My VP Shortlist

[JSojourner]

With regard to Senator Obama, I still maintain my belief that an older, white man with a solid grasp of foreign policy is his wisest move.  This can be a mainstream liberal or a conservative Democrat, but it cannot be a far left liberal or a New Englander.  That leaves out Jack Reed and John Kerry, both of whom I like a lot.

Joe Biden fits.  Sam Nunn fits.  Dick Gephardt fits.  The knock on the latter two is that they are too old.  And that Obama will then be unable to claim McCain is too old.  But I have yet to hear Obama say that, though many of his idiot supporters think it's worth bringing up ad infinitum. Unfortunately for them, McCain is old...but in good health and possessive of a sound, if unspectacular mind.  So I really don't think it hurts Obama to choose an older man.  In fact, it serves him well because his youth and inexperience give many Americans  -- even some Democrats -- pause.  Independents and moderate Republicans had the same qualms about one-term Governor George W. Bush.  But when he added Dick Cheney to the ticket, people felt he had the right guy to turn to for advice. (This was pre-9/11 of course and while some of us had clues as to how downright evil Cheney could be, his grandfatherly image and his wise handling of the first Persian Gulf War left many "on the fence" voters in a reasonable comfort zone with voting R in 2000.)  That is what Obama needs now. 

Biden and Nunn are the guys to add that to the ticket.  Why not Gephardt?  Well, I thought he would be great -- until one of you reminded me that he actually drafted the Iraq War resolution.  Unless he offers a major, very public mea culpa, his presence on the Obama ticket would look incongruous.  And that's being generous.

Biden keeps getting flak for a variety of things.  His Neil Kinnock ripoff is ancient history and he has owned it, apologized and moved on.  But does he mouth off and bloviate too much?  Probably.  Yet after his "neat, clean and articulate" gaffe very early in the primary...whoever "handled" him had him striking exactly the right balance. Remember the one debate question where he was asked about his tendancy to being long-winded and wonkish?  He answered the question with one word and got a long laugh and round of applause from the audience. Approaching this tendancy with the right mix of good humor and learned restraint could be very effective.  And remember, the VP is the attack dog.  Biden can do that and do it well.

Personally, I think the only legitimate knock on Sam Nunn is that he isn't an attack dog, he's a teddy bear.  But otherwise, I like him on the ticket and more -- I think he'd make a solid President if, God forbid, that became necessary.

The others?  Evan Bayh is young like Obama and we'd lose his seat in the Senate to a Republican.  He's beloved in the Hoosier State, but not enough to win it for Democrats. 

Ted Strickland is a GREAT IDEA because he has some foreign policy experience from his time in the House.  He helps in southern Ohio and could be an example of someone who might swing a state for a candidate.  But he has ruled himself out. You will have to decide if that means he's really out or if he would reluctantly take the job.  I can tell you that his Lt. Governor, for whom a relative works as an advisor, would love for Strickland to take the job...LOL. 

I like Bill Nelson.  A lot.  A liberal, but not too far left.  An astronaut and a former military man.  But can he be an attack dog?  You Floridians know him best.  My take is that he's too "nice".  And with Florida a likely, if not solid, McCain state, I don't see how Nelson helps.  The question is, would he help nationally...calming some independent nerves over Obama's inexperience?

Please don't promote Bill Richardson any more.  He's my biggest disappointment from the primary.  Lackluster doesn't begin to describe his campaign performance.  Piss-poor would aptly characterize his speechmaking and debate showings.  I can't agree enough that his resume is impressive and his performance in various jobs -- Congressman, Governor, UN Ambassador -- has been good.  But if your campaign skill reminds people of Jim Stockdale during the 1992 Perot campaign, it's not a good sign.

Everyone else has either said no thanks or comes with a significant liability.  Edwards failed once already.  Sebelius looks like a pander and is a terrible speaker.  McCaskill is just as inexperienced as Obama. Wes Clark has taken himself out of the running by saying something really, really stupid. Eddie Rendell may or may not be corrupt, but ask any Pennsylvania Republican and they'll say he is.  He's also a fat guy, like me.  And there are more than a few politicial advisors who say no one who is obese can win a national race in these days of television.  Fair? Not at all.  But probably true.

Have I missed anyone?  Yeah, I know.  Hillary Rodham Clinton.  And I don't have an adequate answer for that, except that I think she would much rather be Senate Majority Leader, Attorney General, UN Ambassador or even possibly Supreme Court Justice. And my guess is she and Obama have already talked about that.

So that leaves Biden.  And Nunn.  At least in terms of "on the radar" names who balance Obama in terms of being foreign policy wonks, older and more experienced, yet not too liberal or too "elitist".  Most of the governors have no serious foreign policy experience.   Mark Pryor, like Obama, is pretty youngish.  He's a portly fellow and he probably has been too friendly to the Bush administration on the Iraq War and on matters like habeus corpus and torture. Senator Webb and former Governor Warner have taken themselves out of the running, like Strickland. Warner also suffers from a lack of foreign policy gravitas.

"Off the radar" names could include an anti-Iraq War general or admiral.  Or a member of the House of Representatives with a good foreign policy or military resume.  But don't count on former Admiral and current Congressman Joe Sestak.  He's known for having a temper that would make John McCain blush. The point about Anthony Zinni's last name seeming a bit too "vowelish" after the name "Obama" is silly on an intelligent, deeper level.  But face it, it has merit in our current, shallow culture.

I also reject suggestions that Obama will cross party lines and snag a Republican like Richard Lugar or Chuck Hagel.  Both are so conservative on social issues as to irk too many Democrats...even some conservative Democrats. But I do maintain that either, or both, could be a natural cabinet choice.  Say, Lugar for Secretary of State and Hagel for either D-O-D or Veterans affairs.

Have I missed anyone? 

[JSojourner]

Have I missed anyone?

Daschle

I was trying to forget.  ;-)

Well, as far as I can see -- there's nothing to be gained.  Daschle is a failed candidate in South Dakota, so I think it would be unwise to choose him.  It would be rather like McCain tapping Connie Burns or George Allen.  Hey -- Burns & Allen -- whaddya know?  Say g'night, Gracie...

[JSojourner]

How about Dick Celeste?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Celeste

I think he's been out of elected office for too long.

Nunn has been out of office since 1997. I think his recent experience as an Ambassador and academic helps to mitigate those concerns. And besides, whoever is tapped for VP is going to be in the spotlight anyway.

 Exactly.  And I don't think that should be a disqualifier.  In fact, being out of elected office for a long while might be a positive thing in some respects.  Anything negative that happened in the past is "ancient history" and the candidate can also say he or she has "had a change of heart" regarding controversial votes.

I also considered Governor Celeste, because as U.S. Ambassador to India (no cushy task), he has some cachet as a foreign policy guy.  However, though a two-term Governor, he left office as a fairly unpopular one and would be unlikely to help much in badly-needed Ohio.

What's more, as U.S. Ambassador to India, it was likely Celeste's job to (at least to some extent) assuage and appease Indian sensibilities.  If he was perceived as a particularly pro-India ambassador, his position on the ticket could be viewed as threatening by Pakistan.  Since Obama has actually taken a position on Pakistan to the right of John McCain, this could be viewed as overdoing it. 

But I agree with your overarching idea -- many of the people who served in elective office in the 80's and 90's are well worth considering for VP slots and cabinet jobs in both parties.
Nunn has been out of office since 1997. I think his recent experience as an Ambassador and academic helps to mitigate those concerns. And besides, whoever is tapped for VP is going to be in the spotlight anyway.

[JSojourner]

Celeste has a very broad range of experience that covers foreign relations (ambassador, member of Council on Foreign Relations), economics (establishing a consulting firm), military/security (sits on various boards including Independent Strategic Assessment Group, co-chair of Homeland Security Porject), health care (was in charge of DNC's health care plan in '93), and public service (director of the Peace Corps).  But he'll be almost 71 on election day and I don't know, he might look even older than McCain.  The age issue is a big one.

My feeling on age differs from most folks here.  Could be because I am an olde pharte, I dunno.  But see my earlier post.  I don't think Obama is assailing McCain for being too old, though clearly Obamaniacs and surrogates are.  It's a stupid reason to oppose a candidate.  Now if McCain is unhealthy, that's another issue.

As to Obama's running mate, I still say the more snow on the roof, the better.  It will calm a lot of voter jitters.