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So much for the "October Surprise." Republicans, Democrats, and non-identifying Americans were caught by complete surprise this weekend when John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate for the Vice Presidency. Torpedoing news coverage of Obama's coronation in Denver, this stunning move brushed aside not only a host of popular men who ran against McCain in the primaries (i.e. Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee) but also a group of very successful men and women from the Republican party (and one "Independent Democrat") who would have seemed a safer choice for Sen. McCain. Other possibilities could have included Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Fmr. Ohio Congressmen Rob Portman, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas, and Fmr. New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. Regardless, many Americans familiar with the move have likely pondered the following question in the last few days: Has John McCain lost his mind or is this the smartest move his campaign has made in the last year?
Its fair to say that Gov. Palin is a neophyte when it comes to most national political issues and the McCain campaign will have to work hard to fight the "fresh paint" image of the former small town mayor. The general sense of the media and of Washington insiders is that McCain made a grave miscalculation in choosing Palin. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has called the pick 'Worse than Dan Quale' in a Time Magazine video blog (http://tinyurl.com/hoyer-worsethanquale). Perhaps the steepest obstacle will be the comparisons to Obama's running mate Sen. Joe Biden, a seasoned foreign policy expert who's competency for the Vice Presidency has never been in question. In discussing the inevitable VP debate it is very possible to imagine Sen. Biden, upon learning of Palin, to throw up his hands and shout "Are you freaking kidding me!" Certainly the most outrageous statement about Palin has come from Cindy McCain, who suggested that Alaska's geographic proximity to Russia will shore up Palin's foreign policy credentials (ABC's "This Week", 8/31/08).
Despite Palin's many obvious weaknesses, McCain's choice reveals a dramatic shift in campaign strategy from the last several months: an abandonment of the experience vs. change comparison and an embrace of a maverick vs. 'typical Democratic failures' comparison. Under this new strategy Palin seems a complementary choice for McCain, emphasizing her ties to the working middle class, and her strong conservative credentials, which have turned many Republicans off to John McCain. The choice of a woman also seems to target female voters who may have supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries and refuse to support Barack Obama because of a perceived mistreatment. These PUMA's (short for Party Unity My A**) could be ripe for the picking, even in light of Hillary's rousing support for Obama at the Democratic Convention.
I believe that Gov. Palin is a very smart pick for Vice President despite mixed feeling in both parties in and out of Washington. What she lack's in experience she more than makes up for in tenacity and popularity. She has certainly been a force in Alaska politics, shoving aside the political establishment to become Governor and vetoing popular Republican programs that solidify the corrupt connections between the GOP and the Oil industry. The country has underestimated Gov. Palin's political abilities, a mischaracterization that may serve her very well in this campaign, and possibly the Vice Presidency.
Several political blogs are reporting that Senator Obama is currently meeting with aides who he has tasked with vetting the vice presidential nominees.
NBC News reports Obama was at veep vetter Eric Holder's office in DC for the second day in a row.
According to those reports, Kaine, Bayh, Sebelius and Biden are on the short list with Kaine perhaps the leading contender.
Interesting tidbits: Kaine, Obama, and their wives all attended Harvard Law School. Both Kaine's and Obama's mothers were born in El Dorado, Kansas.
Kaine has reportedly cancelled an appearance for which he was scheduled tomorrow.
For the purpose of this diary, we assume that Hillary gets nominated, which should offend nobody because there's an Obama version.
Please use this thread to discuss who you'd like to and expect to see Hillary Clinton choose for a running mate if she's nominated, but not to discuss whether or not she is likely to be nominated--we have plenty of other threads for that.
For the purpose of this diary, we assume that Obama gets nominated, which should offend nobody because there's a Hillary version.
Please use this thread to discuss who you'd like to and expect to see Barack Obama choose for a running mate if he's nominated, but not to discuss whether or not he is likely to be nominated--we have plenty of other threads for that.
After so much talk in recent years about a cross-party Presidential ticket, and widespread reports that John Kerry wanted John McCain to be his running mate in '04, is anybody else getting the sense, considering Senator Hagel's remarks in recent months about the war and this administration, that he's positioning himself to be the running mate of a Democratic nominee? And would he be a good choice for us?
Vice President Harry S. Truman plays the piano as actress Lauren Bacall, perched on the instrument,
looks on, at the National Press Club canteen in Washington, Feb. 10, 1945.
After extensively researching the US Constitution this morning before I attacked the crossword puzzle I have discovered that the term Vice President appears in that revered and trusted document and its amendments no less than than twenty four times. In no instance does the term appear near the words "shall be an employee of the executive department," however, the term also does not appear near the words "shall maintain an office in the White House where he will hold secret meetings with the various "Captains of Industry" and where it will be convenient for him, from time to time, to pick up the President by the ears for a good corrective shake."
I guess what we have here is something historians call a "Constitutional Mexican toss up" which will be decided by the courts long after the deaths of the parties involved.
I do believe however, that a cursory study of photograph of the Vice President engaged at his duties above will convince even the most disinclined observer that the Vice President has historically exercised executive functions.
If anyone needs further research on this please wait until later, I still have to deal with that puzzle.
