He was one of many I'd have included if there had been an option to list more than 10. Also Strickland, Bloomberg, Hagel (all as mentioned above), Napolitano, Dodd, Gephardt, Kaine, Zinni and more. He has a great field to choose from. I picked Webb because he has very strong foreign policy credentials, he's a fighter but not a dirty one, he is fierce on the war and a powerful but fresh personality with serious gravitas. And also because I think he would be a strong sell to Reagan Democrats, probably the key demographic in this race, having been one himself.
Bredesen would be a good pick too. I love so much about Richardson, but man was he a lousy campaigner.
I'd be happy with him as VP. If not, he's my pick for Sec. of State with Richardson a close second for that slot.
Cobra Commander. He has shown an ability to take on the role of second in command when Serpentor was created. He also is strong on defense, plus has a near perfect record in terms of people under his command not being seriously injured or killed.
Yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyep. From the names on your list, I would be perfectly happy with Webb or Biden. I hope he doesn't pick Clark - his campaign was so anticipated and then flamed out so badly, he was like the Democrats' Fred Thompson. Can't see Daschle doing him any good.
True that about Clark, though a VP pick really doesn't need to be driven like the top of the ticket does. And I saw him give a damn good speech on Democratic party values live in Albuquerque that made me think he had it in him to be better than he was in 04. I'm also drawn to anyone who had the wisdom and guts to oppose the Iraq war from the start, especially a prominent general. But he's mostly interesting to me as a party unity pick (as is Bayh, Rendell, Strickland, etc.), a thing that will probably only be acheived by the VP pick if it's Clinton herself. I also don't see Daschle doing any good. Just put him on there because he's mentioned a lot and he's been a close ally to Obama (campaign chair, I think) during the campaign. If Biden doesn't get it I hope he's at least very seriously considered and then I hope he gets a plum spot in the cabinet. He really does deserve it.
Batman, that is entirely your opinion. It is your assumption that the two "deeply, deeply hate each other." You assume there would be a former President in the VP mansion "that absolutely hates him and thinks he doesn't deserve the job." It is your opinion. You are a sports fan. At the very least, a basketball fan and a fan of the Rockets, as we all are here. How many times have you seen a really, really tough game, with bodies flying, teeth knocked out, bruises players will feel for a week, if not longer, players so angry on the court that they have to be seperated. The game ends. OK, how many times have you seen those same bitter rivals talking after a game, seemingly fine with each other? Asked about what appeared to us to be a mad act of brutality on the court, saying "It was just in the heat of the game. He didn't intend to hurt anyone. He was going for the ball." That's after an incident that had you on your feet and yelling at the TV. It's the same way with politics. Barack could work with Hillary. Hillary could work for Barack and work well. Bill could stay in the background and be a curiosity. They would find something for him to do. This isn't a blood sport, regardless of what you might think. Politicians say all manner of terrible things about an opponent and their political party, on any level you can think of, and then work well with that same opponent if placed in that situation. I see it all the time here in Austin. My significant other works with people I wouldn't think of inviting over for a hanging, much less for dinner, and works well with them. You would be surprised how nice some of the worst characters are in person, compared to how they act in a campaign. It's part of the political game. Impeach Bush.
I am not a democrat. I just think the republican party is full of twits. If they every get back to actual fiscal conservatism, and cut out the goofy religious-right-inspired moral platform that runs counter to the entire constitution, I'd probably swing republican.
Everything I post here is my opinion. Duh. This particular opinion has the distinction of being shared by pretty much everyone that sets the conventional wisdom. As such, it is hardly a radical concept. No less a figure than Nancy Pelosi has intimated the exact same thing. And politics is neither beanbag nor basketball. That analogy is particularly weak as it suggests that nobody in politics actually hates another politician. That is patently untrue and the grudges held by the Clintons are the stuff of legend, which is pretty much the only reason super delegates have been so shy about announcing a preference for Obama. One of them, on telling Clinton of his decision, reported that she responded, "Too bad for you because we are going to win." The two of them will make amends to the degree that that is possible in the interest of winning and preserving each of their positions with the party, but if you think that McCain didn't hate Bush after the 2000 race and doesn't hate him still and if you think Obama and the Clintons don't have deep animosity toward each other, you're more naive than I would have thought. And if you think Bill Clinton could stay in the background and not be a distraction you're more naive still.
That's your opinion. Forgive me for pointing it out sometimes, but you tend to leave "in my opinion" out of your posts. And I stand by what I posted. I'm just sorry I took as much time as I did writing it. Impeach Bush.
I tend to leave "in my opinion" out of my posts? WTF? I also tend to forget to sign my name. Sorry about that. Oops. I mean I also tend to sign my name in my opinion and I'm sorry about that in my opinion. It would be as easy to dismiss the failure to find WMD's in Iraq by saying it was just my opinion, but that wouldn't make it less true nor would it make it "only" my opinion. It is the opinion of not only the majority of Americans but the majority of people who think and write about this stuff for a living, as is the fact that Hillary and Bill have deep animosity for Barack and that he shares the sentiment. You can't wish that away -- and you certainly can't blame me for it -- no matter how hard you try.
Also, what's the big idea in bolding everything in my quote except the part about Pelosi? That was weird. Did you mean that the rest of my post was opinion but that was fact? And, if so, doesn't that negate your argument that this is only my opinion?
One of them was also called Judas. The Clintons are pretty much the definition of machine politics - reward loyalty, and try to destroy anyone who stands in their way.
What I meant was that you write your opinion like it was a fact, Jack. That was my intention, regardless of what you made of it. Good lord, do you get a magnifying glass? I left Pelosi out because I'm not a fan of her. When you said, "no less a figure... " my reaction was, so what? And you can guess... that's my opinion. You know what you have a habit of doing, Batman? Trying to pick apart what someone writes until it has no meaning. Certainly with regards to me. I can't believe you took my post and made a big deal out of "your opinion" and Nancy ****ing Pelosi. Save the drama for the stage, OK? Impeach Bush.
So because you don't like Pelosi she doesn't count and it's still "only" my opinion even though it's shared by a lot more people than think otherwise. Okay. You get really weird when you're pissed. Oh, oh, in my opinion. I'll just leave it at that.
I voted for Hillary. She has hard core supporters. I think that she is the safest bet, as if you took all the folks who voted in the Democratic primaries McCain would not have a chance. I think she would pick up more votes for Obama than she would lose, though a few of the Obama folks might not like it. My close second vote would be for Wes Clark or Jim Webb. It would be good to balance the ticket with a military guy as that is all McCain has going for him is a replay of the terrorist fear angle.
That's a decent list, but I think the odds are better that it will be someone off the list. Biden sometimes goes loopy. Webb's temperament is not suited for VP. I doubt Richardson can hold up under a VP vetting process. I don't think Edwards will have another go of it... and if he did want it he killed his chances by not coming out more forcefully for Obama early. Daschle brings nothing and was ineffective against the Repub games in the Senate. Clinton is unlikely because of the baggage she brings and like Webb, she does not have a good VP personality. Sebelius is a strong choice... she's done a huge amount of work in rebuilding the Dem Party in Kansas, even getting a bunch of non-lunatic Repubs to switch parties. I could see her reaching out to the red states during the campaign... and a woman would take the edge off for some of Hillary's female supporters. Of those on the list, Clark is most intriguing because he's a Clinton guy and part of the deal could be that while Hillary doesn't serve as VP, she gets a say in who does. He might be the compromise/unifying choice between the two camps. Plus, he's military. Bayh's too conservative and too bland. So, on the list, I like Sebelius. Off the list, I suspect he'll take some relatively young pol from the west or border south.
