Who should Obama's running mate be?

[pbca]

I know he doesn't have the nomination yet, but I'm relatively sure he will and frankly who Hillary might have as a running mate is of no interest to me. Any thoughts out there?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. I like Clark.

[iconoclastic cat]

31. Either Wes Sr. or Jr. ! nt

[niceypoo]

53. Ken Starr

Given thats where his supporters talking points come from

[iconoclastic cat]

57. Sleep now.

[Nitrogenica]

2. John Edwards

[Renew Deal]

3. Hillary

A lot of people like that idea. I don't.

[angie_love]

4. Not Hillary, shes everything hes running against, doesn't make too much sense

Plus it'll turn off moderate repubs/indies who want to vote for him but not for her.

[niceypoo]

Republicans dont vote for democrats

Thats a fallacy and one of the biggest problems I have with Obama, honesty

[niceypoo]

54. x

[paperbag_ princess]

59. Why is Hillary everything

he is running against and not the right wingers?

but agreed, Hillary would not be a good fit for him.

[Unsane]

5. Wes Clark

[Debi]

6. Joe Biden

Why? :think: Biden-Gelb

[hogwyld]

10. Would love to see Biden on the ticket

But would hate to lose his senate seat.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

39. if he's VP then

he has the vote

[Debi]

46. I'm sure there is another Biden that could run for U.S. Senate

[SoxFan]

63. Delaware has a Dem governor

And the two top candidates to succeed her are Democrats as well.

[calmblueocean]

12. If Obama could convince Biden, it would be a real coup.

I'd hate to lose two Dem Senators like that, but I think they complement each other well.

Also, it rolls off the tongue: Obama-Biden!

[Debi]

49. Couldn't Biden run for both (like Lieberman did) and when the Obama/Biden ticket wins

Wouldn't the Governors of their respective states then appoint a successor for the remainder of their term? :shrug: I don't know - I thought they did.

[calmblueocean]

56. I think you're right, but Biden would be missed in the Senate

It's a small price to pay, though!

[liberalpragmatist]

62. I think his son would probably run

If Biden doesn't run for reelection (b/c he's running for VP) or if he runs for both offices and resigns his Senate seat, then the person appointed to the seat would probably be his son Beau Biden.

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

23. Biden would be fantastic.

Not sure if he'd want it or not, he hasn't really said. He's such a strong voice in the Senate, though. Gov. Minner would absolutely give his seat to another Dem, so we'd be safe in the Senate.

[FormerDittoHead]

43. Ooh. I'm getting a funny feeling going up my leg! n/t

[Debi]

51. I didn't know you posted on DU Mr. Matthews

:hi:

[babylonsister]

7. I've heard the name Gen. Anthony Zinni floated recently, and I'm

not alone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Zinni

snip//

n effort to get him to run for the U.S. Senate has stalled indefinitely.<3> Zinni has said he will never run for office. He says his decision to endorse President George W. Bush in 2000 was a mistake. He plans to avoid politics in the future.<4> However, on March 3, 2006, Zinni joined fellow former U.S. Marines General Joseph P. Hoar, Lt. General Greg Newbold, Lt. General Frank Petersen, and Congressman Jack Murtha in endorsing fellow former U.S. Marine and Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb for U.S. Senate in Virginia.<5> Zinni has been floated as a possible Vice Presidential running mate for Barack Obama, should Obama win the Democratic nomination.<6>

[TwilightGardener]

28. God, I hope not. We need an experienced politican to swim among the sharks and fight the RW, both

in the media and in Congress, for Obama.

[babylonsister]

34. I trust Obama's instincts implicitly; I'm sure he'll make the right

decision should he have the opportunity.

[TwilightGardener]

38. I hope he relies on his own instincts instead of being pushed by party leaders

who are mired in "old think" about regions, specific interest groups, etc.
edit to add: That's what frightens me about the Zinni talk--it's like someone's saying "McCain has military experience--we'll top that with a general!" whether or not it makes any sense on any other level.

[Hepburn]

8. I like Clark or Edwards both..

...depends who is interested. If Gore is the VP candidate, that does leave the Atty Gen spot open for JRE.

[oasis]

9. Medea Benjamin of Code Pink. She was against the war from the start so

that makes her just as qualified.

[NeedleCast]

11. Clark or Edwards

Both seem like good, well known choices who are widely respected.

[AtomicKitten]

13. Obama has a plethora of fine talent to choose from within the Democratic Party.

I'm seeing someone older and seasoned to provide an anchor to the ticket.

[turbo_satan]

14. Jim Webb...

... he's articulate and pugnacious. He might not be the progressive we'd like to see, but I think he'd do a lot to assuage critics' complaints that Obama isn't tough or mean enough.

[JorgeTheGood]

19. Nope -- Webb

will cost BO the women vote ... remember his novels ???

[stellanoir]

15. Michelle

oh I guess she already is.

Nevermind.

She is so impressive though.

Wows

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. The Easter bunny?... No! The tooth fairy.

Where's my pony?

[MadBadger]

17. Jim Webb/Bill Richardson/or Tim Kaine

[stray cat]

18. Tony Zinni would be interesting

Clark as well - except isn't he a strong Clinton supporter?

[TwilightGardener]

25. No to Zinni--we won't run a guy who's never given a political speech, never

wrote a bit of legislation, does not have a hand in public policy, no one knows a damn thing about him except he's a military general. Bad move.

[smalll]

36. Won't happen. One funny name is enough.

Can you imagine it? Obama/Zinni 2008. Especially since that can be initialized as OZ 2008 -- which hints at Obama's Wizard-of-Oz-like qualities.

[TwilightGardener]

37. LOL! Same with "Obama/Kaine", the anesthetic--"Get Numb, America!"

Bad, bad ideas, both.

[TwilightGardener]

20. A hard-nosed, experienced foreign policy/national security older white male

who can run interference with Congress--it will be an important choice for psychological reasons. And it won't be a neophyte unknown like Zinni, and it won't be Clark. That's my best guess.

[Perky]

40. Bob Graham fits the bill....

There are other Foreign Police guys out there who fit the bill but none that could deliver a state.

He is revered in FLorida and would completely obliterate whateve advantage McCaain mught have with seniors in the state,

[TwilightGardener]

42. I suppose he's a possibility. I like Biden more, or Jack Reed.

[Perky]

45. Neither can deliver a state that Obama would not win to begin with

I like Jack reed alot... but he is an unknown on the national stage.


Biden would make a fine choice but I just do not think he adds to the ticket.

He would score a coup however if he names his nominees for secretary of State and AG before the election. These are two areas where the american people are going to demand competence. Richardson is the obvious choice for state I am still chewing on an AG...Napolitano would be a great choic and might put Arizona in play.

[TwilightGardener]

47. I don't know about choosing people to deliver a state. I always question

that approach--it seems very cynical, and does nothing for the ticket in terms of chemistry, teamwork, etc.--AND it's not guaranteed to work (Edwards in NC). I think it's better to choose someone who can fill in Obama's perceived weaker areas and give people confidence that the ticket will be a grown-up team who will have a shared mission. Much as I hate Cheney, he filled that role for Bush--any worries that Bush was inexperienced were swept away with Cheney--it was psychological insurance. Graham might do it, or he might be an uninspiring choice. I think Obama might surprise us, to be honest--he has not followed convention on almost anything so far. I don't see him just choosing someone based on a checklist.

[Thepricebreaker]

21. I have a funny feeling its goin to be Clinton if she loses.

Can't ya just see it now? The both emerge from the brokered convention arm and arm... a merging of the two titans?

I just feel we are all getting set up for this.

[theboss]

22. At this point, I'd float McClurkin's name just to be a dick

But I'm like that.

[Tatiana]

24. I like Clark, but that alliance might not be possible.

In which case, I would go with Biden.

[DJ13]

26. How about.....Gary Hart?

Old enough to offset Obamas perception of being "too young" against McCain, and experienced enough with DC politics to help get Obama's plaform through Congress.

He himself was ripped off by the super delegates in 84, and his soft spoken ways are a good fit with Obama.

:shrug:

[TwilightGardener]

30. Old, and out of the action for far too long. Would make a good advisor, though.

[QC]

27. Joe Lieberman. n/t

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. ditto that^

[DFW]

29. If Obama wins the nomination,

I could see him picking Hillary, but just as easily someone else.
If it's someone else, Joe Biden is a possibility, but he might
just as easily pick someone from outside the obvious circle. I'm
not sure that would be such a good idea, but it might be a daring
idea. Wes Clark would be a good choice, even if he is a Hillary
supporter (so what? Hillary isn't?), as his military credentials
dwarf McCain's, and would pour molten lead on all the medals McCain
might want to trot out to strut before the guns'n'god crowd.

[MyNameGoesHere]

33. I vote for an empty bottle. Seems fitting n/t

[lligrd]

35. Barbara Boxer nt

[shraby]

41. Feingold

[Alexander]

66. Seconded. Feingold's the best possible choice.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

44. Obama-Kennedy

or Obama-Kerry
Obama-Biden
Obama-Edwards

[MadBadger]

55. Obama Kennedy would be a definite loss.

[PresidentObama]

48. He should probably win the nomination first.

[pbca]

50. I disagree

There is very little chance he won't win it. McCain is on his own now - he can start running for President. I think it's time for Obama to start thinking strategically about running mates and floating some names out there.

[Staples]

52. Evan Bayh

[TexasObserver]

I would have said John Edwards two weeks ago. Now? Don't know.

Hillary? No.

Webb? Maybe.

Ann Richards ghost? Now you're talking.

[BigDDem]

58. Ted Kennedy

he's all about "CHANGE!"

[saltpoint]

60. I'm kinda keen on the question for both candidates, because one of them

is very likely to be the next president, and legislation will get through the Senate if the man or woman presiding over it knows pretty well how that's done.

If we are to have meaningful reform in health care, I think the vice president is going to have to shepherd it through Congress. So for me, it's a crucial pick.

I think some names out there work for both candidates.

Whether they want the job or not, the other 7 Democrats originally on the debate stage would be fertile grounds for a choice.

As well, I think Gov. Richardson gives us some gravitas west of the Mississippi and with Hispanic voters, plus he's no slouch on energy. All pertinent, all helpful.

General Clark gives us a military profile with the added plus of being from a Southern state.

Although I am far less enthusiastic about Evan Bayh, I expect he will be discussed as an option.

Tom Daschle's name might make a couple lists also.

I personally prefer Russ Feingold or Bill Bradley. Kathleen Sebelius would be a dramatic choice, and I love that she is a Democrat from a real red state.

[goodgd_yall]

61. Tony Rezko n/t

[Little Star]

64. Can him & Michelle pick out the drapes first?

[liberalpragmatist]

65. Jack Reed or Tim Kaine

Obama needs to have either (a) someone who can shore up the ticket's perceived weaknesses on foreign policy, defense and experience, or (b) a Washington outsider to reinforce the "newness" appeal of the ticket.

I think his best options would be either Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia or Sen. John Francis "Jack" Reed of Rhode Island. Both have their strengths and weaknesses but either would complement Obama well.

Kaine comes from a reddish swing-state that could very well go to the Democrats this election. Trying to flip a state with the VP nominee is usually futile, but it can work at the margins. So a popular governor in a swing state could be enough to flip a state even while a nominee from a very red or very blue state probably wouldn't flip it. Kaine could flip Virginia, and he has won statewide election twice (once as lt. governor and once as governor). Downsides are that he hasn't served as governor for very long (less than 3 years by Nov. 2008) and he'd be succeeded for a year by the Republican lieutenant governor. He also doesn't have any military or diplomatic experience.

Reed has not been floated very much, but he'd be a good pick for the same reasons Biden and Dodd would be good picks, except that he has a few added advantages. Biden and Dodd AND Reed all have plenty of foreign policy experience and lots of Washington experience, but Reed is slightly younger than both of them and has plenty of military experience. He is a graduate of West Point, a Vietnam vet, and a former paratrooper. He also serves as a ranking member of the Armed Services committee. He is a reliable liberal and very articulate even if somewhat low key. Downsides are that he doesn't flip a state and he might have to drop his reelection bid (he's up this year) or else he'd have to be replaced in January by the Republican governor.

Other possible picks are Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Jim Webb (a favorite of many but I think he'd be a poor fit for VP) and a handful of others. But Kaine and Reed would be the best choices, I think.