Political Insider Suggests Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) May Be Obama's VP [View All]

Look for Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) to be soon added to the public short list of names Sen. Barack Obama is considering to be his running mate.

First Read makes the case: "The Rhode Island senator, who is on the overseas trip with Obama, has been to Iraq 11 times (and voted against the original Iraq war resolution)... The widely respected voice on national security is a 1971 West Point grad, though he did not fight in Vietnam. The Army Ranger paratrooper, who eventually commanded the 82nd Airborne, was assigned elsewhere... Father was a school custodian and WWII vet... Was on a trip to Afghanistan with McCain and Lieberman when he first met his wife...

By choosing Reed, Obama could address several perceived weaknesses: Reed served in the military and has significant Washington experience. As a legislator, Reed has focused on education, defense, and healthcare -- all areas that Obama is focusing on. In addition, Reed is a Roman Catholic.

The downside of choosing Reed is that he fits the definition of "Northeastern liberal" and doesn't help Obama in the important Midwestern battleground states.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/politicalinsider/2008/07/look-for-sen-jack-reed.html