All the buzz seems to have left Crist and moved to Pawlenty, but is he the choice or just the flavor of the week?
I like Jindal but he would not be a good choice for McCain this year. I'm not claiming that Pawlenty would be either.
The only time I had ever heard of Pawlenty was when that bridge collapsed a few years back and people blamed him for cutting funding. I just checked wikipedia, and he only won his reelection by 1%. So, it isn't like he's some great star on the rise. Could someone direct me to a link that explains why he'd be a good pick (or safe) for McCain?
Pawlenty is the safe, boring pick. He'll bring nothing to the ticket, but he won't hurt it either. Jindal is the exciting, risky pick. He'll energize the campaign and take away some of the luster of Obama's historic candidacy since he himself is a minority. The downside is he could be a frontrunner for the Presidential nomination in 4-8 years and a loss as a Vice Presidential candidate could tarnish him. Romney would be the best pick though. Unless McCain is terrified of the anti-Mormon factor(which has to be a legitimate concern), I can't think of a better choice. He's popular with the conservative base and he has great economic credentials that McCain sorely lacks. Plus he's every bit as good an orator as Obama.
Pawlenty is a "I know I probably can't win this campaign on my own merits, but I'm holding out hope Obama will mess himself up so I can't pick a risky VP and blow it" choice. Seriously, McCain's people have to know that the only way he is winning this election is if Obama says or does something REALLY stupid or something really bad comes out. Just in case that occurs, there is no way he can have an Indian on his ticket who will prevent some of those "I won't vote for a [insert derogatory racist bile here]" votes from coming his way. No, he won't say it and neither will most Republicans, but they all know there is at least a percentage of votes that they are garnering because of Obama's skin color (Obama gets it back in his near unanimous support among blacks) and they won't risk losing that vote. As for Jindal, why would he want this spot? If I'm him, I'm turning it down flat out. McCain is LIKELY going to lose this campaign. Why, if I'm a young "future Republican leader" would I want to be saddled to this ticket? Better to sit this one on the sidelines and watch McCain put up a valiant fight for the Repubs (and ultimately lose) and then hope that in either 4 years or 8 years (depending on how Obama does) there is a new opening for you. Let some other Republican like Pawlenty get his star destroyed in this campaign.
I'm sure that's his mindset. He should remain as Governor for another 4 years, clean up that state, and then use that to propel him to the nomination. And this strategy could work regardless of whether or not Obama wins. Even if McCain is elected, he may decide not to run for reelection in 2012 since he'll be 76.
Mark Sanford has the same thing going. I've been told by a person who should know that Sanford has been asked three seperate times whether he'd consider being McCain's running mate, and he's turned it down. I think that Sanford would make a better President than anyone else in the race. That being said, being a South Carolina governor, with the conferate flag flying on capitol grounds and running against a black man wouldn't sell well.
Very true. I actually think that person who should want this the most is Romney. He took a major hit in losing this primary to McCain. His inability to get the base behind him will tarnish him permanently. However, if he got on McCain's ticket and McCain DID managed to win the office, Romney would suddenly be put back into national prominence and would be the clear front runner in either 12 (if McCain doesn't run again) or the next election.
Good points. I actually think Newt might make an interesting VP choice in 4 years for a young up and comer.
Jindal needs to show what he can do with Louisiana. He promised to clean it up. And he's only been governor for what - a year? Romney seems like he deserves this. He was very gracious in his exit, and has been a good GOP soldier. Crist seems like a bad idea. Florida's probably gonna go red anyway, plus the gay rumors will start floating almost immediately. Huckabee would be David Letterman's choice. The prospect of watching those two boobs on the campaign trail would be one for the ages. Sarah Palin - the Arctic Fox - would be interesting, if only for the potential cat fights that could break out between her and Cindy. Sanford seems like a solid choice, although I admit I know next to nothing about him. Lieberman and McCain together would be akin to Clinton/Gore as far as them being almost soulmates. No thanks. I will agree with the poster that said Pawlenty would be the solid choice. And with this election being Obama's to lose, the safe choice is the smart choice.
