Obama VP Poll. Round 5 Theme: Foreign Policy Chops

[mckeown1128]

Frm. IN Rep. Tim Roemer

Pro: Lead the response to 911. Served on and helped create the 9/11 Commission. Pro-life stance my draw in Evangelicals. Fought against creating the DHS. Loud and longstanding critic of NAFTA

Con: Pro-life stance may push out some Democrats. Indiana is not in play. He is not well known.


Frm. Gen. Anthony Zinni

Pro: Former 4 star General and highly decorated combat veteran. Prominently warned congress about Osama Bin Laden in 2000. Former head of U.S. Central Command and outspoken Iraq war critic.

Con: Endorsed Bush in 2000(now says it was a mistake.) Untested as a politician. Social policy positions not well known.


Frm. Gen. Wesley Clark

Pro: Can run as a washington outsider(which matches Obama's theme.) Former decorated 4 star General. Critic of Iraq war.

Con: Doesn't bring any electoral votes with him. Endorsed Hillary Clinton. Ran a mistake plagued 04 campaign(sorry...don't deny it.)


Frm. GA Sen. Sam Nunn

Pro: Solid national security record. Was chairman of Armed Services committee. Known as a conservative-moderate. May give Obama a southern edge.

Con: Old...like McCain old. Poor GBLT track record. Not well known today. Has said he is only interested in the Presidency.


Frm. IN Rep. Lee Hamilton

Pro: Vice-chair of 9/11 commission. One of Obama's top foreign policy advisers. Sits on advisory boards of the CIA, the Homeland Security Advisory Council, and the United States Army.

Con: 76 years old and might only be a 1 term VP. Indiana isn't a swing state.


IN Sen. Evan Bayh

Pro: Has the double effect of having executive AND foreign policy experience. He is highly respected and considered.

Con: Endorsed Hillary Clinton. Indiana isn't a swing state. Is not considered a populist.



Please vote in the previous polls if you haven't done so already.

Ex-Candidate choices:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5487368&mesg_id=5487368

Crossover choices:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5440085&mesg_id=5440085

Woman of the party:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5410948

Virginia choices:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5401703&mesg_id=5401703

After I poll most potential vp choices I will start doing runoffs. In order to make it to the runoffs a candidate must hit 20% of the vote in the poll they are in. (So take that into effect when you vote)

[mckeown1128]

1. kick.nt

[mckeown1128]

4. kick.nt

[mckeown1128]

5. kick for more vots. nt

[mckeown1128]

8. Desperate Kick for more votes... please... anyone... nt

[IndianaGreen]

2. General Zinni would be great as SecofState

Sam Nunn is a flaming homophobe. His role in DADT was pathetic and hateful.

Wes Clark went too far into the Dark Side.

Bayh is an empty suit that will put his audiences to sleep. Heck, he puts his wife to sleep when he is banging her.

Roemer and Hamilton bring nothing to the ticket.

Obama needs someone that will bring a state to the Democratic column. Greater still if this person has good national security bona fides, such as former ambassador to UN, chief US negotiator on nuclear non-proliferation with North Korea, etc., etc.

[mckeown1128]

3. I guess I know who you voted for. lol nt

[muryan]

6. I think Clark is as close to a perfect match as you can get

His foreign policy experience is second to none, hes a decorated general and someone not afraid to take the right position. It would nullify any argument that mccain could make along the lines of military experience on the ticket.

[IndianaGreen]

7. He shot himself in the foot when he said Obama was unfit for the Presidency

If he truly believes in what he said, he shouldn't serve in an Obama Administration. If what he said was just political rhetoric, the more reason why he shouldn't serve in an Obama Administration.

[muryan]

16. I must have missed that

link?

[Bullet1987]

9. Where is the NONE option?

[maximusveritas]

14. That's my choice too. All these guys are former Republicans

or pseudo-Republicans. No go.

[BigDDem]

10. Present.

Do these guys know more "stuff" than Barry?

:rofl:

[Adelante]

11. I will so deny it

Not that Clark didn't make mistakes, he did, notably skipping Iowa.

But...

In a four-month long campaign, before withdrawing on 2/11/04 and endorsing Kerry, Clark competed in 13 states. He won Oklahoma over experienced campaigners. He came in second in Arizona, New Mexico and North Dakota ahead of experienced campaigners. Third in New Hampshire, Tennessee and Virginia ahead of experienced campaigners. Fourth in Missouri and South Carolina ahead of experienced campaigners. Fifth in Delaware, Maine, Michigan, and Washington ahead of experienced campaigners.

So, for a newbie, or even more impressive, a newbie running against professional politicians, he did great.

So, there :P

After he dropped out that February, within days, he began campaigning non-stop for John Kerry, and he's been campaigning for Democratic candidates all over the country ever since. He was in HUGE demand in the 2006 congressionals, because he gives a barn burner of a speech and can do it in any district, right, left, center. He's now a very experienced campaigner, not to mention media personality, and would be extremely valuable on the trail for Obama as a campaigner, as well as for obvious other reasons. Also, to at least a fair extent, Clark might iron over the current split in the party, if need be.

Just as swiftly as we saw him get behind Kerry, who he actually ran against himself, he will get behind Obama, who he opposed only as a surrogate. When this primary is over it's over. Obama is a big enough man and so is Clark that politics won't stand in the way of what is best for the nation.

Obama will have his own reasons for who he chooses for the ticket, but I wouldn't write Clark off. If not VP, he will surely serve the Obama administration in however he is most needed. I expect him on the short list for VP, though.

[Adelante]

12. "Other obvious reasons" I referred to above

This a copy from another thread:

It's the perfect ticket as far as I am concerned. Aside from the possibility that Clark could mollify the Clinton base, which may be valid to a point, he complements Obama extremely well in terms of experience and demographics. A white male Southerner with intensive knowledge of the Pentagon, military operations, foreign policy and diplomacy. He is also an internationally respected expert in domestic disaster prevention and response. He's got a degree in economics and is respected in the business world. He's even worked in the White House in the past and is an advisor to the Office of Management and Budget.

Obama's biggest challenge starting off his administration will be troop redeployment and nobody could coordinate that for the WH better than Clark. Obama will have to focus as intensely on the economy as he will on keeping his promise to end the war. He will need an extremely capable surrogate at his side. And Clark can offset some of McCain's war hero appeal.

In addition, Clark can set the house on fire as a speaker and has become one of the best Democratic campaigners around, particularly in red states. Politics is politics, both Obama and Clark understand this. When this primary is over, it's in the past, just as it was when Clark became an important surrogate for Kerry after having run against him in the 2004 primary.

Finally, Obama and Clark share a world view. They are both internationalists, both are economic populists, both are pragmatic idealists, and neither is an ideologue as he goes about it. It's a team that works, imo.

[bain_sidhe]

13. I am SO dittoing this

I was a Clarkie in 2004. He's a team player, and he follows his "captain's" lead. Probably shouldn't have said Barack wasn't fit... but id he really say that? My memory is that he declined to say that he WAS fit, not that he said Obama was unfit.

At any rate, once a nominee is chosen, whether he's on the ticket or not, he'll campaign hard for whoever it is.

[saltpoint]

15. Gotta do a write in for Bill Bradley or Bill Richardson.

Maybe Gov. Sebelius.

[Perky]

18. Agree on Richardson

[saltpoint]

21. Hi, Perky. Yes -- Gov. Richardson is a force to be reckoned with, IMO,

and in every good way.

You just can't whip him on resume, and I also think he's a hell of an approachable guy. I put him very high on the list of Democratic Problem Solvers.

[Perky]

24. I think he helps electorally and would make a fine VP the problem is

that he is not a terribly good campaigner. and his natural tendency is to negotiatiate and solely for the election the VP is used as the attack dog... THat is not a role he is comfortable with. I thionk the Gravitas and the Resume trump those weakneesses.

[Perky]

17. I will throw two more names into the mix Bob Grahan David Boren

WHy isn't Richardson on this list?

[bain_sidhe]

20. Richardson was on the last poll

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5487368

What mckeown1128 is doing is having several polls with different criteria for the choices (So far, Virginia connections, women, moderate repubs, former candidates), with a "run-off" to be done eventually...

I think...

*edited to clarify the subject line*

[mckeown1128]

33. Correct, that is what I am doing and thank you. nt

[grantcart]

19. Unfortuately because of Hillary we now have to consider someone like clark

as a sop to repair the damage she has done

Maybe he will take DOD instead.

[bain_sidhe]

22. Rubbish

It's got nothing to do with Clinton. Clark is a good VP possibility regardless of who he endorsed.

Also a :kick:

[David Zephyr]

23. Why are only men in your poll? Barbara Boxer has served for years on the Foreign Relations Committee

And she also opposed and voted against the War in Iraq.

She should have been in your poll.

[bain_sidhe]

25. Doesn't anybody read?

Boxer was in the second poll.

[David Zephyr]

27. I read. I don't think that Boxer should be confined to "the woman poll"

This poll was dealing with foreign affairs experience. I'd suggest that she would only come in second to Wes Clark from the names given above in this arena. Sam Nunn is very old and would not be as up to date as Senator Boxer.

And of all those in this poll, only Boxer and Clark opposed the Iraqi war which would work well with Obama who also opposed it.

I don't see a "man poll" (that sounds odd, doesn't it? LOL), so I don't think Boxer should be confined to a "woman poll".

In any event, Boxer and Clark would be the best from this crowd, bain_sidehe.

--DZ

[bain_sidhe]

28. O.I.C.

Misunderstood, and you're right about "confining" women to the woman poll. I've been wanting him to include Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, and she would have been good here, too (Spent many years in Army Intelligence).

But, it's my understanding that he's going to take the top vote getters from all the polls, and do a run-off, so maybe he's not including anybody that was in a previous poll. Dunno. I've just been following this series, because I rather like the idea, and the fact that there isn't any (or much) "bashing" in the threads.

I am heartily tired of the bashing on both sides.

[mckeown1128]

31. I didn't mean to offend anyone. I just grouped a few women together

for polling. (Unfortunately there are quite few elected women in government compared to men) Gen. Claudia Kennedy WILL be in the next poll. It will probably be "bits and pieces" or "LEFTovers" or something like that. I am finding it hard to categorize many of these potential candidates.

[David Zephyr]

37. Thanks for your comments.

And thanks for your stated efforts to include more women.

And while I prefer Boxer, one of your polls should certainly include Senator Dianne Feinstein as she is one of the most powerful forces within the U.S. Senate, and since you are including a lot of conservative Democrats in your polls, it would be unfair to not include Senator Feinstein.

[RBInMaine]

26. JIM WEBB would be great ! (I also like Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer.)

[mckeown1128]

29. Jim Webb was on the first poll I did...

be sure to vote for him... there are links at the top to previous polls.

[Spider Jerusalem]

30. Joe Biden.

Who would really be better in a cabinet post than as VP, but who I'd rank above anyone on the list in the foreign policy area.

[mckeown1128]

32. He was in the round 4 "excandidate" poll.

please feel free to vote for him.

[mckeown1128]

34. kick.nt

[mckeown1128]

35. kick.nt

[Me.]

36. Well For Starters

Roemer veers very right, Bayh is a big HC supporter and a big DLCer so in my mind that leaves only three possibilities in this poll.

[mckeown1128]

38. kick for more votes. nt