Mark Warner takes himself out of VP consideration
June 15th, 2008
By Gerardo Orlando
In accepting the Democratic nomination for the open Senate seat in Virginia, Mark Warner made it clear that he will not be in the running for Obama’s VP.
That’s unfortunate, as he would have been a great selection.
June 16th, 2008 12:38
Obama has shown a lot of savvy in this campaign, the VP choice will be his biggest test yet.
I wish I had a good idea about who he should pick but there is not a clear cut choice that I can see. Obama has a tough job on his hands
June 17th, 2008 13:09
I agree. He has plenty of good choices, but I don’t see a slam dunk choice.
June 18th, 2008 08:46
anybody with connections to the Clinton’s are out I think. A Clinton loyalist would hurt the change message. That rules out Strickland, Byah, and Hillary herself.
The best anti Clinton choice in the sense of giving the figurative middle finger to Hillary would be Sebelius but I think she carries too many risks.
The trial balloon the Obama people floated on selecting a “unity” VP was very very interesting. Hagel is the wrong man for that but maybe some other GOPer might make an interesting running mate. The idea on first glance is interesting but I think he would risk alienating the entire democratic party if he selects a Republican. Maybe he is just trying to send the subliminal message that McCain seriously considered running with Kerry to inflict some subtle damage on McCain
That leaves us with the age old convention wisdom. So he has to find someone that helps him on the experience issue, on military issues and he has to reach out to Hispanics, Jewish voters, and older white women. Hardest of all at the same time that same person must not ruin the change message. I wonder why no one has mentioned Dick Gephardt…. That might be my choice as I think on one count or another Biden and Nunn don’t quite measure up.
June 18th, 2008 15:28
I don’t like a unity ticket.
He really needs someone who has lots of experience to reassure voters. I’m wondering if Biden or Sam Nunn will be the best choices.
June 18th, 2008 18:37
I don’t keep up as much as I should. I just noted that Gephardt wsa an earlier endorser of Hillary…. Guess that rules him out.
Nunn might be the best choice in the end, though both he and Biden have Donald Trump hair, I guess with kids dying in Iraq, Americans might be able to look past a bad comb over