It’s too early ”” way too early, ridiculously early ”” but like it or not, the sweepstakes for the Republican veep nomination already has begun.
With Sen. John McCain quickly becoming the apparent Republican presidential nominee, talk among his supporters is already shifting to whom he would pick ”” could pick, should pick ”” as his vice-presidential running mate.
The inside-the-Beltway sport of trying to divine a presidential candidate’s running mate comes with several tried-and-true rules, beginning with defining what qualities will offset the political weaknesses at the top of the ticket.
First, Mr. McCain likely will go for someone from outside Washington ”” most probably a governor. For the four-term Arizona senator, that would offset his 25 years in Congress, muting a target for Democrats ”” his Washington-insider status.
So would a McCain/Huckabee ticket do well? If McCain could pull it off he would be the next president, me-thinks.
I think that link is dead.
Florida’s Governor Crist is a man who can’t be trusted. His open lust for national office is the only consistent element he displays. So expect him to do whatever he thinks will work, say whatever he thinks will advance his political career and promise anything that will take him a step closer to the White House. Just dont expect that you can trust the man. This from a recent resident of Florida who is a conservative Republican.
Why is C. Rice at the bottom of that list? I think she’d cinch the election whether she and McCain are facing Obama or Clinton.
But that’s just my two Canadian cents worth.
I have read good things about Jindal, but he’s very young which means little actual experience. He’s also a minority which might put off some people in the Republican party. But on the other hand, that might be what Republicans need to offset the minority gap with Hillabama.
McCain and Obama are so fond of telling us how they “reach across the isle.” Why not the two of them on the same ticket? They could toss a coin to see who’s on top.
Rice would be a perfect choice. The undecided on the Democratic side of the aisle who don’t like their two choices would find an outlet in the Republican ticket that gives them the best of both worlds.
Bill M.,
did you ever see the James Gardner/Jack Lemon movie “My Fellow Americans”? If not, go rent it immediately.
LibraryJim ~
It’s one of my favorites. Especially the words to “Hail to the Chief”!
[url=http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-5/120124206411210.xml&coll=1]Jindal to pay ethics fine[/url]
The downsides to Rice (who I like) are that she’s another Washington insider; she hasn’t held any executive office; and most damagingly, she’s very much entangled with the Bush administration. She will not be seriously considered.
Yeah, I’ve been a fan of Rice since the first Bush administration (88-92) but she’s too much a figure of the current administration.
Whoever it is, I don’t think it will be Romney. His campaign played the “Keating Five scandal” card against McCain, who once call that scandal more painful than the Hanoi Hilton.