And the Running Mate Will Be?

A truly chilling prospect:

OK, I'm going to take a stab at making the case that John McCain will defy the whole "stay out the Bushes" conventional wisdom and pick Jeb Bush over frontrunning option Mike Huckabee as the vice presidential nominee. My argument leads from the assumption that the Bush family still has a lot of power in Republican circles, that they want to repair their family name, and that they see McCain as probably losing anyway and so want to set the table for the Big Jeb Family Comeback. First, the McCain-Bush détente, which famously began with a Caribou Coffee klatch between John Weaver and Karl Rove back in 2004, is sufficient to have yielded benefits to McCain in states like South Carolina and, more recently, with the endorsement of former President George H.W. Bush. So, McCain knows on which side his bread is buttered, and since he's already saddled with Bush legacies on the war and the tax cuts, he may as well go whole hog and be literally paired with a Bush legacy running mate. Second, because the Republicans are still going to need to have an inside track in either Florida or Ohio if they have any chance of winning, and because Charlie Crist, the current Republican governor, is unlikely to be chosen for a variety of reasons we won't delve into here, and given what happened in Ohio in 2006 and the fact that the Democrats now have Gov. Ted Strickland there (and thus no more Ken Blackwells for the GOP), the smarter play is Florida. And Jeb provides ample help there. Third, McCain is aiming for a more inclusive GOP coalition that includes Hispanics, and would like to get his national number close to if not equal to the 40 percent Bush drew in 2004. That's gonna be hard enough, but made somewhat easier with Jebbie on board, because he speaks fluent Spanish, has a Mexican-born wife, and has street cred with Hispanics. Fourth, the Bush family and its circle of donors can produce a lot of money for such a ticket and, given the amazing disparities between what the Democrats are raising right now and what McCain, who went practically bankrupt last summer, has collected, McCain may need access to the spigot. Finally, and purely from the Bush family's self-interested angle, the damage to the Bush brand is so bad that having the more articulate, smarter Jeb on the national stage certainly can't make things worse and probably would make things better. If McCain can win, the Bushes are back in line for the next Republican opportunity, in 2016. If not, Jeb moves up even faster, to the head of the queue in 2012. --Tom Schaller
An interesting conjecture, but one that I'm not entirely buying. Although Jeb is probably the most electable member of the dynasty, the Bush name is still toxic (GWB's approval ratings have now dipped below 20 percent). McCain certainly could use some direct access to the huge stacks of cash that the Republican establishment have, so far, withheld from his campaign, but I don't think adding Jeb to the ticket will be the key that opens up those wallets.

Oh, and one of the "variety of reasons" that Charlie Crist, Jeb's successor as governor of Florida, won't get the VP nomination is that Crist has long been rumored to be a closeted homosexual. Not that there's anything wrong with that, unless, of course, you happen to be a Republican running for national office.

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If Hillary changed parties to republican and dropped her hillbilly health care plan she could be McCain's VP and compared to Obama she is actually quite conservative. Then there would be Huckabee and Romney trying to squeeze back in.

I can't stand Hillary's health care plan but I would love to see her in the office.

Wouldn't that piss Al Qaeda off to see a woman in such power and she would also take the democratic heat off McCain unlike Bush who has had eight years of hell at the hands of the dems.

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Either side's choice of running mate will likely be the most critical in recent history. Not just in terms of being a viable replacement for the President but also in terms of electability.

Obama (presuming a Hillary withdrawl) will need someone to carry the more conservative blue states and balance his more left-leaning proclivities so as not to scare off the soccer moms and stock brokers. Edwards and Clinton would both be bad picks. Perhaps a sitting veteran democrat Senator would be a better choice.

McCain needs someone who can help reconnect him to the far right and thus keep the defectors to a minimum. Neither Huckabee or Romney will work for him. A surprise dark horse with wide appeal could be a winner for McCain. Hell, maybe Joe Lieberman.

Either way, we're still screwed as usual.

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word.

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What most folks don't realize, I think, is that all of these knuckleheads shucking for your vote all drink from the same well. Birds of a feather, you might say. Pigs at the trough.

Sure, an Obama-style liberal will increase spending and ultimately drive taxes up. But a Bush-style conservative will also increase spending and ultimately drive taxes up. What they spend money on will be different but neither option will benefit ye olde American Idol viewer.

Hey, here's an idea. How about we get the hell out of Iraq, quit blowing money on crap nobody here needs or will ever see, make it painful for the oil companies to produce gas and profitable to produce alternate fuels, outlaw corporate contributions to campaigns, enact real legislation to reduce malpractice suits so our medical system can actually start taking care of people instead of just turning them away, and FOR GOD'S SAKE OUTLAW PARIS HILTON FOR ALL ETERNITY.

Oh yeah, free beer to all. Peace.

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You people still play Obama cheap. His running mate will be a white male for sure. THE MAN IS NOT STUPID. My guess is John Edwards Rolling Eyes

but hopefully, he's got his eye on someone else.

And by the way, I don't think there's enough tea in China (as my mother used to say) to persuade Colin Powell to be anyone's running mate. He's still scraping the **** off his shoes from hanging out with W. I really don't think he'll ever go down that road again.

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eoe wrote:

You people still play Obama cheap. His running mate will be a white male for sure. THE MAN IS NOT STUPID. My guess is John Edwards but hopefully, he's got his eye on someone else.

And by the way, I don't think there's enough tea in China (as my mother used to say) to persuade Colin Powell to be anyone's running mate. He's still scraping the **** off his shoes from hanging out with W. I really don't think he'll ever go down that road again.

Edwards would be a bad choice, IMO. Like Obama, he has little experience and the two of them together would make a weak ticket.

Powell has had quite enough politics to suit him.

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From Shinola wrote:

What most folks don't realize, I think, is that all of these knuckleheads shucking for your vote all drink from the same well. Birds of a feather, you might say. Pigs at the trough.

Sure, an Obama-style liberal will increase spending and ultimately drive taxes up. But a Bush-style conservative will also increase spending and ultimately drive taxes up. What they spend money on will be different but neither option will benefit ye olde American Idol viewer.

Hey, here's an idea. How about we get the hell out of Iraq, quit blowing money on crap nobody here needs or will ever see, make it painful for the oil companies to produce gas and profitable to produce alternate fuels, outlaw corporate contributions to campaigns, enact real legislation to reduce malpractice suits so our medical system can actually start taking care of people instead of just turning them away, and FOR GOD'S SAKE OUTLAW PARIS HILTON FOR ALL ETERNITY.

Oh yeah, free beer to all. Peace.

you forgot a lot of stuff. Laughing

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Free beer covers much ground, my friend.

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eoe wrote:

You people still play Obama cheap. His running mate will be a white male for sure. THE MAN IS NOT STUPID. My guess is John Edwards but hopefully, he's got his eye on someone else.

And by the way, I don't think there's enough tea in China (as my mother used to say) to persuade Colin Powell to be anyone's running mate. He's still scraping the **** off his shoes from hanging out with W. I really don't think he'll ever go down that road again.

so you're saying Obama will utilize the power of race and gender to help him secure the election by selecting a white male because he's not stupid........ OMG is it possible he's a calculating politician who wants the White House and not the second coming of Christ? :wink:

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From Shinola wrote:

Free beer covers much ground, my friend.

Rednecks dilemma

Free Beer at Hank Jr.

Free admission to Lynryd Skynyrd

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Bi-Polar Bear wrote:

From Shinola wrote:
Free beer covers much ground, my friend.

Rednecks dilemma

Free Beer at Hank Jr.

Free admission to Lynryd Skynyrd

Whats the dilemma??
Go get the beer from Hank, then go to the Skynyrd concert.
I would rather see Skynyrd then Hank any time.

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but you're just one redneck... last weekend Kid Rock AND Hank Jr. were in Raleigh.. I suspect the next day half of Wake County had migraines from the stress of having to decide Laughing

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A true redneck would pack a bottle of shine on him.

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I think there will be a lot of pressure on Obama (assuming that he will be the Democratic nominee) to choose a woman as his running mate. Not that the choice of a woman will help him with Republicans and independents (Obama's people probably think that their man can do that all by himself) but rather to help mend fences with Hillary Clinton's supporters. Clinton herself will likely reject any offer to run on the same ticket with Obama -- she would probably view the vice presidency as a demotion. What Obama needs, then, is a woman, preferably with executive experience, who is loyal to team Obama and who can, if possible, help in a state or region that might swing to the Democrats in November. That narrows the field pretty dramatically. Two names that remain: Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Gov. Kathleen Sebellius of Kansas. Both endorsed Obama in the primaries, both are very popular in their (red) home states, and both have the kind of executive experience that Obama lacks. Napolitano, however, is from Arizona, and it's unlikely that she'll be able to sway that state in the general election against favorite son John McCain. That leaves Sebellius.

McCain, for his part, needs to find someone who will placate the GOP establishment. Huckabee infuriates them, so he's not a serious choice. Romney would be better, but he has his own enormous baggage to carry around, so I think he's out too. McCain also needs his running-mate to balance his own perceived shortcomings: he's weak on domestic policy, he's cranky, and he's really, really old. So he needs someone who is "safe" from a party establishment viewpoint, with a solid record on domestic issues, good-natured, and younger than 71 (that last one shouldn't be difficult). I'm not sure who fits that profile. Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota may have the inside track because he was an early supporter of McCain and the GOP convention will be in the Twin Cities. Tommy Thompson, former governor of Wisconsin, former secretary of H&HS, and, for a brief moment, a candidate for president himself might be another possibility. Both Minnesota and Wisconsin are states that Republicans think they can take away from the Democrats. Pawlenty, however, couldn't even deliver the Minnesota caucus to McCain, and Thompson, although at age 66 he's certainly younger than McCain, isn't that much younger. At this stage, though, I think Pawlenty has the advantage.

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Asherman wrote:

My personal choice for a Vice-Presidential candidate with John McCain at the head of the ticket is....... Colin Powell.

All right, not going to happen. Even if offered the candidacy, I believe Mr. Powell would turn it down, but oh what a sweet ticket that would be. The one draw back is that both are strong in military and foreign affairs, and just a wee bit weak on domestic issues. Oh well.... can't have everthing. A good friend of mine likes Joe Biden for the Vice-Presidency.

ROTFLMAO! McCain is Battschitt crazy. I doubt that Powell wants to dirty his already dirty hands by getting involved in anything with these old war lords and their illegal wars.....AGAIN!

Both a wee bit weak on domestic issues??? LOL I think a more correct way to describe that would be they don't know their heads from their arses when it comes to domestic issues.

As for McCain, other than being a loony as they come, is a Chicken George all over again. Same kind of background playboy riding on the coat tails of famous fathers, drunkard, womanizer, 'C' student, bypassed more qualified students & promoted even as a royal screwup.

..........and on top of all that he looks like dead man walking.

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Magginkat wrote:

Asherman wrote:
My personal choice for a Vice-Presidential candidate with John McCain at the head of the ticket is....... Colin Powell.

All right, not going to happen. Even if offered the candidacy, I believe Mr. Powell would turn it down, but oh what a sweet ticket that would be. The one draw back is that both are strong in military and foreign affairs, and just a wee bit weak on domestic issues. Oh well.... can't have everthing. A good friend of mine likes Joe Biden for the Vice-Presidency.

ROTFLMAO! McCain is Battschitt crazy. I doubt that Powell wants to dirty his already dirty hands by getting involved in anything with these old war lords and their illegal wars.....AGAIN!

Both a wee bit weak on domestic issues??? LOL I think a more correct way to describe that would be they don't know their heads from their arses when it comes to domestic issues.

As for McCain, other than being a loony as they come, is a Chicken George all over again. Same kind of background playboy riding on the coat tails of famous fathers, drunkard, womanizer, 'C' student, bypassed more qualified students & promoted even as a royal screwup.

..........and on top of all that he looks like dead man walking.

But it was perfectly legal for the UN to take bribes and oil fields from Saddam?
Perfectly legal fgor pakistan to sell nuclear weapons to Lybia, yemen and Iran and who every gave tehm the money? They also attmepted to sel tehm to Saddam but Saddam refused because he thought the US was behind the deal. Once his fears of that faded teh butcher of Baghdad would have eaisily gone nucleare. That is perfectly ok huh Mag?

Illegal war? Say that enough and you can brain wash yourself!

ANYTHING BUT LOVE AND PRIDE FOR AMERICA, right Mag? (Cynical) Is that not Michelle Obama's mantra too?

We have won the war Mag! It seems Colin Powel was wrong in this case, and so were YOU.

YOU WERE SO VERY WRONG!

Your word is no longer credible and was never credible to begin with! The US "military solution" worked! Yet that was no help from the hate America left INCLUDING YOUR (nasty) SELF emboldening the enemy and causing MORE US casualties in Iraq by siding with the ENEMY! This was all for the damned White House and your medal throwing John Kerry. Let's not forget "special interest" of the dems that trumps the American people? Let's not forget the do nothing "democratic" congress with a 22% approval rating

Now millions of people in Iraq are liberated? But screw that huh? (cynical) It was an illegal war! Your word means NOTHING! You are a traitor to this country and its people! I will never forget the 8 years of YOU and your goony friends trying to topple our war efforts with special interest (of all things). I will never intentionally vote for another "democrat" again!

We can thank, YES, Fox news for informing the American people with UNBIASED news while you were busy perpetuating the LIES? Who REALLY LIED Mag? Who is the filthy liar now? Not only ONE "possible" lie but many lies we have endured from your twisted warped SICK view of reality! WHO is the village idiot now?

Don't let the American VICTORY and George Bush's success in Iraq ruin your pity party too much! Let's hope this "illegal" war Victory does not cost the dems the congress, the senate and yes, THE WHITE HOUSE in 08! (again, cynical)

Have a good day Mag. ROTFLOL (at your pitiful expense)

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Bi-Polar Bear wrote:

but you're just one redneck... last weekend Kid Rock AND Hank Jr. were in Raleigh.. I suspect the next day half of Wake County had migraines from the stress of having to decide

I was just listening to some guys talking about Obama's solution to the mortgage crisis - expensive and ineffective, I think, but probably attractive to some. But hey, it could look really good in your average Redneck condo association:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/2298120275_7c1788d979_o.jpg

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Foxfyre wrote:

Bi-Polar Bear wrote:
but you're just one redneck... last weekend Kid Rock AND Hank Jr. were in Raleigh.. I suspect the next day half of Wake County had migraines from the stress of having to decide

I was just listening to some guys talking about Obama's solution to the mortgage crisis - expensive and ineffective, I think, but probably attractive to some. But hey, it could look really good in your average Redneck condo association:

The little orange camper on the right is planned for the secretary of state... Smile

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HOW CUTE IS THAT??! Shocked

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And the Running Mate Will Be?

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