Blue Collar males, Hispanics, gravitas or women

[Perky]

Seems to me that after looking at the electoral math anyone of these three groups being represented on the ticket winds up pushing Obama into Landslide territory.

Richardson will obviously be shortlisted. Big Hispaic Turnout there and it is over. He has his problems...lousy candidate but terrific credentials. but no great appeal beyond Hispanics.

And there is group of strong women out there to be sure. Napolitano, Granholm, Sebelius and four or five others.

But if we want to get back Reagan Dems there are only a couple of possible names; Feingold, Stickland, Rendell

I like Biden. Kerry and even Kerrey for that matter but none of those improve the elecoral math significantly

Webb gives Gravitas, military bearing and appeal to blue Collar males a constituency Dems rearly get over 40% with, So the goal is keep the margin slim.

I am warming to the idea of Hagel on that basis but I have to be convinced....

Bloomberg? Why? He does not get you anything new.

[napoleon_in_rags]

1. I think you've got to look at policy experience even beyond demographics.

He needs an experienced older VP with lots of military security experience to defend against McCain in my opinion. I really don't see McCain drawing women or Hispanics over Obama, but the Blue collar whites could easily be drawn, so his best bet is probably there.

[CTyankee]

2. Unfortunately Granholm is out. She was born in Canada.

I can see Napolitano or Sebellius, to have the m/f balance, either would bring in a formerly Republican state and Napolitano would be a stick in McCain's eye in Arizona. I agree that Bill Richardson is important for the Hispanic vote, but he wouldn't appeal to a lot of men, IMO. Besides, the Hispanics have no love for McCain anyway (and plenty NOT to love)so I can't see him winning them over in any appreciable number. Webb might not be bad but he hasn't governed a state and that would be an important balancing factor, I think.

[bain_sidhe]

3. once again pushing my favorite, Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy (Ret.)

Women are the largest block of the electorate, so that's one thing in her favor. She's got military (2) AND National Intelligence (3) cred , she's a democrat (4), she lives in Virginia (5) (AND South Carolina (6), part of the year). Of course, she endorsed Hillary (hey, nobody's perfect!), so Obama will have to wait until the nomination is determined, but still... She's a sixfer (as opposed to a mere "twofer" or "threefer").

A brief bio found at the Huffington Post(with a few particularly juicy bits bolded by me):

Claudia J. Kennedy is the first and only woman to achieve the rank of three-star general in the United States Army, taking her from the Women’s Army Corps in the late 1960s to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence from 1997 to 2000. She oversaw policies and operations affecting 45,000 people stationed worldwide with a budget of nearly $1 billion.

Following in her father’s footsteps, General Kennedy joined the Army in 1968. In 1969, she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. During her career, she commanded a company, an intelligence battalion, a recruiting battalion and an intelligence brigade. As a general officer, she served as the senior intelligence officer for the U.S. Forces Command, Deputy Commanding General for the Army Intelligence Center and School and completing her career as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence.

General Kennedy received numerous honors and awards during her military career, including the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal and four Legions of Merits, which are awarded for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.”

Claudia Kennedy has been named to a list of “Best Women Role Models”, and Vanity Fair’s “Most Influential”. She also was named to the Ladies Home Journal’s “100 Most Important Women” list. General Kennedy has been honored for leadership and lifetime achievement by such organizations as Business and Professional Women (USA), Girl Scout Council of Hawaii, Women Executives and State Government, National Women’s Law Center, DAR, the National Center for Women and Policy, and the Volunteers of America. General Kennedy has a BA degree in philosophy from Rhodes College.

Since completing her Army career, Claudia Kennedy has lived in Fairfax County, Virginia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She works to help children by chairing First Star, a nonprofit corporation. Her book, Generally Speaking, was published in September 2001. She is a trustee of Rhodes College and is associated with Essex Corporation, Opportunity International, The White House Project, Population Action International, NeuralStem, Inc., and with the International Spy Museum. She has appeared as a military consultant for NBC and CNN and as a guest on Larry King Live, NewsNight with Aaron Brown, Wolf Blitzer Reports and ABC’s Good Morning America, among others. She is married to Harold S. Hadley, a Canadian businessman.

Of course, I don't know if she's interested. But *I* want her on the short list. And IMHO, she's one of the few women on the national scene that could be elected President (in 8 years, of course!)

**edited to add snark**

[democrattotheend]

4. Richardson also has a terrific resume

And would help allay concerns among those who say Obama is not experienced enough.

[Bake]

5. Hagel's a Repub

If he picks a Puke, he loses me. Along with a big chunk of the Dem base.

Bake

[Inuca]

6. He loses you to... who?

Just curious... Would you vote for McCain/? rather than Obama/Hagel or would you stay home (which may end up being the same thing in terms of final result)? Incidentaly, I like Hagel but I have reservations about the idea of him as VP, though it would certainly be interesting. My point is simply that statements like "he loses my vote" or "he would lose the dem base" are not very rational, since there only two realistic alternatives, and no matter who Obama choses as VP and for what reasons, the resulting ticket would certainly be preferable to one headed by McCain. He may lose some love with a VP pick that is not popular, and that may actually be important down the road, but that's a whole different story.

[Bake]

7. He loses me to "I sit my big ass home"

Or else I write in Al Gore. Hell, he's almost there now as far as I'm concerned, and picking a REPUKE to run with him would push me over the limit. I'm a Democrat. I don't vote for Repukes. Not now, not ever. Period.

Bake

[noel711]

8. Rendell???? As a Pennsylvanian, I'm aghast!

I hope that sleazy creep is on no one's short list!

Talk about lack of credibility!