video of 1992 Clinton veep speculation on The McLaughlin Group

[Mr. Morden]

The claimed "short list" didn't include Al Gore!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjCuS2XDaOI

Bonus video: 2008 McCain veep predictions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8XS5JeCIAU

[hcallega]

Haha! Interesting to see how different politics was just twenty years ago. "West Virginia is a Democratic state" and "New Jersey always goes Republican!"

[Mr. Morden]

Haha! Interesting to see how different politics was just twenty years ago. "West Virginia is a Democratic state" and "New Jersey always goes Republican!"

Yeah.  At that time, the Dems hadn't won New Jersey since LBJ's 1964 landslide.

[buritobr]

Maybe they could not expect another young white man, moderate, from a neighboring state

["'Oeps!' De blunders van Rick Perry Indicted"]

Judging from other things said there, the video seems to be from May '92, around the time of the LA riots. By the summer, Gore was on the shortlist obviously, along with Wofford, Kerrey, and Lee Hamilton, who was actually the consensus favorite.

Clinton winning NJ was indicative of how sweeping his victory was. That was thought to be Bush's best chance at an industrial swing state, because of the backlash against Jim Florio's tax hikes - Bradley almost lost his senate seat because of it.

Interesting to hear Chris Matthews say John Kerry won't be chosen because he's single. Getting married to Teresa Heinz didn't exactly boost his presidential chances.

[Indy Texas]

Interesting to hear Chris Matthews say John Kerry won't be chosen because he's single. Getting married to Teresa Heinz didn't exactly boost his presidential chances.

Boosted his bank account though.

[sg0508]

The same could have been said about CA although the polls in CA weren't close in '92.  CA went to the GOP each time from '52 to '88 outside of the '64 landslide win by LBJ.

["'Oeps!' De blunders van Rick Perry Indicted"]

The same could have been said about CA although the polls in CA weren't close in '92.  CA went to the GOP each time from '52 to '88 outside of the '64 landslide win by LBJ.

True, but CA had been close in '88, as well as other cycles. NJ was a 13-point win for Bush.

[Free Bird]

She poo-poos Jay Rock

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I wonder how the elevation of another Rockefeller to the Vice Presidency would have affected the country and its political fortunes...

[Fuzzy Bear]

Clinton's selection of Gore gave the ticket needed coherence.  Bentsen was well thought of in 1988 and was a loyal trooper, but it was obvious that he had at least some differences with Dukakis.  Gore had a far more moderate image in 1992 than he does now.  The "New Democrat" theme was essential to victory for Clinton, because at the time the Democrats needed a certain number of Southern white votes in competitive states.

[Mr. Morden]

Which potential Clinton running mate would have maximized the chances of the Democrats winning the White House a third time in 2000?  Would any of the others have done better than Gore did IRL?

[Joe Republic]

I notice that a sign of a winning campaign is when the media does not know who the running mate is before the announcement. I remember the media knowing for certain Paul Ryan to be the pick in 2012.

No.  Nobody expected McCain to pick Palin, and Biden was talked about as one of two or three possibilities for Obama.

[Never]

I notice that a sign of a winning campaign is when the media does not know who the running mate is before the announcement. I remember the media knowing for certain Paul Ryan to be the pick in 2012.

No.  Nobody expected McCain to pick Palin, and Biden was talked about as one of two or three possibilities for Obama.

True, but even though Biden was ultimately picked, it seemed like the media had Evan Bayh as their "front-runner" for the VP slot. I kept seeing rumors about him pop up more than Biden. Anyhow, I see what you're saying. It's a good point.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Which potential Clinton running mate would have maximized the chances of the Democrats winning the White House a third time in 2000?  Would any of the others have done better than Gore did IRL?

Few of these seem very good for the 2000 election. Maybe Bradley to keep a few of the party's left-wing loyal, or Wilder to offer his home state of Virginia and a lot of media attention for his race. Harkin seems to be a safe but boring choice who would ultimately fail to win the Dems a third term, Kerrey might only amplify Clinton's marital issues, Mitchell's old. Rockefeller might offer something in the way of West Virginia, but I doubt his ability to expand on Gore's states beyond that. Tsongas would be dead and I know nothing about Wofford other than what I just read on Wikipedia, and he's friggin' old.

[Never]

Which potential Clinton running mate would have maximized the chances of the Democrats winning the White House a third time in 2000?  Would any of the others have done better than Gore did IRL?

Few of these seem very good for the 2000 election. Maybe Bradley to keep a few of the party's left-wing loyal, or Wilder to offer his home state of Virginia and a lot of media attention for his race. Harkin seems to be a safe but boring choice who would ultimately fail to win the Dems a third term, Kerrey might only amplify Clinton's marital issues, Mitchell's old. Rockefeller might offer something in the way of West Virginia, but I doubt his ability to expand on Gore's states beyond that. Tsongas would be dead and I know nothing about Wofford other than what I just read on Wikipedia, and he's friggin' old.

Bradley might not have been negatively affected by Nader's candidacy to the extent Gore was. That could have helped in at least one state that Bush won in 2000, which would really be the only necessity for victory.

[Mr. Morden]

As shown by his 2000 campaign, I just don't think Bradley had the right personality for a presidential candidate.  People thought Gore was too aloof and professorial in his campaign?  Bradley took that to the next level.

[Clarence Boddicker]

WRONG!

[solarstorm]

The host (I think) was very unfriendly, sexist and scary...

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Fun watch, thank you. 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Haha! Interesting to see how different politics was just twenty years ago. "West Virginia is a Democratic state" and "New Jersey always goes Republican!"

Yeah.  At that time, the Dems hadn't won New Jersey since LBJ's 1964 landslide.

JFK won it though. It definitely didn't have quite the history of being Republican that Vermont had.

[tpfkaw]

I think the more amusing thing here is that the McLaughlin Group hasn't updated its graphics or set in at least 22 years (and John was an old man even back then).

[Mr. Morden]

I think the more amusing thing here is that the McLaughlin Group hasn't updated its graphics or set in at least 22 years (and John was an old man even back then).

I'm amazed that he's still hosting that show, given his age.  He turned 87 back in March.  Is there anyone else on TV even close to that age who hosts a show with that frequency?

[tpfkaw]

I think the more amusing thing here is that the McLaughlin Group hasn't updated its graphics or set in at least 22 years (and John was an old man even back then).

I'm amazed that he's still hosting that show, given his age.  He turned 87 back in March.  Is there anyone else on TV even close to that age who hosts a show with that frequency?

Regis Philbin and Barbara Walters come to mind, but of course they both recently retired.

[tpfkaw]

Just watched the most recent McLaughlin Group, which was actually surprisingly entertaining.

Highlights:

McLaughlin shouting "ARE YOU A LIBERTARIAN?!" to each of the panelists.

Pat Buchanan talks about Nelson Rockefeller running for President in the present tense.

Mort Zuckerman says he's richer than the Rockefellers, which Buchanan and McLaughlin find the most hilarious thing ever.