Obama-Reed?

[pragmatic liberal]

I know his name hasn't been much mentioned, but should Barack Obama win the Democratic nomination, I think Sen. John "Jack" Reed of Rhode Island could be a strong pick.

His obvious weakness is that he's from a very blue state that is guaranteed to go for the Democratic nominee in November. However, he has considerable strengths.

He's a reliable liberal but he's well-liked by his colleagues and despite his low-key public profile, he is very popular among his constituents and firmly honest. He voted against the Iraq war, has several terms in the House as well as two Senate terms, is not too old (59), comes from a working-class background and has a young daughter.

More importantly, he sits on the Armed Services committee, is a graduate of West Point and was in the Army for 12 years (in which he served as paratrooper).

Obama has said he would like his VP nominee to have military or defense experience, so that would give Reed a leg up.

The other names most often mentioned for Obama are Sen. Jim Webb and Gov. Tim Kaine. Webb is superficially appealing but his personality suggests he would be a poor fit for the position of running mate. He would also HATE being vice president. Kaine might be a better choice, as he has been in politics longer and is popular, plus he has executive experience. However, he has no military or foreign policy experience.

All things considered, I think Reed would be a strong choice and could help reassure voters nationally about Obama's fitness for the job (as well as comparing nicely with John McCain).

[Verily]

Maybe. But I would rank a fair few choices as more likely than Reed, top among them Kaine and Sebelius.

[HappyWarrior]

I've never though of old Jack but he does seem like someone who would be a strong VP candidate.  I also don't believe in trying to get someone from a certain state so you can win that state so I'm not worried about the fact hes from RI.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Maybe. But I would rank a fair few choices as more likely than Reed, top among them Kaine and Sebelius.

I'd like Warner as VP, but Kaine is just a weak imitation.  And I'm not sure Sebelius would be the best choice being from Kansas, though she is far more popular at home than Kaine is.

If Obama is looking for a female to help him be competitive in the maximum number of swing states, I'd look at someone like Janet Napolitano, who might give Obama a chance to win New Mexico and Nevada (which would otherwise be in the McCain column).

[Verily]

Maybe. But I would rank a fair few choices as more likely than Reed, top among them Kaine and Sebelius.

I'd like Warner as VP, but Kaine is just a weak imitation.  And I'm not sure Sebelius would be the best choice being from Kansas, though she is far more popular at home than Kaine is.

If Obama is looking for a female to help him be competitive in the maximum number of swing states, I'd look at someone like Janet Napolitano, who might give Obama a chance to win New Mexico and Nevada (which would otherwise be in the McCain column).

I was once a big supporter of Napolitano as the best possible VP candidate for Obama, but learning that the rumors of her being a lesbian may actually have some truth has made me reluctant to say that she'd be a strong VP candidate. It wouldn't hurt a Democrat as much as a Republican if sexual orientation came to be an issue (which is why Crist is even less likely a choice for McCain than Napolitano is for Obama), but it would still hurt an Obama/Napolitano candidacy badly, so ultimately I think that ticket wouldn't happen. But maybe.

[TheresNoMoney]

He would actually be a pretty good pick. He's a military guy with two term in the Senate. He also opposed the Iraq War from the start.

Has he endorsed either candidate?

[AndrewTX]

Would Reed run for re-election? If he does, and wins both, does Rhode Island allow the Governor to choose anyone to sucseed Reed?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

It would be a mistake for Obama to go with a New England liberal.  He should pick a Southern or Midwestern moderate.

[Rococo4]

Reed might be a good pick the more I think about it.

[Sensei]

Reed is one of the best choices Obama could make. Solid knowledge of military and defense affairs, and has 11 years in the Senate under his belt along with US House experience.

[JSojourner]

It would be a mistake for Obama to go with a New England liberal.  He should pick a Southern or Midwestern moderate.

There will definitely not be a Northeastern liberal on the ticket.  Unless you think Joe Biden qualifies.  Delaware is more Mid-Atlantic.

Reed is a great guy and I'd love to see him as VP.  But it's not gonna happen.  If Bayh wants a Democrat with a strong knowledge of foreign affairs and military matters, he'll look to Joe Biden or Jim Webb.  Maybe someone from the House like Robert Wexler.

The other thing -- if Reed were to win VP, wouldn't Governor Carcieri appoint a Republican to succeed him?  I am not sure we can afford that.  But I may be unfamiliar with RI's rules...

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Jack Reed has a permanently hangdog expression. I don't think it would inspire voters.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Republican Governor.

[pragmatic liberal]

Republican Governor.

Yes, but he's up for reelection in 2008. If it looks like the Democratic ticket is likely to win, he could terminate his reelection bid and RI Democrats could pick a replacement. Given that most of the other statewide offices other than governor are held by the Democrats, it shouldn't be hard to find a good replacement candidate.

Of course, the risk for Reed is that the ticket loses and he's out of the job.

Otherwise -- though it reeks of partisan wrangling -- if the RI legislature if Dem enough, they might be able to pass a bill calling for a rapid special election, as the Massachusetts legislature did in '04 when hopes that Kerry would win raised the prospect that Mitt Romney would appoint a Republican replacement for 2 years.

[MAS117]

Reed is a horrible choice, no one outside of RI knows who the hell he is. He adds nothing to the ticket and is not a major player in terms of legislative accomplishments. He is a good Senator and will stay that way.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Reid's just plain boring.  If Obama wants to go the snore route, he may as well pick Biden, who is superior to Reed in just about every way I can think of.

[Mr. Morden]

Reed is a horrible choice, no one outside of RI knows who the hell he is.

I don't think Reed makes a lot of sense as VP, but again, I know I sound like a broken record on this, but high name recognition is not a qualification for VP.  You don't have to be well known before you're chosen as a running mate.  Probably 98% of Americans (outside of their respective home states) don't know who Bayh or Strickland or Webb or Pawlenty or Sanford are.  It doesn't automatically disqualify them.  There are only a tiny handful of politicians in the US who have "high national name recognition", and most of them would be awful choices for VP.

[pragmatic liberal]

Reid's just plain boring.  If Obama wants to go the snore route, he may as well pick Biden, who is superior to Reed in just about every way I can think of.

Biden has a plagiarism scandal in the background and has a tendency to be a loose cannon. He also is in the pocket of the credit card industry and voted for the Iraq War.

Reed is younger, has military experience, won't embarrass the ticket, and voted against the Iraq War. He's been an extremely effective spokesperson for the Democrats on security issues. I understand not picking Reed if the other option is someone who can flip a red state (i.e Kaine, Sebelius, Wes Clark, Mike Easley, etc.). But if it comes down to a choice b/w Biden and Reed, there's no contest. Reed would be a vastly superior pick.

Here's a video of him attacking the President on FISA. http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/17/late-edition-senator-jack-reed-dispels-gop-fisa-lies/

[pragmatic liberal]

Reed is a horrible choice, no one outside of RI knows who the hell he is.

I don't think Reed makes a lot of sense as VP, but again, I know I sound like a broken record on this, but high name recognition is not a qualification for VP.  You don't have to be well known before you're chosen as a running mate.  Probably 98% of Americans (outside of their respective home states) don't know who Bayh or Strickland or Webb or Pawlenty or Sanford are.  It doesn't automatically disqualify them.  There are only a tiny handful of politicians in the US who have "high national name recognition", and most of them would be awful choices for VP.

Exactly. How well known was Joe Lieberman in 2000? Or Dan Quayle (an admittedly poor choice) in 1988? Was Lloyd Bentsen known outside of political junkies? Or Richard Nixon or Spiro Agnew? I doubt most Americans even knew who Walter Mondale was. And George H.W. Bush and John Edwards and Al Gore were only well known b/c of their (failed) presidential bids.

[HardRCafé]

Reed is a total unknown outside Rhode Island and a rigid partisan to boot.  He would not help outside the battlegrounds of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

[Eraserhead]

How about Lou Reed?

[HardRCafé]

I would vote for Lou Reed before Jack Reed.  Maybe Moe Tucker, too.

[Democratic Hawk]

It would be a mistake for Obama to go with a New England liberal.  He should pick a Southern or Midwestern moderate.

Preferably, one who's a heavyweight (i.e. not a repeat of Kerry nominating Edwards)

Are there any red state Democrats with solid foreign policy and military credentials? I can think of Jim Webb of Virginia. Any others?

Dave

[ZamboniDriver]

It would be a mistake for Obama to go with a New England liberal.  He should pick a Southern or Midwestern moderate.

Preferably, one who's a heavyweight (i.e. not a repeat of Kerry nominating Edwards)

Are there any red state Democrats with solid foreign policy and military credentials? I can think of Jim Webb of Virginia. Any others?

Dave

Bill Nelson?
Sam Nunn? (not realistic, just satisfying the question)
Max Cleland?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Reed's just never seemed like somebody that's heavily liked among the public - he's just not as friendly seeming - and I think this could bring down Obama's charisma.

Or perhaps my analysis of Reed is just off.