My VP Shortlist

[Mr.Phips]

Barack Obama:

Senator Joe Biden of Delaware
Governor Mike Easley of North Carolina
Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia
Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas
Senator Jim Webb of Virginia
Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana*


John McCain:

Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina*
Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota
Governor Charlie Crist of Florida
Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana
Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut

NOTE: Asterix denotes who I would select if I was the Chairperson of Barack Obama's or John McCain's Vice Presidential search team. However, knowing them they would select some random unknown to "balance" the ticket, such as Congressman Rob Portman of Ohio for McCain or Congressman Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota for Barack Obama. 

Mike Pence may actually be a good choice for McCain.  I think Indiana actually has a better chance of going to Obama than Florida and Pence could help McCain here. 

[Lunar]

Instant Karma - Webb effectively took himself out of the running like Strickland did, saying that he would not accept if offered.

Also, why not Kent Conrad if Obama is hunting for experienced chaps from North Dakota?  He's pretty popular there and was one of the few Democratic senators to oppose the Iraq war from the start.  Otherwise, and with the possible exception of Rockefeller (West Virginia is the definition of a bad state for Obama and he doesn't need a last name after his that screams "insider political family" that badly), I agree with your list and your two choices for each.  Those are the two I would select if I was in charge of each campaign.

[MarkWarner08]

Obama:
Reed
Biden
Sebelius
Napolitano

McCain:
Portman
Ridge
Pawlenty
Graham --  this prissy fellow  loves being McCain's lapdog.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Instant Karma - Webb effectively took himself out of the running like Strickland did, saying that he would not accept if offered.

How could I forget? Thanks Lunar for picking that up . However, I wouldn't be surprised even if the Obama camp has kept Webb on their shortlist, despite Webb withdrawing his name from contention. Although I might sound dazed and confused, I really wouldn't be surprised if Webb is still on the list.

Also, why not Kent Conrad if Obama is hunting for experienced chaps from North Dakota?  He's pretty popular there and was one of the few Democratic senators to oppose the Iraq war from the start.  Otherwise, and with the possible exception of Rockefeller (West Virginia is the definition of a bad state for Obama and he doesn't need a last name after his that screams "insider political family" that badly).

I added Jay Rockefeller on Obama's list primarily to bring much needed experience to the ticket an Obama led ticket. Although I doubt Rockefeller's name is currently on Barack Obama's Vice Presidential shortlist, Rockefeller in a sense would have been the perfect choice for some. Not because of Senator Rockefeller's vast experience as Governor of West Virginia and Senator from West Virginia but also politically, as he is seen more so moderate than Barack Obama, thus I feel he would have been a good selection for Obama.

However, as you said Lunar, Obama does not need a running mate who's last name screams "political insider". If Obama did select Rockefeller as his running mate it would cause a fair bit of controversy because of it, thus Rockefeller is probably not on Obama's Vice Presidential shortlist because of it. Though numerous other factors could contribute to Rockefeller's name not on the shortlist.

I agree with your list and your two choices for each.  Those are the two I would select if I was in charge of each campaign.

Yay! I feel so delighted that somebody agrees with my Vice Presidential shortlists and selections for Barack Obama and John McCain respectively. I never knew I could have much influence .

[Lunar]

Yay! I feel so delighted that somebody agrees with my Vice Presidential shortlists and selections for Barack Obama and John McCain respectively. I never knew I could have much influence .

I'd also put a lot of money on Reed and Huntsman because I"m sure the house is underbetting them.  Although these are all great candidates, the board tends to overemphasizing candidates like Webb/Strickland/Biden/Sebelius and Sanford/Crist/Pawlenty and under emphasize Reed/Schweitzer/Conrad/Jones and Thune/Hunstman/Portman/etc.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Barack Obama:

Senator Joe Biden of Delaware
Governor Mike Easley of North Carolina
Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia
Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas
Senator Jim Webb of Virginia
Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana*


John McCain:

Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina*
Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota
Governor Charlie Crist of Florida
Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana
Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut

NOTE: Asterix denotes who I would select if I was the Chairperson of Barack Obama's or John McCain's Vice Presidential search team. However, knowing them they would select some random unknown to "balance" the ticket, such as Congressman Rob Portman of Ohio for McCain or Congressman Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota for Barack Obama. 

Not a single bad choice on either of those lists (except perhaps Lieberman).  I certainly think Sanford is the best choice (although Hutchison is a great one as well), and Schweitzer would be wonderful too (although I still prefer Easley).

[Mr. Morden]

Yay! I feel so delighted that somebody agrees with my Vice Presidential shortlists and selections for Barack Obama and John McCain respectively. I never knew I could have much influence .

I'd also put a lot of money on Reed and Huntsman because I"m sure the house is underbetting them.

Actually, Reed has been getting more and more buzz recently, and is now all the way up to 7.9 (and 5th place) on Intrade for the Dem. VP nomination.  Huntsman, however, is still getting little to no buzz.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Yay! I feel so delighted that somebody agrees with my Vice Presidential shortlists and selections for Barack Obama and John McCain respectively. I never knew I could have much influence .

I'd also put a lot of money on Reed and Huntsman because I"m sure the house is underbetting them.

Actually, Reed has been getting more and more buzz recently, and is now all the way up to 7.9 (and 5th place) on Intrade for the Dem. VP nomination.  Huntsman, however, is still getting little to no buzz.

BUMP

Reid has taken himself out......but damn I didn't know he was ever "in".

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080714/ap_on_el_pr/reed_obama;_ylt=AptmFGzfl8nkA6mD09bI_Tis0NUE

[Mr. Morden]

Reid has taken himself out......but damn I didn't know he was ever "in".

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080714/ap_on_el_pr/reed_obama;_ylt=AptmFGzfl8nkA6mD09bI_Tis0NUE

I think you mean "Reed", not "Reid".

Anyway, that statement doesn't go nearly as far as the Shermanesque denial from Strickland.  "He's not interested" doesn't necessarily mean much.  Biden also said that he wasn't interested, and didn't really want it, but then when he was asked if he would accept the job if offered, he said yes, he would take it if Obama actually offered.  Other people, like Edwards, have publicly said they're not interested, while privately telling people that they're open to it.

He also says that he hasn't been asked for vetting info.  Again, I'm not sure how to read that.  The Obama campaign has asked people not to reveal if they're being vetted, and I'm not sure if they've gotten through everyone on the list for vetting information anyway.

[Lunar]

They all [mostly] say they're not interested.  There's no flip-flop required for accepting at this point.  I wouldn't count him out yet, he might have been asked by Obama's team to say he's not being vetted (along with other potential dark horse candidates) while the obvious ones are free to talk about their vetting process.

But yeah, his odds in my book just went down.

[Platypus]

My shortlists:

McCain: Rell
Obama: Biden

[HappyWarrior]

Obama:
Biden
Schweitzer
Sebelius
Kaine
Bredesen

McCain:
Lieberman
Thune
Romney
Crist
Sanford

[TheresNoMoney]

Biden is probably my #1 pick for Obama. He is exactly what Obama needs, a foreign policy expert who can also be an attack dog against the right-wing smears. Biden is a tough guy, and that's what the Obama ticket needs.

[Tender Branson]

I think Obama picks either Sebelius or Bayh and McCain Romney or Pawlenty, some time after he´s back from his trip to Europe/Middle East, which would be in the first week of August.

[Bay Ridge, Bklyn! Born and Bred]

LMAO @ Sebelius.

Obongo has already got the bitches' (women) vote, so I'm having a hard time seeing how exactly this church lady in a powersuit will help him.   Are they expecting Kansas and Nebraska to be battlegrounds?   lol

Biden.   One thing about arrogant East Coast blowhards--especially the working class, ethnic, urban, Catholic types, apart from being gaffe-prone,--is the potential for massive skeletons in their closets to be unearthed once they come under intense media scrutiny.    It comes with the territory with these wiseguys due to the "i'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" environs they were brought up in.  They are easily corruptible.