Fineman: Obama's short list is Bayh, Biden, and Kaine

[Mr. Morden]

So Howard Fineman said a few hours ago on MSNBC....that the Obama people he talked to said that the short list for Obama's running mate is Bayh, Biden, and Kaine.

ABC's The Note also says this:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/07/the-note-obam-7.html

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[Lief 🗽]

Aw... Crist got married for nothin.

[TheresNoMoney]

I still think Biden is the best choice of those three. He brings a lot of foreign policy and military experience to the table, doesn't cause them to lose a Senate seat, and can act as an effective attack dog against McCain.

Bayh lacks gravitas and his running as VP would hand the Republicans a crucial Senate seat.

Kaine has only 2 1/2 years as governor and would only add to the whole"inexperienced" meme. I also highly doubt he would make the difference in carrying Virginia.

[War on Want]

McCain will pick Pawlenty and (hopefully) Obama will pick Biden. Still all mediocre to bad picks for Obama.

[TheresNoMoney]

There's really no perfect running mate for Obama in this election. His campaign has been extremely well-run thus far, so I trust them to make the best decision here.

[WalterMitty]

There's really no perfect running mate for Obama in this election.

mark warner.

[TheresNoMoney]

mark warner.

No foreign policy experience, one-term as governor.

We'd also be giving up a surefire Senate seat pickup.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

There's really no perfect running mate for Obama in this election.

mark warner.

Enough.  Warner is running for Senate; deal with it.

[WalterMitty]

There's really no perfect running mate for Obama in this election.

mark warner.

Enough.  Warner is running for Senate; deal with it.

fine, pick biden and lose the election for all i care.

[True Democrat]

Of those three for Obama, I like Biden the most, though I think all are good picks.

Of McCain's three, he better pick Ridge, the others are mediocre at best.  Of course, I would still prefer Crist or Lieberman.  Why couldn't Crist have been elected four years earlier?  Then, he would've been almost the perfect candidate.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

There's really no perfect running mate for Obama in this election.

mark warner.

Enough.  Warner is running for Senate; deal with it.

fine, pick biden and lose the election for all i care.

Bitter, much?

[Josh/Devilman88]

Out of them three I would pick Biden.

[TheresNoMoney]

fine, pick biden and lose the election for all i care.

What is your problem with Biden? Please give details.

In my view, Biden helps shore up Obama's two main weak posts, lack of foreign policy/military experience and political experience.  He also has a "tough guy" image which will be perfect to rebut McCain's attacks on Obama.

None of the other VP candidates help shore up Obama's weak points.

[TheresNoMoney]

Aw... Crist got married for nothin.

But now he can run for prez in the future if he wants to.

[Josh/Devilman88]

Oh BTW, I don't think Obama VP will be any of these three guys.

[TheresNoMoney]

Oh BTW, I don't think Obama VP will be any of these three guys.

You're probably right. What is your best guess?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Biden would be the best. Kaine has been governor for 2 years and has no foreign policy experience. But I hope he picks him.

[WalterMitty]

fine, pick biden and lose the election for all i care.

What is your problem with Biden? Please give details.

In my view, Biden helps shore up Obama's two main weak posts, lack of foreign policy/military experience and political experience.  He also has a "tough guy" image which will be perfect to rebut McCain's attacks on Obama.

None of the other VP candidates help shore up Obama's weak points.

i dont think he would be a good vp or a good vp candidate.

he is a loose cannon.  chances are he will make some off the cuff remark that gets obama in trouble.

he doesnt strike me as the kind of individual who likes be second.  i cant even imagine he would find being vp appealing.  seems like hed prefer sec of defense or sec of state...where he could be in control.

[Mr. Morden]

Of McCain's three, he better pick Ridge, the others are mediocre at best.  Of course, I would still prefer Crist or Lieberman.  Why couldn't Crist have been elected four years earlier?  Then, he would've been almost the perfect candidate.

It's not clear to me that those 3 really are McCain's short list.  All it says is that "the conventional wisdom" says that those are the top 3.  Not that there's any hard evidence of such.  With the Obama short list, however, we have at least one journalist (Fineman) saying that Obama campaign people have told him that that *is* the short list.  (Though of course there's still the chance that they're not telling the full truth.)

[TheresNoMoney]

he is a loose cannon.  chances are he will make some off the cuff remark that gets obama in trouble.

That is a good point, but he seems to be very disciplined when he's in a campaign. I don't recall him making any gaffes during his primary campaign. When he's not in a campaign, he does tend to say things that get him in trouble.

he doesnt strike me as the kind of individual who likes be second.  i cant even imagine he would find being vp appealing.  seems like hed prefer sec of defense or sec of state...where he could be in control.

Another good point, but I honestly think he'd be more than happy to be the VP of most powerful country in the world.  He has said that he'd be interested in being Obama's VP.

[J. J.]

Politically for both candidates:

Obama:  Bayh or Kaine.  Both have an equal chance of gaining electoral votes.

McCain:  Ridge is the better choice (Probably 21 EV's), but Romney helps in MI (17 EVC's).

[Mr. Morden]

he doesnt strike me as the kind of individual who likes be second.  i cant even imagine he would find being vp appealing.  seems like hed prefer sec of defense or sec of state...where he could be in control.

Another good point, but I honestly think he'd be more than happy to be the VP of most powerful country in the world.  He has said that he'd be interested in being Obama's VP.

Actually, it's more like the opposite.  He said that he's not interested in being VP, but that he'd have to say yes if asked:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25313596/page/4/

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Of course, in political speak, "I'd reluctantly say yes, even though I'm not interested" translates into "I would give anything to be vice president".

[ShadowRocket]

This is pretty much I've expected from an Obama shortlist. And I think Bayh is probably the best choice. Kaine isn't going to alleviate voters' concern about Obama's inexperience and Biden is too gaffe prone. Bayh brings the best of both candidates: youth and experience.

[Beet]

There's really no perfect running mate for Obama in this election.

mark warner.

Enough.  Warner is running for Senate; deal with it.

Why is Senate so superior to VP, given that it is an inferior office?

[Flying Dog]

I think Biden is the best pick.....I'm just worried about his gaffe's.