McCain's VP choice will affect which states we can carry. List inside.

[Maddy McCall]

Regardless of which Dem candidate receives the nomination, we should be watching this. Whichever McCain picks--it will certainly have an impact on which states he--and we--can carry.

Here is a list of names often mentioned by the GOP, with the pros and cons of each:


Haley Barbour, 60, Mississippi governor

Pro: Popular former national party chairman helped Republicans win Congress in 1994 and got good reviews for his leadership after Hurricane Katrina. Conservatives like his push for spending cuts.

Con: A long record as a Washington lobbyist that could clash with McCain's reform message.


Charlie Crist, 51, Florida governor

Pro: He's a popular governor whose endorsement helped McCain win the critical Florida primary. He'd probably help put this big swing state solidly in the Republican column.

Con: His refusal to back an anti-gay marriage initiative and appointment of Democrats to head state agencies tar him as suspect to the party base.


Mike Huckabee, 52, former Arkansas governor

Pro: He's shown his ability to win in the South and has support among evangelical Christians.

Con: He raised taxes as governor and supported equal benefits for the Arkansas children of illegal immigrants.


Kay Bailey Hutchison, 64, Texas senator

Pro: Offers a gender balance to the ticket and wins handily in mega-state.

Con: Support for financing embryonic stem-cell research worries social conservatives.


Joe Lieberman, 65, Connecticut senator

Pro: The hawkish former Democrat-turned-independent endorsed McCain and campaigned with him. Also, as Democratic running mate in 2000, he's been there.

Con: He's still left of center on almost everything but the Iraq war.


Tim Pawlenty, 47, Minnesota governor

Pro: Elected twice in a swing state. Solved budget crisis with spending cuts and no tax increases.

Con: Couldn't deliver state caucuses for McCain; they went for Romney.


Condoleezza Rice, 53, secretary of state

Pro: First black woman on the ticket provides racial and gender balance against a Democratic ticket sure to have either a black or a woman.

Con: Nobody knows what she thinks about hot-button issues from abortion to taxes.


Mitt Romney, 60, former governor of Massachusetts

Pro: Had some support from conservatives.

Con: Not enough support from conservatives to win. Plus, McCain and Romney clashed bitterly in the primaries.


http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080218/NEWS/802180327&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

[JI7]

1. Crist might be the best choice

it would allow him to keep Texas and Florida while Dems keep New York and California. without Crist i think Florida will be competitive.

the rest of them i can't see making too much of a difference.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. McCain needs to shore up conservative support, and Crist wouldn't help that

[Maddy McCall]

10. Yes...and my greatest fear...

Is that he taps Haley Barbour. I do not want Haley to do to the US what he's done to Mississippi.

[Thrill]

8. Aren't there questions about whether he is gay?

Not a good choice

[Lochloosa]

13. Won't happen. I'm a Floridian and I like Crist most of the time.

Go figure.

[BlueManDude]

2. McCain's people will approach Colin Powell about being VP...

not saying Powell would accept - but McCain will ask.

[liberalnurse]

3. I think so............

What did Powell say the other day about Obama? I think he was on CNN. Something about seeing himself as an Independent.

[BlueManDude]

9. Powell has spent his career sucking up the GOP power structure...

As far as him supporting Obama, I'll believe it when I see it. McCain is the only GOPer he'd consider running with.

[rucky]

4. It will be a fundie:

Huck or Newt.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. VP choices can generally only hurt the ticket.

While lots of attention gets focused on the VP choice during the convention, that is primarily because there is nothing much else to talk about. The VP does not carry states for the ticket. At best the VP does no harm.

[Thrill]

7. None of those would effect us

[Recursion]

11. Lieberman is his smartest pick, IMO

It changes the news to "first bipartisan Presidential ticket"

[tritsofme]

12. No it won't.

The last time a VP seriously affected a state's outcome was possibly 1960 with LBJ on Kennedy's ticket.

[TheDonkey]

14. Isn't Crist unmarried? Likely gay himself. That would be a controversial pick

for rethugs to handle.

Condi Rice won't fly because she is so unpopular but sometimes these "splashy" moves are made especially if Obama is the nominee ala Alan Keyes and will blow up in their face.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. McCain/Bush (Jebb)

then McCain will fail and another Bush could be President