So who's McCain's VP going to be?

I think everybody's missing something: McCain doesn't have a really good VP option. Not one that helps him all over, at any rate. The major choices:

Charlie Crist is probably gay, and would only further turn off the religious right.

Mitt Romney is considered a cultist by the evangelical voters, and would also anger them.

Mike Huckabee has become something of a national joke, and even if he comes back from that, he's too much voltage on the bottom of the ticket: a VP choice better and more likeable than the presidential candidate.

Haley Barbour: one of the better choices, but he's still weak nationally and doesn't

Matt Blunt: Too young.

Bobby Jindal: brown skin, which is a non-starter for the Repub base.

Tim Pawlenty: What I'd call the most likely candidate, at this point. No major downsides I can see.

Sonny Perdue: Too old.

Rick Perry: Talk about tethering yourself to the Bush legacy.

Mark Sanford: Not obnoxiously "Christian" enough for the religious right.

They're hoping for VA and Jews, with that one. Sanford blew it with his 20-second brain fart on national TV with Wolf Blitzer--he's toast. Jindal is 10 years younger than Obama--he was never a serious contender. Haley Barbour is a lobbyist--too much material to attack, there. Crist is a no-go for the reason you mentioned. Perry dropped off the radar when Rudy Giuliani did. Huckabee is indeed a national joke. Sarah Palin--younger than Obama, not much experience, under investigation for an improper firing, and also has a brand new baby with disabilities, no way is she ready to step in and be Preznit if McNutz goes belly-up or strokes out in office. Carly Fiorina--I mean, really, what is she known for besides business? Yeah, I think it's Pawlenty, Cantor, Ridge, or Mittens.

Somebody had to say it, though. :rofl:

- as

Even putting aside the fact that in his formative years women were only "qualified" to be nurses and teachers, he doesn't need to piss off the Republican base any more than it is. He needs a lily-white male who's liked by the evangelicals.

Or for that language to be used towards any female.

She's only been governor for 1.5 years. McCain is going to try to make Obama's experience an issue. He's not going to pick someone who has even less.

Also, Palin had a new baby in April. I doubt she's anxious or ready to hit the campaign trail.

talking about a two-month campaign--she could do that. She also doesn't have to run for president after two years. Like McCain I think she will take a "one-term and go home" pledge at the Convention.

McCain can argue that we hold different standards for experience when in comes to president and VP. Also, eight years ago he watched Al Gore make the same mistake as the one you are alluding to when Gore picked Lieberman over Edwards. And as much as McCain likes Lieberman I think he knows that Edwards would have been the better choice.

If McCain doesn't pick Palin then I think he will pick Eric Cantor.

On our side, it looks like Obama is torn over Tim Kaine and Evan Bayh. Maybe Mike Bloomberg has an outside chance.


Steve

To be "ready on day one," as the cliche goes. I don't think you can argue that the standards for the two offices are that different. And I don't think the Republicans can argue that Palin is ready.

may take precedence.

Steve

She was elected Governor while I was still living in Alaska. I think she is too "anti-machine" for the mainstream Republican party. She has put her foot down to the oil companies and screwed them out of a major gas pipeline deal and they are PISSED.

I just don't see them being ok with her being on the ticket. And god knows if the oil companies don't want something, it ain't gonna happen.

Not to mention the fact that I don't think SHE'd be ok with it. She represents the last of the Republicans with a conscience and I don't see her tying herself to this loser.

Another issue is that she has like 4 or 5 kids including an infant with Down Syndrome, a husband with a lucrative job up on the slope... and they LOVE Alaska. I don't see her wanting to leave Alaska... ever.

Not to mention, she doesn't really bring anything to the ticket for McCain except being female. In the governors race, the argument was that she was not nearly qualified to be GOVERNOR because her prior experience consisted of being mayor of Wasilla or something like that. (Wasilla is a small town north of Anchorage.)

Anyway, take away her stance on social issues and it's HARD not to like her. She's a looker too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/johnmccain/2247571/John-McCains-would-be-VP-Charlie-Crist-to-marry-after-being-dogged-by-gay-rumours.html

Not that this is definitive proof, but it kind of takes the wind out of that stupid gay argument anyway. :shrug:

I'd call that a bit suspicious.

As Church Lady would say, "how con-VEN-ient"!

Rumor has it a bunch of the folks listed have already said no. Who would want to tie themselves on to that sinking ship? These people are worried about keeping their CURRENT jobs in this climate of anti-Rethuglicanism.

I suggest he put an ad in the Penny-Saver and see what kind of response he gets:

"Elderly rage-aholic seeks Assistant. Ideal candidate: non-ancient white male lacking conscience or morals. Must have experience sucking corporate dick. Must be able to relate to and manipulate Christian fundamentalists. Closet homos with wide-stance welcomed! Federal minimum wage to start. No benefits. Position may eventually be outsourced to India."

he will run as Jeb Bush's VP in 2012 :evilgrin:

I'd say: McCain/Gingrich

I doubt that's going to go over well with the evangelicals.

Are you being serious? Details please?

link

Jindal's a weird guy.

Ok cross him off the list.

Former OHIO congressman and White House budget director. And did I mention he's from OHIO?

Tim Pawlenty is the other likely pick.

Romney? McCain can't stand him, and he has that air of insufferable rich white asshole douchebaggery.

Huckabee? Too goofy.

Perry? Too much of a lightweight.

Crist? If McCain needs him to take Florida, he's in big trouble, and the gay rumors will be a distraction.

Hutchison? An outside possibility, but McCain's current team seems to be a play-it-safe bunch.

Palin? Even more of a stretch than Hutchison. Picking a first-term governor of a state largely inhabitted by polar bears and oil workers sort of undercuts the experience meme.

nt

nt

One is a quasi-Catholic thrice married philandering pro-gay cross dressing ex-mayor of New York City.

The other one is an ex-Democratic northeastern pro-gay, pro-environment, anti-corruption Jew.

The evangelical base would eat McCain alive.

nt

Joe Lieberman has a 90+% lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO

He has one of the best environmental voting records in Congress.

He is very progressive on GLBT rights, sponsoring a gay rights bill in the state senate 25 years ago.

He is 100% pro-choice.

Put Iraq aside, and this is a guy who really isn't that far out of the Democratic mainstream. The GOP activists would blow a gasket if McCain nominated him.

McCain needs at least one major base group to turn out for him.

He'll never get the corporate heavy-hitters.

He'll never get the Linc Chafee moderates.

And although the fundie nutbags distrust him now, he could win their withered hearts with the choice of some far-right nutbag.

Eric Cantor? Tim Pawlenty? Maybe.

But I think he'd grab the headlines and shake the joint up with Franklin Graham, as psychotic and dark-spirited a creature as ever walked the earth.