look, lunar, if you want a former southern governor, jim hunt is the answer.
id even rank jim hodges and roy barnes ahead of this mabus character.
Why is Hunt so great? He doesn't have the trio of successful military/economic/foreign policy experience and he's basically as old as McCain is.
Hodges isn't horrible but he'd be a horrible pick if McCain chose Sanford (arguably one of the most likely Republican VPs) since Sanford beat Hodges recently. Barnes isn't great either but he didn't really do much and isn't THAT popular.
Why are these other two guys better than Mabus? They are all one-term governors but Mabus has a military, business, and extensive foreign policy career in addition to his term as governor. You haven't said what makes them better or why Mabus would be a poor choice.
hunt was a successful governor for 16 years. he improved the nc school system beyond belief.
in many ways he was bill clinton before bill clinton. moderate. southerner. emphasised education and job issues rather than divisive social issues. enormously popular with blacks.
had hunt won that senate race in 1984, it may have been a president hunt rather than president clinton.
i dont know much about mabus. im sure he is a fine fellow. but he was a one termer, 20 years ago. he was beaten by a guy who jogged around with a pistol in his hip.
