Female VP

[politicus]

What are the chances of one of the major parties nominating a female VP?
How much did the Sarah Palin flop affect the chances of a woman becoming VP candidate?.
And do you think Hillary will swap with Biden and be Obama's running mate?

[angus]

I used to think Ann Richards would make a good VP candidate.

Palin won't much matter I think.  She has a fanbase, but most folks will remember her about as much as they remember Estes Keefauver. 

I hadn't thought of Hillary becoming VP.  She's actually good at her current job.  I hate to admit it because I've never been a fan of hers, but she's a good Secretary of State.  I say keep her there.

Romney could pick someone like Kay Bailey for Running mate, if he really wants to have a female VP, but there would be better choices among males.  Hey, maybe that's why Snowe isn't trying to keep her old senate seat.  Maybe she and Mitt have cooked up a deal to make her VP. 

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

It doesn't help the female empowerment cause that every female VP pick thus far has been a gimmick.

[angus]

It doesn't help the female empowerment cause that every female VP pick thus far has been a gimmick.

Depends upon how you define gimmick.

Geraldine Ferraro was a successful prosecutor and a member of the US House.  Sure, she was selected in part because she was a female, but as the first female and first Italian-American VP candidate, she helped the progressive cause of egalitarianism.  I think she was a serious candidate.

Some other female candidates, such as Ralph Nader's 2000 VP candidate Wynona LaDuke or 1980 Communist Party VP candidate Angela Davis, were probably gimmicks, but I don't think that you can say that all female VP candidates were gimmicks. 

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Ferraro was a trailblazer in the days of the Equal Rights Amendment that didn't pass. I think that some change agent in the atmosphere like that can propel a female to the top of the ticket. Barring that, Hillary or Palin can't become VP or even Prez.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

If it hadn't been for Obamania, I think Clinton would be President today.  Of course, Palin's selection was so obviously a gimmick, and worse a gimmick that backfired, hence any woman candidate running for President or VP will be subject to extra scrutiny for a while.

If Kay Bailey Hutchison had succeeded in toppling Gov. Oops in 2010, or had not run for governor at all, she would have had a credible shot at being selected for the VP slot on the Republican ticket this year.

There are a number of credible possibilities for a female running mate in 2016 for both parties, tho more with the Democrats, simply because there are more female Democratic office holders than Republican.

[Ogre Mage]

1.  On the Democratic side at least, there will be a strong push to have a woman somewhere on the ticket in 2016.  Clinton's run left unfinished business.

2.  I think Palin's flop did not hurt the chances at all.  Plenty of undistinguished male candidates have been nominated for VP or even served as VP *cough* Dan Quayle *cough.*  Palin has just shown undistinguished women can be nominated as well.

3.  There is no chance Hillary will be the running mate in 2012. 

[Zioneer]

I actually see Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico as a possible VP candidate this year for Romney. Though she's really inexperienced (moreso than even Palin), she provides two things he lacks; Latino support and Tea Party credentials. Martinez won't last as a Governor past 2014 anyway, so it could be an advantageous pick if Romney wants to seem "multicultural".

[tpfkaw]

It doesn't help the female empowerment cause that every female VP pick thus far has been a gimmick.

It also doesn't help that they both 1. overshadowed the candidate at the top of the ticket and 2. as desperation moves, were not properly vetted and ended up hurting the candidate.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I actually see Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico as a possible VP candidate this year for Romney. Though she's really inexperienced (moreso than even Palin), she provides two things he lacks; Latino support and Tea Party credentials. Martinez won't last as a Governor past 2014 anyway, so it could be an advantageous pick if Romney wants to seem "multicultural".

Maybe if Santorum or a convention dark horse gets the nomination, but definitely not Romney.  The very last thing he needs on a ticket with him is another governor to remind the voters he was the Governor of Massachusetts and Romneycare.

[Mr. Morden]

1.  On the Democratic side at least, there will be a strong push to have a woman somewhere on the ticket in 2016.  Clinton's run left unfinished business.

I agree.  I'd say the chances of either the presidential or vice presidential nominee for the Dems in 2016 being a woman is ~95%.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Gillibrand seems like a 2016 possibility.  Of course if Andrew Cuomo gets the nomination, he'll choose someone from another state.

[ShadowRocket]

Amy Klochubar is another possibility too. I'd say she be a good choice for Cuomo if he's the nominee. Can provide a Midwestern contrast while helping with the base.

Likewise, I think Gillibrand would be a good choice for Schweitzer.

[Lambsbread]

I echo the idea of Susana Martinez possibly being on Romney's ticket, therefore giving her a legitimate shot of being VP.