2008: McCain/Lieberman vs. Obama/Hagel

[Jerseyrules]

Solely because Hagel is on the ticket - Obama/Hagel.

I'm not sure on the map, Hagel wouldn't swap Nebraska and Lieberman wouldn't sway Connecticut. Both choices would be somewhat angering to the base.

Lieberman would've pissed off Republicans more than Hagel would anger Democrats.  To quote Game Change, "The base is already concerned about McCain's conservative credentials.  Add to that a pro-life, Jewish VP who also happened to be Al Gore's running mate..."  Obama had the base secured already.  Eight years of Bush plus he energized the base by himself.  Unless McCain throws out his entire career in the senate and flip flops on most issues or sprinkles some magic maverick dust its an even bigger defeat then otl.

[Jerseyrules]

Solely because Hagel is on the ticket - Obama/Hagel.

I'm not sure on the map, Hagel wouldn't swap Nebraska and Lieberman wouldn't sway Connecticut. Both choices would be somewhat angering to the base.

Lieberman would've pissed off Republicans more than Hagel would anger Democrats.  To quote Game Change, "The base is already concerned about McCain's conservative credentials.  Add to that a pro-life, Jewish VP who also happened to be Al Gore's running mate..."  Obama had the base secured already.  Eight years of Bush plus he energized the base by himself.  Unless McCain throws out his entire career in the senate and flip flops on most issues or sprinkles some magic maverick dust its an even bigger defeat then otl.

Exactly. Plus Obama would have announced Hagel before McCain announced Lieberman. Hagel is appealing to much of the base that was against the war in Iraq --plus his foreign policy experience would strenghten the ticket. Lieberman wouldn't really "add" much to the ticket for McCain, and being the second person to be bipartisan looks contrived.

The only Democrats he could've picked to keep the base happy (or at least satisfied) and strengthen his appeal to Dems and independents would be Hillary (ASB) or maybe Bayh, Warner, or someone like that, and the only way he could've gotten them on board is if Obama picked someone really liberal for VP and went off the deep end on his platform (like anti-War on Terror or something).  I think someone with serious bipartisan credentials for their entire career (as opposed to Lieberman who comes off as a finger-in-the-wind opportunist) would be able to keep the base happy.