ok, so now that obama is the nominee(i mean, come on, he is...)
ok, so now that obama is the nominee(i mean, come on, he is...)we can
turn our speculation to his vp choice.
i'm including the huffington post list of contenders.
personally i think jim webb is an amazing choice.
jim webb has tons of experience, and, most importantly, he's a fucking badass.
yes, there are few people on the planet who i would refer to as a 'fucking badass', but jim
webb is one of them.
i also think that wes clark would be a great vp.
but here's the list, start speculating.
moby
THE TOP TIER
Jim Webb
Webb is the closest thing to a frontrunner for Obama's VP these days. A former Republican, he served as Secretary of the Navy for Ronald Regan. Webb defeated George "Macaca" Allen to become a junior senator in Virginia.
Pros: Webb is a good foil for Obama's post-partisan message, and he's the military credentials to go match up with John McCain. He's good at playing the attack dog, which will let Obama keep the high road. And he's from trending-blue Virginia, which would be a great pickup in November for Democrats. He's also pro-guns.
Cons: Webb can be a little out-of-control as attack dogs go.
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Hillary Clinton
This ticket is either a dream or a nightmare. Some see it as the only way to reunite the Democrats in time for November. Other see it as the fastest way to destroy the Obama brand.
Pro: Strong appeal with working class voters and women.
Con: See Iraq War vote, 3AM phone call, Bill Clinton in South Carolina, and the month of March.
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Bill Richardson
You know him, you love him, he's the New Mexico governor with a heart of gold, a kickin' mustache, and -- thanks to James Carville -- a new nickname.
Pros: You've heard them all before. A foreign policy resume a mile long, executive experience, and a lock with Hispanic voters. And he picked Obama, despite his Clinton ties.
Cons: Did you watch any of the debates?
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Joe Biden
He is Mr. Foreign Policy. He also claims the best line of the primary season thus far. Too bad no one told Iowans he was running for President.
Pro: He trumps any foreign policy claims that McCain brings to the table. He can hit McCain hard.
Con: He tends to hit everyone hard. And he's a Washington figure, which could hurt a campaign running against Washington.
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Brian Schwietzer
Never heard of him? You should. Schweitzer has been Montana's governor since 2005, and is currently on of the most popular governors in the country.
Pros: In addition to his executive experience, Schweitzer has spent a good amount of time around the world (including the Middle East) in his former life as an irrigation developer. His popularity and his pro-gun stance could help Obama in the Mountain West area. He also refused PAC and special interest money during his 2004 campaign. He's also criticized the economic consequences of the Iraq War, an approach that Obama has recently adopted.
Cons: Despite his travels, he has no official foreign policy experience. He also doesn't bring in any delegates from his own state (though that could be offset if he helps in places like North Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado).
WORTH WATCHING
Janet Napolitano
Another popular Western governor, Napolitano has settled into a second term in McCain's very red home state. She also backed Obama early in the race.
Pros: She has proven her executive capacity in Republican territory, as well as the Southwest, which will help sway Obamicans. A female candidate could also help reunite the Democrats.
Con: Her stance on immigration could prove costly among Hispanic voters.
Sherrod Brown
Another governor, this one from Ohio. Brown is a favorite among progressives for his economic populism and outspoken criticism of the war.
Pro: Could help deliver an important swing state.
Con: Doesn't really satisfy the idea of a unity ticket.
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Chuck Hagel
A Republican senator who has fought with Bush tooth and nail over the Iraq war, Hagel is one of three Republicans who voted with the Democrats over a withdrawal plan. He also has served on the Banking, Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. Hagel has also said he's considering endorsing Sen. Obama.
Pro: Broad Senate experience. A living embodiment of Obama's commitment to work with like-minded Republicans. Also is a veteran with experience in Reagan's administration
Con: He is still a Republican (especially on abortion, healthcare), which would not sit well with a lot of Democrats.
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Wesley Clark
Rhodes Scholar turned four-star general and once-presidential candidate. A star resource for Democrats on military affairs.
Pro: John McCain would have to salute him. And he has Southern appeal.
Con: Backed Clinton early and has been a very active surrogate. Not always the best politician on a national stage.
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Kathleen Sebelius
Talk about reaching across the aisle. This Kansas governor convinced a Republican to leave his party, become a Democrat, and run as his Lieutenant Governor. Kansas is rife with stories of Republicans undergoing conversions, and Sebelius gets a good amount of credit for this.
Pro: Another Red-state governor with an excellent post-partisan record. Having a female VP could be a strong ticket.
Con: Sebelius didn't wow anyone with her response to the State of the Union, which raises questions about how she would do on the national stage. And her location in Kansas doesn't add much that Obama doesn't already get from Illinois.
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Tom Daschle
The former South Dakota senator, Daschle has been a strong supporter of Obama's campaign; he's a nation co-chair and is rumored to play a big part in the campaign strategy.
Pro: Can bring in votes from his home state.
Con: Weak campaigner: he lost his Senate seat while he was the sitting Majority Leader.
BR
the irony of Bill Richardon's endorsement of Barack is that BR has a massive yet underground reputation as sexual harrasser. Yes we can! continue to promote men who treat women as sexual objects!
I had no idea of his widespread reputation until I was told by Barack supporter's back in 2005 that Kerry rejected him because of his well-known rep. No He'll go nowhere in the BHO's administration but BHO plays everyone spectacularly well - just like a politician! WOW! Oh yes but he's "pragmatic" as opposed to a "bullshitter."
The Chicago Machine (the same one that stole the 1960 election for JFK - "vote early, vote often!") scores again in the new millenium!
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
or in English...
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
but of course, when a woman does it, it's mean, nasty, ruthless, distasteful, and demeaning.
David Alexrod has packaged a mighty product in Senator Obama. But this chica won't be fooled again.
Hillary is the obvious choice
Richardson would be a poor choice. Just look at the statistics from the state of New Mexico. Did anyone see him get butchered by Russert on Meet The Press?
Biden was my horse. I voted for him in California long after he was out of the race. But even I will admit that Obama/Biden is a losing ticket.
Hillary is the obvious choice because Obama loses Ohio, Penn., and Florida without her. You win two of those states and you're the next President of the United States.
Obama has to do the right thing and unite this party by selecting Clinton to be his running mate. If he doesn't, as polls suggest----over half of Clinton supporters will either stay home or vote for McCain in November.
Iowans
just to let you know, my family lives in IA and they tried voting for Biden, but had to go elsewhere because he didn't get enough supporters.
Iowans
just to let you know, my family lives in IA and they tried voting for Biden, but had to go elsewhere because he didn't get enough supporters.
Looking toward The Americas.
My best choice would be Bill Richardson for many ways.
He has a lot of experience lobbying, a tremendous profile on foreign policy, a true diplomat.
The image and sentiment towards the United States of America is totally damaged in front of the rest of the world. We need to repair all wounds that have been mistakenly and unmistakenly applied to several countries thru out history.
I think that a joint venture between Obama and Richardson can be an excellent choice, not only to truly communicate with other Presidents and Head of States, but also it will be a true message to everyone saying that America is (or is trying to be) inclusive with an African American President and a Mexican American Vice President. A true message of a United America, from Alaska to Argentina. Richardson can talk to almost everyone, from Calderon in Mexico, to Chavez in Venezuela. We need that. A true channel of communication.
Thus, it could be a real apparel for Richardson in 4 or 8 years.
Edwards?
What about Edwards? I know this isn't your list, but shouldn't he be included? I was under the impression that his failure to endorse anyone, even this late in the cycle, was to leave himself open to being someone's running mate. I haven't been following very closely recently, though (I'm a little sick of the primaries, at this point). Maybe there's another reason for his silence on this issue that I'm not getting?
I don't think there will be an Obama/Clinton ticket. I love how they list the entire month of March as a con for Clinton as VP. Hillary was a big role-model for me growing up. I've always admired her, but I still voted for Obama, and now that she refuses to admit defeat, I'm losing a bit of respect for her.
Oh, and would you join tumblr? I think you'd like it. It's so much easier to have a dialogue that way. And you can very easily post audio and video and pictures. (and no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way, other than that I have a blog there)