I still think that Senator McCain and Senators Clinton or Obama should seriously consider some present or former rivals as possible running mates - McCain should consider former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Obama should consider Clinton, Clinton, should consider Obama, and Obama and Clinton should consider former Senator John Edwards. I liked Mitt Romney as a Massachusetts governor, but he was not a good candidate. And I am not a big fan of the long list of Democratic governors people are foisting on Obama or Clinton as running mates (though I like many of them as governors (Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Virginia Governor Tom Kaine, former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack).
Among the more intriguing possible running mates: for Obama - first-term Virginia Senator Jim Webb (pictured above top), a former Republican secretary of the Navy, spy novelist, national security big strategy expert. I heard an interview with Webb on NPR. Webb is one of the moderate-to-conservative Democrats elected to Congress in 2006. His election gave the Democrats the Senate majority (and so that may be a drawback in a way). Like Obama, he's new to the Senate, and so he could join Obama in running against Washington. He has national security credentials, is young like Obama, and could help put into a play a number of Southern states with large military and retired military populations.
For McCain: first-year Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (pictured above middle). Is very young (10 years younger than me), but has an impressive resume. A South Asian Indian American, he would be the first non-white presidential or vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket (if the Democrats go for Clinton). A Hindu convert to evangelical Protestantism, he would actually shore up McCain's credentials with evangelicals, while also forcing them to confront their racism and xenophobia. An Asian vice president! He's also a governor and has a reputation as a reformer, which would help McCain run against Washington and as a reformer.
First-term Florida Governor Charlie Crist (pictured above middle, below Jindal). He's the only education commissioner in the past 32 years who someone we know who works for the state Educatoin Department has not had extensive conversations with - He was apparently running for Attorney General the entire year he was serving as educatoin commissioner. Another person we know at the Florida Public Service Commission interacted with Crist while he was on that commission, where - in populist fashion - he was willing to take on the utility companies occasionally. A former pro-abortion rights politician, he is very socially moderate - although while in the Florida Senate, he won the nickname "chain gang Charlie" for his crusade to force inmates in state prisons to wear chains, including while out on work detail. Considered a maverick, young and even younger-looking, he would help McCain's moderate and maverick credentials in a year when both could be good. Currently single, he's had to endure occasional questions about his sexual orienation. I don't like Crist's signature "reform": property tax reform which is starving Florida local governments and school districts, but it'd sure be interesting having a vice president who was single (not to mention from Florida). Crist wouldn't help McCain much shore up the Republicans' evangelical base. Even though Crist is slightly less popular than before, his presence on the ticket could force the Democrats to write off Florida (and let the Republicans concentrate the resources elsewhere). Both Jindal and Crist are also considered charming.
A possible running mate for Obama or Clinton whom I definitely don't like: former Georgia senator Sam Nunn.
Another possibility: Youngish Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, a former governor who might still be able to run against Washington and who helped Senator Clinton win Indiana (though barely) and who - like Al Gore and Walter Mondale before him - had toyed with running president or done so earlier before leaving the field to other contenders. Still, Bayh is a bit bland and his state is awfully near Obama's (and Clinton's growing-up) home state (Illinois).
Also intriguing is the possibility that any of the presidential candidates could pick as running mates people who are not from their party: McCain, 2000 Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman (who was probably actually elected vice president in Florida, before the Republicans stole it), who sides with McCain on the war and has endorsed him; the Democrats, outgoing Senator who opposes the war, and his would-be Democrat turned Republican turned independent Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor of New York City who toyed with running for president, possibly with as his running mate.
Among the more intriguing possible running mates: for Obama - first-term Virginia Senator Jim Webb (pictured above top), a former Republican secretary of the Navy, spy novelist, national security big strategy expert. I heard an interview with Webb on NPR. Webb is one of the moderate-to-conservative Democrats elected to Congress in 2006. His election gave the Democrats the Senate majority (and so that may be a drawback in a way). Like Obama, he's new to the Senate, and so he could join Obama in running against Washington. He has national security credentials, is young like Obama, and could help put into a play a number of Southern states with large military and retired military populations.
For McCain: first-year Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (pictured above middle). Is very young (10 years younger than me), but has an impressive resume. A South Asian Indian American, he would be the first non-white presidential or vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket (if the Democrats go for Clinton). A Hindu convert to evangelical Protestantism, he would actually shore up McCain's credentials with evangelicals, while also forcing them to confront their racism and xenophobia. An Asian vice president! He's also a governor and has a reputation as a reformer, which would help McCain run against Washington and as a reformer.
First-term Florida Governor Charlie Crist (pictured above middle, below Jindal). He's the only education commissioner in the past 32 years who someone we know who works for the state Educatoin Department has not had extensive conversations with - He was apparently running for Attorney General the entire year he was serving as educatoin commissioner. Another person we know at the Florida Public Service Commission interacted with Crist while he was on that commission, where - in populist fashion - he was willing to take on the utility companies occasionally. A former pro-abortion rights politician, he is very socially moderate - although while in the Florida Senate, he won the nickname "chain gang Charlie" for his crusade to force inmates in state prisons to wear chains, including while out on work detail. Considered a maverick, young and even younger-looking, he would help McCain's moderate and maverick credentials in a year when both could be good. Currently single, he's had to endure occasional questions about his sexual orienation. I don't like Crist's signature "reform": property tax reform which is starving Florida local governments and school districts, but it'd sure be interesting having a vice president who was single (not to mention from Florida). Crist wouldn't help McCain much shore up the Republicans' evangelical base. Even though Crist is slightly less popular than before, his presence on the ticket could force the Democrats to write off Florida (and let the Republicans concentrate the resources elsewhere). Both Jindal and Crist are also considered charming.
A possible running mate for Obama or Clinton whom I definitely don't like: former Georgia senator Sam Nunn.
Another possibility: Youngish Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, a former governor who might still be able to run against Washington and who helped Senator Clinton win Indiana (though barely) and who - like Al Gore and Walter Mondale before him - had toyed with running president or done so earlier before leaving the field to other contenders. Still, Bayh is a bit bland and his state is awfully near Obama's (and Clinton's growing-up) home state (Illinois).
Also intriguing is the possibility that any of the presidential candidates could pick as running mates people who are not from their party: McCain, 2000 Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman (who was probably actually elected vice president in Florida, before the Republicans stole it), who sides with McCain on the war and has endorsed him; the Democrats, outgoing Senator who opposes the war, and his would-be Democrat turned Republican turned independent Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor of New York City who toyed with running for president, possibly with as his running mate.
1 comment:
Thanks for your political analysis, Perry! It helps me to know what's going on. Sorry I prefer to read this kind of blog entries over your Idol commentaries!
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