If McCain Pulls Off A Miracle And Wins The Nomination Who Is His Best VP?

[Хahar 🤔]

Against Hillary? You need high name recognition. Otherwise, Pawlenty will be swift boated to no ends over the failed bridge. I can see it now. I bridge collapsing and the word "Pawlenty" coming on the screen.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Romney's money would be a reason for McCain to pick him, but that would be about the only reason. 

If McCain wants to try a radical choice, Gov. Lingle of Hawaii would certainly be one, but not a likely one if as expected Hillary becomes the Democratic nominee.   It would be seen as a gender politics choice rather than an expand beyond the base choice in that context.

Gov. Douglas of Vermont would be another interesting choice, and might become a real possibility if Russia keeps acting up in 2008.  Having a VP who can speak Russian might just be seen as an asset in that case.

And finally for one last thinking outside the box choice, how about Gov. Camacho of Guam?

[AndrewTX]

Chris Shays

[Хahar 🤔]

And finally for one last thinking outside the box choice, how about Gov. Camacho of Guam?

Is that even legal?

[© tweed]

Pawlenty would help him a lot in the Midwest.

why?

He's the Governor of Minnesota, and he's ideologically closer to McCain than Thompson is.

I don't really see why McCain's ideology would be such gold in the upper midwest.  and I don't see why being the Governor of an adjacent state helps so much in IA and WI, especially considering Pawlenty has approvals in the low 50s and has ran behind Bush's prior MN total in both '02 and '06 (he's received just 46.7% and 44.4% the two times he has been elected.)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Pawlenty would help him a lot in the Midwest.

why?

He's the Governor of Minnesota, and he's ideologically closer to McCain than Thompson is.

I don't really see why McCain's ideology would be such gold in the upper midwest.  and I don't see why being the Governor of an adjacent state helps so much in IA and WI, especially considering Pawlenty has approvals in the low 50s and has ran behind Bush's prior MN total in both '02 and '06 (he's received just 46.7% and 44.4% the two times he has been elected.)

Yes, exactly what I've been saying.

Serious question: What percentage of Iowans and Wisconsinites do you believe have heard of Pawlenty? And of that percentage, how many actually care about him?

[AndrewTX]

My only argument for Pawlenty is that even though he was elected and re-elected with 44 and 46%, he was still elected and re-elected.  I think that it would be a good match ideologically, but this match would not help electorally, atleast in the upper midwest.

[Reaganfan]

There probably needs to be a woman on the ticket so they can match the Democrats (if Hillary gets to be their candidate). McCain should pick someone like Sandra Day O'Conners or even Oprah (if her boy Obama loses, she may be really mad).

[MarkWarner08]

Chris Shays

He'll be too busy losing reelection to Jim Himes.

[© tweed]

Yes, exactly what I've been saying.

Serious question: What percentage of Iowans and Wisconsinites do you believe have heard of Pawlenty? And of that percentage, how many actually care about him?

and how many of those are Democrats or Independents that are in love with Pawlenty so much that they'd change allegiances over his inclusion at the bottom of a ticket?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, exactly what I've been saying.

Serious question: What percentage of Iowans and Wisconsinites do you believe have heard of Pawlenty? And of that percentage, how many actually care about him?

and how many of those are Democrats or Independents that are in love with Pawlenty so much that they'd change allegiances over his inclusion at the bottom of a ticket?

Yes, and that also applies in Minnesota.

The number in Wisconsin is probably a bit higher since parts of Wisconsin get most of their media from Minnesota, but that doesn't mean they care. In fact Pawlenty might have a very small net negative effect in Wisconsin due to the state rivalry and the fact that many die-hard Packers fans will vote against the guy who signed to build a new Vikings stadium (I really hope no one here is so naive they honestly believe there is NO ONE who votes based on things that stupid)

[AndrewTX]

Chris Shays

He'll be too busy losing reelection to Jim Himes.

OMG BAHAHAHAHAHA! Your funny!

[MarkWarner08]

Chris Shays

He'll be too busy losing reelection to Jim Himes.

OMG BAHAHAHAHAHA! Your funny!

Himes is an excellent Democratic candidate. He's a wealthy former banker at Goldman Sachs, he's from Greenwich, which we'll help him connect with the Rockefeller Republicans, and he speaks Spanish and used to live in South America, which is sure to boost his candidacy in the poor minority precincts of this district. If the GOP nominates a southern fried populist like Huckabee Finn, Shays is finished. Otherwise, expect a very close campaign.

[AndrewTX]

Chris Shays

He'll be too busy losing reelection to Jim Himes.

OMG BAHAHAHAHAHA! Your funny!

Himes is an excellent Democratic candidate. He's a wealthy former banker at Goldman Sachs, he's from Greenwich, which we'll help him connect with the Rockefeller Republicans, and he speaks Spanish and used to live in South America, which is sure to boost his candidacy in the poor minority precincts of this district. If the GOP nominates a southern fried populist like Huckabee Finn, Shays is finished. Otherwise, expect a very close campaign.

Rly? Being from Greenwich wont do anything. Lets take for example, ohh... Ned Lamont. He was a former Selectman for the city, and he got about..hmmm 39% of the vote.  Speaking Spanish isn't going to help him outside of Bridgeport either.  I don't expect a landslide for Shays, but he'll be re-elected with about 52-54% of the vote.

[MarkWarner08]

Chris Shays

He'll be too busy losing reelection to Jim Himes.

OMG BAHAHAHAHAHA! Your funny!

Himes is an excellent Democratic candidate. He's a wealthy former banker at Goldman Sachs, he's from Greenwich, which we'll help him connect with the Rockefeller Republicans, and he speaks Spanish and used to live in South America, which is sure to boost his candidacy in the poor minority precincts of this district. If the GOP nominates a southern fried populist like Huckabee Finn, Shays is finished. Otherwise, expect a very close campaign.

Rly? Being from Greenwich wont do anything. Lets take for example, ohh... Ned Lamont. He was a former Selectman for the city, and he got about..hmmm 39% of the vote.  Speaking Spanish isn't going to help him outside of Bridgeport either.  I don't expect a landslide for Shays, but he'll be re-elected with about 52-54% of the vote.

Himes is also outfundraising Shays.  Part of the reason Farrell lost in 2004 was the decreased turnout in Bridgeport. If the Democratic nominee is strong here (which is likely due to the absence of the 9/11 effect), that extra turnout could nudge Himes past 48% and towards the elusive 50% mark.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

And finally for one last thinking outside the box choice, how about Gov. Camacho of Guam?

Is that even legal?

Camacho was born in 1957, after Guam Organic Act of 1950 made everybody there citizens, so he certainly qualifies as a natural born Citizen.  The only potential fly would be if the Supreme Court ruled that the fourteen year Resident requirement only pertains to incorporated territory or whether residence in an unincorporated territory such as Guam counts.  If it is only the former Camacho might be shy of the necessary fourteen. (He was educated at Marquette and was in business from 1980-1988 (either in Guam or Stateside, I don't know which) until he followed his father into Guamanian government and politics. His father was an Army dentist at the time he was born, so he may also have some time resident in the United States from then depending on how long that lasted.  I'd be inclined to count time spent in Guam since the passage of the Organic Act (or any other territory where all native born persons are U.S. citizens) towards the fourteen year residence requirement, but who knows how the courts might rule.  Possibly the Court would that such a question is a political rather than a judicial decision, which would leave it up to Congress to decide.  Given the brouhaha that deciding against Camacho would raise politically, I can't see Congress, regardless of whether in Democratic or Republican hands choosing to disqualify Camacho on those grounds.

[Lincoln Republican]

In McCain's case, as should be the case with any Presidential nominee, but perhaps even moreso in mcCain's case, the Vice Presidential candidate must be somebody who the public believes can make a credible President should the occasion require.