
On Jindal, McCain is on video stating that it will not be Jindal as VP.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Worst case scenario:
Bloomberg
Really angry:
Lieberman
Crist
Ridge
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
From what I am hearing from my sources, the McCain camp currently has two lists of potential VPs. The first list consists of “base consolidators” or those candidates that might excite and unify the conservative base and increase turnout among conservatives. The second list consists of “base broadeners” or candidates that expand the base both geographically and ideologically. The most interesting thing about this exercise is that I understand that they are looking at candidates whose appeal overlaps both lists or camps. Interestingly enough, Mitt and Rudy both qualify in that overlap category, unifying the base (in the case of Mitt with social conservatives and Rudy among defense hawks) and broadening the base putting the Northeastern states in play and in Rudy’s case making greater inroads with Catholics and Italian-Americans.
Some names on the lists that I found compelling for no other reason that I hadn’t heard them mentioned before include: John Danforth, Bill Frist, Jim Edgar (who is probably disqualified because of his home state being Illinois), Eric Cantor, Karen Elliott House, Mike Pence, Bob Martinez, and Nicholas Brady
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
The only risk to selecting the safe, reasonable, predictable, serviceable, adequate, acceptable, pleasant enough Pawlenty is that, while he’d be a hippocratic oath candidate who does no harm, he also would be of little to no benefit, yielding few, if any, electoral rewards. He could help alleviate the anxieties of social conservatives who are skeptical of McCain, but would, conversely, fail to assuage the concerns of many otherwise receptive ex-Hillary supporters and pro-choice centrists and Independents who are likely to determine the outcome of the election.
If polls in early/mid-August show the race tied or McCain with a small lead over Obama, I could easily see Pawlenty as the solid, workmanlike running back who keeps the chains moving and the clock running late in the 4th quarter, whether it’s to protect the lead, or get into field goal position to win the game as time expires. No need to risk a game-ending interception.
However, if Obama leads by a touchdown and McCain has to drive 80-yards down the field in the final two minutes, playing it safe would no longer be an option. He would then have little choice but to turn to his charismatic “strong right arm”, Rudy, to air it out, giving the team its last best shot to get down the field and secure a victory.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Anyone pro-choice
& Huckabee
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Illinoisguy,
If Ridge comes out and states that he would support McCain’s and the party’s position on abortion, would you be okay with that?
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Aaron,
I totally agree with you in your comment #33. As much as it pains me to say it, I fear that by August it is going to be evident that McCain is Bob Dole 2, has no chance and will be replaced on the top of the ticket. But McCain’s proved me wrong in the past and I hope I’m wrong in this case.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Palin for VP!,
What is wrong with Ridge?
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Basically, it would take someone who either won’t even try to keep the McCain WH in check (like Lieberman), or someone who would, as nominee in four years, move the party seriously to the left - Bloomberg, Ridge, Giuliani, etc.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
“What is wrong with Ridge?”
pro-choice.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
JA Pruce,
If McCain is still at that stage (Veep list), we are in serious trouble.
Disseminating the media coverage and reading the “reliable” leaks, we can confidently predict it will be a Governor.
Romney, Palin, Crist, Pawlenty, Sanford, Engler, Ridge and Pawlenty.
I am wondering why Crist appears to be rushing in to marriage, and to a hispanic-jew at that (talk about covering you large voting blocks in FLA). Although I believe they are in love, it appears so political.
What are the chances he is VP as part of a deal to endore McCain?
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I highly doubt that Giuliani would give McCain the big boost to put him over the finish line. For one thing, McCain’s and Giuliani’s core support groups are largely the same people - moderate defense hawks who don’t care that much about social issues. For another, adding a pro-choicer to the ticket, particularly when down by a large amount, could be the nail in the coffin for many conservatives to simply stay home and wait four years.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
http://www.act-blog.co.nr,
What if Ridge endorses the McCain/RNC position on abortion (states that he will support that position)?
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
dan,
Ridge pretty much put that to rest today on Fox News Sunday.
Chris Wallace asked Ridge if he were chosen as McCain’s running mate, would he be willing to follow the dictate of McCain on the issue of abortion?
Ridge responded saying, “Well, I believe what I believe and I’ve had that point of view before I got into elected office. I’ve had it when I served, and I have it now. And, again, #1, we’re not a one issue party — never have, never will be, although it’s very important to our base, and it’s very, very important to Senator McCain. He feels very, very strongly about that issue and that’s why any conversation we have relative to that issue and the vice presidency is something that he and I have to discuss before ever going down that path publicly.
Wallace followed up, asking, “Are you saying you would not be willing to make a pledge?”
Ridge retorted, reiterating “I believe what I believe. I mean, I believe what I believe, and have felt that way throughout my entire life. Obviously, the vice president’s job is to support, once a decision is made, whether it’s on social issues, economic issues or diplomatic issues, the position of the United States. But, that doesn’t mean that you don’t share a belief that you’ve had your entire life. But, again, those are very difficult and challenging questions, when the president and vice president disagree on a wide range of issues — but the vice president’s job is to support the administration.”
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Aron Goldman,
I understand, but I would like to see the reaction of voters such as act-blog.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
The nail in the coffin for Ridge is that he’s been in the Bush administration.
Picking Ridge just validates McCain = Bush 3rd term. It could really hurt McCain with independents and anti-war centrists.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Well of course no Huckabee, no Lieberman or Bloomberg, No Hillary or Kerry or any of McCain’s old friends either. No one who can’t understand economics and isn’t a conservative. There’s not a lot that have been mentioned that would get me over my suspicion of McCain and his amnest-ic global warming tendencies.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:48 pm
#46:
Good to see that by your standards McCain is free to choose from a broad and deep pool of candidates for his running mate.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:58 pm
#45 econ,
If the polls continue to trend the way they have, the Iraq war will not be a liability by September. In fact, by November, having Obama’s position, may be the liability. I would have never predicted this earlier this year.
McCain tying the surge to his campaign was probably the boldest foresight I have ever seen from a candidate (in retrospect). When he made this call last year, the press said he was finished. When he secured the nomination this year, the press said it would prevent him from becoming President. Lebanon, Somalia, Kosovo, Gulf-war 1, and now the surge. The man is almost never wrong on foreign policy.
As far as hitting the panic button, any GOP member of Congress would be a threat level of orange or red.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Ridge did sound like he wanted it today, so much so I wonder if he was likely told to do so by the campign for some reason.
The key is will Ridge take Penn. Penn is closer than some of the lastest polls out (because for some reason they oversampling the young vote, or likely undersampling the older vote?) there at the momnent.
One of the top dems in congress, the guy from ILL who ran their campign comminitte in 2006 thinks Ridge not only makes McCain the Fav in Penn but takes it out of reach for Obama.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:15 pm
No Democrat or no social liberal. As long as Mr. Romney promise not to make our health system like Canada or MA, I should be able to live the idea of him or the ticket. I still would prefer somebody outside of New England.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
There is no guarantee that Mr. Ridge would even take PA and he is for various reason a walking disaster throughout the Midwest.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
#43 I don’t understand what Ridge said. It sounds like he is saying he would have a private opinion which could be different from his public opinion. That is exactly what many pro-choice catholics say except in the reverse (they privately are opposed to abortion). I don’t think its a credible position for a GOP VP.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 pm
If the polls continue to trend the way they have, the Iraq war will not be a liability by September. In fact, by November, having Obama’s position, may be the liability. I would have never predicted this earlier this year.
Look at the polls from January 2007 and then look at the polls today concerning Iraq.
The level of upsurge in public support is astounding.
McCain is also trusted more than Obama on the war, and McCain has taken an unapologetically stay-the-course attitude.
The war, amazingly enough, is more or less an asset for McCain. Good. As it should be.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:29 pm
#51,
Certainly Ridge is not my first choice, but,
Kerry beat Bush in PA by 1.5%. Bush lost working class counties with medium sized cities, such as Erie and Scranton. All Ridge needs to do is take half of that 1.5% away from the Dem’s and PA is for McCain. Ridge is extremelty popular in Erie, and in all of Western-PA. I have a feeling, a popular ex-Governor can carry his home county. I did not see voters up in arms when they named Erie International Airport after Ridge.
Keep in mind, McCain can afford to lose IA, CO, NM and NV if he gains the PA EC votes.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Alex, the majority of American are not so stupid that they will blindly follow an anti-war nut. Thus, in November, in a clean two way fight. We shall most likely elect the Pro-War candidate over Mr. Obama, the anti-war fruit-loop.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Kerry beat Bush in PA by 1.5%. Bush lost working class counties with medium sized cities, such as Erie and Scranton. All Ridge needs to do is take half of that 1.5% away from the Dem’s and PA is for McCain. Ridge is extremelty popular in Erie, and in all of Western-PA. I have a feeling, a popular ex-Governor can carry his home county. I did not see voters up in arms when they named Erie International Airport after Ridge.
Um, yeah, assuming that McCain retains every other Bush voter from 2004 and that the 1.5% that voted for Kerry would be more swayed if an ex-Bush Administration official were on the ticket…
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Ohio Joe — Nuts and Fruit Loops.
Om nom nom nom.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
In history, has America ever voted for the “anti-war” candidate? I can only recall Wilson, but we were not at war yet (he sent us to WW1 anyway).
My panic button would be for anyone who does not share McCain’s view of Iraq and the war on terror. I presume that would include Hagel and Bloomberg.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:47 pm
IF Ridge made a clear and unquestionable promise that, as President, he would appoint pro-lifers, sign pro-life legislation, etc. - or else promise not to seek the Presidency, well, then I guess I could accept him.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:54 pm
#56 Alex Knepper,
You may be correct, but Rasmussen generally has them within a point or two from each other. The only polls that have showed Obama with a lead outside of the margin of error were taken during the week of the PA primary and the days after Obama secured the nomination.
Still, Ridge is not my first choice, but not a bad one.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I take back what I said about JA Pruce,
He obviously has sources, because a just released Politico article about Female VP candidates has several GOP sources that state there are “tiers” to McCain’s list. Sorry JA.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11258.html
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Reporters Say Networks Put Wars on Back Burner
Money lines:
Terry McCarthy, an ABC News correspondent in Baghdad, said he was not as busy as he was a year ago. A decline in the relative amount of violence “is taking the urgency out” of some of the coverage, he said. Still, he gets on ABC’s “World News” and other programs with stories, including one on Friday about American gains in northern Iraq.
Anita McNaught, a correspondent for the Fox News Channel, agreed. “The violence itself is not the story anymore,” she said.
Journalists at all three American television networks with evening newscasts expressed worries that their news organizations would withdraw from the Iraqi capital after the November presidential election. They spoke only on the condition of anonymity in order to avoid offending their employers.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Aron,
Is this good or bad for McCain? Tough call…
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 pm
i wish palin was out as a surrogate so we could gauge her with the pundits. we know jindal can handle them, we dont know if palin can.
running a state of 600,000 is not as impressive as jindal’s intellect or experience. im worried it may be too much for her.
then again, she may bring more votes then jindal.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:27 pm
“even though McCain is pro-life and doesn’t support gay marriage.”
I missed this earlier - and, while I don’t think McCain is going to run off in a socially leftward direction, he doesn’t have the cleanest record on social issues - having previously said he wouldn’t support the repeal of Roe, and opposing a FMA.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Bloomberg and Crist are really the only two that would really hack me off. Huckabee would worry me, but not make me hit the panic button.
Lieberman I could actually live with as President, but I’d have a hard time with all his liberal policies. I trust him with our country’s foreign policy, but nothing else, I suppose.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
i think janet napelatono came off better in her joint interview with palin. now i think palin would be a better candidate then janet would be for the dems, but its perception, she needs to be spot on in interviews and in debates. they can make her into dan quayle, and the media will because they love barry. and what if she’s up against nunn or webb, how can she talk foreign policy with them? jindal i know has the brains to master foreign policy from extensive studying, but i dont know if palin could and seem credible. now if obama picked kaine or richardson, i think she’d mop up.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
A part of me wonders whether the top and middle tiers will all be disqualified for all the reasons that we’ve articulated and McCain will end up choosing someone no one is expecting.
Every single candidate we’ve talked about has at least one major reason that they shouldn’t be picked.
Pawlenty: comes off as a lightweight
Ridge: pro-choice
Palin: too green
Jindal: see Palin
Crist: rumors about homosexuality and/or rampant playboy behavior
Lieberman: non-Republican
Bloomberg: non-Republican
Fiorina: HP
Romney: too Republican
Huckabee: too much like a Democrat
And so on.
That’s why it doesn’t surprise me to see folks like Danforth and Eric Cantor on the list.
Danforth was rumored to be a GWB option eight years ago. He was a warm, fuzzy religious guy from a big swing state. He was sort of Bush’s Pawlenty.
Cantor is a Jewish southerner who wins non-Jewish populations (having moved to his district about a year ago, I can attest to the dearth of Jews here in Central VA). He’s also from a state that McCain probably has to hold to win. The conservative pundits love the guy and he’s mostly known for his strong support of Israel. He has experience winning reddish suburbs and exurbs — the type with lots of middle class whites who probably still go to church — and could presumably help in the same types of communities in Missouri, Ohio, and Western PA. I think he has to be on the list due to his potential to both excite conservatives as well as to help hold Virginia and win over Jewish and pro-Israel voters in states like PA, where a few Jewish votes in Philly could go a long way.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
matt is dead on. Why is Palin not campaigning with McCain? The home page of the McCain web site has a picture and link for HRC voters (citizens for McCain). Since McCain is trying to attract these voters, Palin should be campaigning with McCain.
Palin is obviously excellent on TV, especially with 1 on 1 interviews, but let us see her in campaign mode.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Too republican lol it so should be Mitt!
As I’ve said for 4 months it will be T/Paw though.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 pm
The Dems will pick Kaine or Sebiluis.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 pm
#67 matt,
Since Ted has retired, please let me argue for Governor Palin.
In 1964 Arizona had just over 1 million people (re: Goldwater), and yes, no other Governor has Jindal’s brains.
I agree Gov. Napelatono was a little stronger in the interview, but look who was interviewing her. The problem was that Palin was being asked questions about her state, but Rose obviously did little re-search on Alaska. There is not a health-care crisis in Alaska, even though he kept asking. He policy skills are on education, energy, spending and ethics.
McCain’s VP selection will probably not be discussing much foreign policy, I have a feeling they will be discussing domestic issues. As for being another Dan Quayle….I DON’T THINK SO! She is very careful and conservative to what she says on TV. Clearly her education and training as a journalist and broadcaster have helped her substantially. If you have doubts about her debating skills, check out her GOP primary debate with Murkowski, 3rd section. It turned the election for her.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:13 pm
No panic button. I have great admiration for McCain and want to see him as President. Snobama is a fraud and this campaign finance reform peccadillo is just one example. I really hate the guy. He thinks he’s entitled to the presidency–along with his wife. And they are just spoiled uber-liberals who have had everything handed to them and they don’t appreciate how great this country is. I don’t care if it’s Ridge or 9iu11ani–the false messiah must be stop at all costs.
That said, i would be very disappointed if it was Ridge, 9iu11ani or any other weak, pro-choice liberal GOPer. I would accept Bloomberg b/c the guy at least has a brilliant business mind–He won’t take it as Aron said in some other post. We need to win. I still think Sarah will do that b/c she’ll grab some of the spotlight and work to reduce the gender gap. Look at the SUSA crosstabs; the gender gap is huge. If Snobama is stupid enough to take Webb, then McCain has a DUTY to take a woman, almost any woman, even RINO Rell. Pawlenty, Ridge, et al will never be guaranteed to win their respective states. But Palin might just reduce the gender gap–and take some of Snobama’s pizzaz–nationwide.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:22 pm
if mccain doesn’t win, obama will be a 1-term prez, just look at the 2012 crop:
sen. thune
gov. jindal
gov. palin
gen. petraeus
gov. romney
gov. blunt
any ticket combo of this group cruises
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
matt,
I am not sure Obama will only be a 1 term President. First of all, it is difficult to defeat a sitting President. Secondly, the surge is working so well, it looks as if a majority of our troops will be home within 4 years. Obama, the anti-war candidate will be able to lay claim to bringing the troops home, keeping his promise (yes with some delays, but none the less).
Thirdly, looking at economic cycles, we are probably looking at a period of sustained growth before the 2012 election. Yes, Obama will probably damage our economy with his tax and spend policies, but unless he allows inflation to significantly rise, he will be able to run on an improved economy. Lastly, Obama can raise large amounts of $. Just like Dole in 96, the GOP candidate in 2012 (other than Romney) will probably have limilted cash at the end of the primary, and will not be able to defend themselves from attacks. That is a major reason why Dole lost.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Huckabee would make me sick.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Kris, you’re exactly right. Snobama will take credit for winning the Iraq war and that pulling out the troops was the right idea…when it’s completely the opposite. That’s why McCain has to win.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
#74
Governor Blunt? He has no business being in the group you listed. He’s about as bland as it gets and has no major accomplishments that he’ll be able to point to… Besides, he won’t be running for reelection this year. The future looks bright for Palin and Jindal. Petraeus has been responsible for the turnaround in Iraq, and we all know Romney has his enthusiastic supporters. Between now and 2012, unless Matt Blunt does something drastic to make a name for himself, he won’t a stand a chance against those candidates, and there are still plenty of other more inspiring options out there.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
If Huckabee were the VP, I’d literally campaign for Obama. Thankfully, I don’t think that will be the case.
I’m a Carly Fiorina fan, personally, btw. I seriously hope if she doesn’t make the cut for VP she’s at least in the cabinet.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
#76 Amen.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:52 pm
“Snobama will take credit for winning the Iraq war and that pulling out the troops was the right idea…”
Ugh, yes. I have a feeling you’re right on about this… That would be extremely hard to stomach.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 am
McCain thought Justice Roberts was the shiznit. That means he’s got mad conservative cred.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:56 am
Well whats the success record of the President seeking re-election himself after he succeeded a two term president?
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:10 am
#81. Now you know how Hillary supporters feel about Obama.
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 am
As a McCain Independent/Democrat, only someone with extreme conservative beliefs like Jindal would make me think twice about my vote. That and any religious nutjob like Huckabee.
McCain/Bloomberg would pick up a ton of Independents and moderates. And if you want to win…
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:00 am
Anybody but Sarah Palin would make me seriously question McCain’s sanity!
If McCain doesn’t pick Palin, I’m doing a write-in vote. Can you guess which politician I’ll choose?
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:34 am
I can’t believe SoCons are requiring TWO of them on the ticket, without realizing EconCons are without one of theirs on the top of the ticket, and deserve on on the bottom of the ticket.
If we can’t even get an EconCon on the freaking BOTTOM of the ticket, many of us will be done with the GOP.
HEAR THAT TEAM McCAIN???
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:30 am
Metro,
Let’s be serious Metro. McCain is no more a pure so-con then he is a pure econCon. Arguably, he’s more of an economic conservative. He voted against Medicare Part D. He’s excellent on pork. And he hasn’t, in a prominent way, pushed for many expansions of Government. His supposedly poor fiscal record comes from three things: his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, his support for cap and trade, and various statements he’s made demonizing oil companies, big business, or prescription drug companies. Those are all negatives, to be sure, but they don’t speak for his entire record, which is fairly satisfactory on fiscal issues. In 2006, the Club for Growth had him pretty much dead smack in the middle of the GOP caucus in their report card.
Let’s compare this to his social positions: he said in 2000 (and I happen to believe this expresses his true feelings) that he wouldn’t support overturning Roe in either the short or long-term. He said, again being unintentionally honest, that he didn’t care if gays got married, only to recant after the break, because some aide whispered in his ear that, after all, he was supposed to oppose gay marriage. He’s said “social issues are not my focus” and “I don’t care about social issues” at alternate times. He supports embryionic stem-cell research, seemingly even now, when any politician with moderate skill could pull off a shift in the light of “new developments” without damaging their credibility with independents.
We’re able to contemplate him possibly selecting radical social liberals like Lieberman and Bloomberg, something that would be utterly unthinkable with any of our previous Republican nominees, or with Romney, or Fred, or Huck. He opposes the federal marriage amendment, etc.
No, I wouldn’t call John one “of them”, if them is defined as so-cons. That said, very few people are demanding that McCain pick a so-con who isn’t also reasonably fiscally conservative. No one here is pushing for Huckabee. How is Palin not a fiscal conservative. How is Jindal not a fiscal conservative; he’s instituting a voucher plan as we speak for goodness sakes. I know you’d consider both radical social conservatives as well, but that’s besides the point. How is Pawlenty not a fiscal conservative, or at least how is Pawlenty not significantly more fiscally conservative then McCain? Look at the Club for Growth’s home page today, for a contrast. They have videos, almost in quick succession, discussing Pawlenty and Crist as potential VP’s. Crist is termed “that silver-haired moderate”. They present Sullivan’s prediction that Mac has already decided on Pawlenty, without comment and with apparent equanimity.
Heck, whether you hate him or not, even Romney ought to be objectively considered a fiscal conservative. Take away his health-care plan, and he had an exemplary fiscal record as Governor, and was running on an outstanding platform in the primaries. The only non-fiscal conservatives I’ve heard seriously suggested are people who also aren’t social conservatives; Bloomberg and Lieberman.
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:21 am
Any pro-choicer minus Rudy (his commitment to appoint Roberts like judges makes him palatable to me).
Huckabee would be a major irritation but I would pull the lever still because I know he is loved by
certain segments of the GOP and he would be good on social issues. I would just throwup and vote.
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TPAW would be a good safe choice.
Cantor likewise.
Sarah Palin. I don’t know enough about her. Alaska is small isn’t it. Can she handle the big league?
Crist. Is minimally acceptable.
Romney. I would be excited about, but I am biased and I think McCain would have to have major balls to pick him.
There’s too much risk/reward ratio with going with Romney.
Condi. I would be excited about her if she gave signals that she would be pro-life.
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:54 am
The only one who make me push a panic button would be Huckabee.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:02 am
#11 What would you do if Obama becomes president? Hang your entire family??
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
what are the chances he picks rudy the america’s mayor his friend?
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
what are the chances he picks rudy the america’s mayor his friend? I would say great choices would be any of following to rudy mitt or Mike steele!
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Short list..
Pawlenty
Crist
Ridge
Huckabee
Graham
Any of these and I will vote for Obama…especially with Nunn or Bayh or Jim Webb as Obama’s VP
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:30 am
Craig I not voting for Obama but If I had to make a good guess my guess has been leaning for quiet a while that he is picking Mr. 2 america’s = john edwards can’t want for the VP debate then!:)
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:07 am
Not only would I hit the panic button if Romney were chosen but it’s one of the few things that might cause me to consider pulling the lever for Bob Barr in November.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Poor Dan,
Romney is the only guy who has an economic I.Q that registers above 0. Let’s not vote for anybody that actually has a brain and has actually run something. Much better to continue this country’s fascination with photogenic incompetence.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 am
Craig, Mr. Romney does have a very high economic I.Q. on Energy, but with regards to health care, let’s just say there are many candidates that are at least as good.
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 am
“(his commitment to appoint Roberts like judges makes him palatable to me).”
Not me. Even if his weak promise on judges would mean we get conservatives (And I don’t think it would - Giuliani said he believed Roe was correctly decided, so that should give you some clue as what his idea of a “strict constructionist” is) - I still don’t believe we could get him, as President, to fight for and sign pro-life legislation.
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As for Romney and health care, he would be a real asset in that area - becuase unlike Obama, or McCain, etc., Romney actually has experience in that area. Obviously, when you are instituting a new, major proposal, there are going to be problems, but by putting Romney on the ticket, McCain can show what a good universal health care program can look like, and the problems that result when you put Democrats in charge of said program.
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:26 am
Experience is only good if it is good experience. With respect, while Mr. Romney has good experience in some areas, health care does not appear to be one of them. Yes, I realize that to a great extent, it is the Liberals in the MA state-house that mucked it up, but it is not a shining example now nevertheless. If he has actually learned from his mistake that he would be a half decent VP. It is a double edge sword, yes we can say “look what happens when the Democrats take over,” but we still have to explain to the American people why this was allowed to happen. It would be better to let sleeping dogs alone. It Mr. Romney becomes the VP candidate, he need to tell us why he was right on energy, not why he was wrong on health care.
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Ohio Joe, I think you normally analyze things pretty fairly and accurately, however, I think your infestigation of Mitt’s health care background is not a result of an unbiased look. I can’t think of many things that Mitt himself did wrong while instituting this broad appproach in Massachusetts. There were many things beyond his control, but I wish you would look at what his actual contributions and leadership were.
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Lieberman
Ridge
Romney
Pawlenty
Huckabee
Crist
Bloomberg