Obama phones you, asks for 3 names for his veep nom, and

[saltpoint]

promises he'll choose one of those 3 names no matter what.

Who are your 3?

[shireen]

1. my three

Wes Clark
Wes Clark
Wes Clark

[Neshanic]

3. That is the winner above.

[ChazII]

8. Good choice n/t

[Thrill]

2. Tim Kaine

Tim Kaine and Tim Kaine

[Barack_America]

102. .

:thumbsup:

[ruggerson]

4. Webb, Schweitzer and Strickland

[saltpoint]

6. Hi, ruggerson. Like your picks, especially Schweitzer.

The more I read on Brian Schweitzer, the more I'm convinced he plays a MAJOR role in the future of my country.

[AlinPA]

118. Yep, and Webb too.

[Occam Bandage]

5. Me, Me, Me. Ahahahahahahahaha.

[Zynx]

7. Clinton, Kaine, or McCaskill.

[Lyric]

9. Clinton, Boxer, McCaskill nt

[saltpoint]

11. If it turned out to be Barbara Boxer, those screams of elation you'd be

hearing would be coming from my house.

I love Barbara Boxer.

[helderheid]

19. same here!

[briv1016]

10. "How in the hell did you get my number?"

Oh yea, Obama Mobile.

1) Clark

2) Gore

3) Webb

[saltpoint]

12. We're told that Gore would likely not take the offer if asked, but I still

like your choice.

He has gained in world stature since 2000 and earned all of it.

[DFW]

15. I was told that on May 31 by Al Gore. You can take it as gospel.

He has moved on. Much as I hate to say it, those who wanted him must do so, too.

[saltpoint]

18. Yes. I feel he won fair and square in 2000, so I consider him the

elected officer of the highest job in the land from then.

I wasn't really hogwild about Al Gore in 1988 or thru most of the 90s, the truth be told. After his victory in 2000, stolen by our Supreme Court, I admired him a lot more.

And since then, he's the Nobel guy and Bush is the no-count guy.

I love Gore's evolution as a citizen of our country and as a global presence, but agree with you that his days in specific public service positions are passed.

[jefferson_dem]

13. Webb, Biden, Schweitzer.

Gold, silver, bronze.

[saltpoint]

14. Three solid metals.

I tip my hat to all three.

[AlinPA]

119. Hard to rank these three.

[Onlooker]

16. Clinton, Clark, or Gore n/t

[DFW]

17. Grab Hillary and Wes Clark, lock yourself in a room, and come out smiling

Because it should be either one of them, and Jim Webb if both of them turn him down.

[harun]

20. Me, Kucinich, Feingold (n/t)

[IndyOp]

53. Excellent! I was going to say Feingold, Kucinich or Chomsky.

Would that work for you, too?

:hi:

[CK_John]

21. Bloomberg, Dean, or Clinton. n/t

[saltpoint]

23. Hi, CK_John. I think Dean would be a good choice for any number of

reasons.

It never hurts to have solid people in important positions, and we've been 8 years without that formula.

Howard Dean's the bee's knees.

[CK_John]

27. With the economy imploding, his experience as a small state Gov will be very valuable. You

learn to do a lot with little resources.

But, I think Bloomberg's nuts and bolts approach and Wall Street incite would be valuable also. It depends on the economy in mid Aug.

Clinton may be needed just to win if it is close going into the convention.

[saltpoint]

30. Love your point on small-budget / limited resource governors.

Dean's 50-state strategy is still ringing true for me as well.

He is saying, in effect, we can compete against bad policies if we sustain a presence in districts where those bad policies have prevailed.

That's a really encouraging attitude for a long-term Democratic White House.

[CTyankee]

34. He's good where he is. If he's picked for VP we get to see/hear the "scream" ad nauseum

and it will a point of derision used by the MSM and the McCain campaign. Let's not hand them a stick to beat us with.

Gotta be Clark, IMHO. There is no way the MSM and McCain can beat us over the head with this guy. He's the genuine article, with executive experience, sterling foreign policy creds and he looks like the gracious, knowledgeable guy that he is. He's a Catholic and a Southerner. He actually won a war for our country w/o losing a single American serviceperson. He's been a spokesperson on Fox where he was an impressive contributor (and got valuable face time with conservatives). Only the shrill extreme freepers hate him (calling him the "perfumed prince" which really sounds lame).

Clark is a win/win pick.

[saltpoint]

37. Clark brings a lot to the ticket, and he specifically helps us in the South,

IMO.

I've felt for some months that it would be more shocking if he WEREN'T on the short list than if he were.

[DU9598]

22. My three

1- Clark (clearly the top choice, IMO)
2- Kaine (I like him better than Webb because we need Webb in the Senate)
3- Daschle (He is a trusted friend and is loyal to Obama, that is important and he could move a legislative agenda in the Senate once elected)

[saltpoint]

24. Agree on the strengths you list, and especially for Kaine.

I think he brings a hell of a lot to the new administration.

He's Catholic. He's a governor of Virginia. We don't lose a vote in the Senate. He's done serious and authentic mission work (as opposed to the lip-service faith-based nonsense Bush spouts).

He's a good man.

[Prophet 451]

25. I only get three choices?

Um, ok: Barbara Boxer, Wes Clark and Jim Webb.

I'd choose Gore but I seem to remember he's already said he's not interested, so has Edwards (who I think would be better as AG) and I think Hillary would be more useful as Sec of HHS.

Also on my short list: Biden (experiance out the wazoo which is Obama's only real weakness), Richardson (helps with Hispanic vote and in key areas, also experianced) and Kucinich (personal fantasy).

[Jokinomx]

26. My 3...Webb, Clark or Fiengold n/t

[brazos121200]

41. Those would be my three too.

[catgirl]

28. Gore, Howard Dean and ?

I think John Kerry would make a great VP, but I doubt he will be chosen.

[saltpoint]

29. Subject to change, I think I'll go with

Schweitzer, Sebelius, or Richardson.

Kaine a very respectable runner-up.

I'm trying to factor in which candidates would help Obama win, which wones might raise our vote totals in districts where we might elect more down-ballot Democrats, and which candidates would be effective in helping a President Obama govern.

An added plus might be a 16-year run of judicial appointments if Obama wins, wins re-election in 2012, and then his veep choice this year becomes an 8-year president in 2016.

[Labors of Hercules]

31. 1) Sebelius

2) Kaine
3) Clark
4) My best friend's momma. She'd kick some Repuke ass.

[saltpoint]

33. The vibe I'm getting on Gov. Sebelius is that she is THIS CLOSE to being

the vice presidential nominee.

Not least, she is Catholic, and we need to fight hard to increase our % in that demographic.

I like her. She is a greatly accomplished soul and the Democratic governor of a very red state. Among the trash heap of idiots Kansas has sent the country -- Pat Roberts, Bob Dole, Sam Brownback etc. -- there are a few rare and gleaming gemstones like Kathleen Sebelius.

I don't know if she would bring us Kansas, but she would put it into play and would make things interesting, and she would help us in Ohio as well, where her father, John Gilligan, served as governor.

[Labors of Hercules]

54. I think she has another excellent quality as well...

She has got incredible charisma. People seem to instinctively like her.

I'd say if there's one quality a VP has to have in order to help win in November, it's this one.

[saltpoint]

56. Yes -- and never more so than after 8 dreary years of Dick Cheney.

Agnew was at least incompetent. Cheney is dangerously intelligent AND malevolent.

We could all use a break from Cheney's reptile-souled skullduggery. Gov. Sebelius would be a great and much-needed lift.

[The Liberal Thinker]

32. John Edwards, Wesley Clark, Joe Biden

[saltpoint]

35. Hi, Liberal Thinker, and welcome to DU.

I think all three of your picks make sense. I am a strong Edwards supporter and was delighted when the New York POST headline announcing that John Kerry had chosen Gephardt was wrong!

Also I feel Biden would be a formidable adversary to McCain and whichever veep nom McCain chooses. It would be a vice presidential debate I would DEFINITELY tune in to listen to.

Welcome again, and happy summertime.

[julialnyc]

36. Wes Clark, Jim Webb, Joe Biden

[saltpoint]

40. You've culled a trio of strong choices from a deep bench, julialnyc,

and so I think Obama would be well-served by any of your picks.

Also the rest of us would wake up in our own country feeling a lot better about the future of our government!

Please say hello for me for one of my old hometowns, New York City. I miss it all the time, but especially on summer evenings.

[spartan61]

55. These three are my choices too.

But I would flip Biden and Webb:

1. Clark

2. Biden

3. Webb

[NorthCarolina]

38. (1) Russ Feingold, (2) Sherrod Brown, (3) Chris Dodd

I would have added Kucinich but I am beginning to think it is advantageous to keep him as a mover-shaker in the House.

[peoli]

39. Biden, Bono, Barry White

[saltpoint]

42. You're re-wiring the sound board, horseface. Bono I could see.

I'm not on board with Barry White, though.

When it comes to pop music, I need the after-hours sultry blues-tinged Lena Horne or the multi-lingual Petula Clark with that cosmopolitian sass she brings to a well-written verse.

But I draw the line at Barry White.

Joe Biden? I heard he can't sing worth a damn, but I love him just the same.

[TheWraith]

43. Clark, Sebelius, and Webb.

Hard to lose among that field, any way you go.

[saltpoint]

45. I think you put that exactly right -- Obama would be in a stronger

position with any of those three.

I like that he has a deep bench.

I think Bill Richardson would give us back New Mexico and Colorado, maybe Nevada.

[judy]

44. Ha! Interesting...no mention of John Edwards

in all these lists...

[saltpoint]

47. Yes, there has been.

[Inspired]

51. He's on my list. I still believe in the importance of his message.

1. Edwards
2. Webb
3. Biden

I don't really care all that much who Obama picks though. I don't believe that the VP on a ticket makes that much difference in how people vote.

I just want Edwards to remain relevant because our country would benefit from the policy proposals he ran on.

[Arkana]

46. Because I'm an asshole at heart,

1. Big Bird

2. The Hamburglar

3. Grimace

[saltpoint]

48. Big Bird works for me.

I personally would prefer Dr. Don Blake, though -- the mortal identify of Thor in the Marvel series.

Don Blake just totally rocks.

[Arkana]

71. The Hamburglar would rock at press conferences.

REPORTER: Sir, what does the President plan to accomplish on his latest trip to Europe?

HAMBURGLAR: Robble robble robble. Robble, robble robble robble robble. Robble!

[Stop Cornyn]

49. Kaine, McCaskill, Cleland

[saltpoint]

50. Good bunch. Hi, Stop Cornyn. McCaskill makes Missouri a suddenly

spectacular place. We have a fighting chance there now. She could only help.

Kaine would bring many strengths also. And Max is a favorite of mine from since forever, and I liked him better today than I did yesterday. I want him in the next government doing something important, no matter what it turns out to be.

[Barack_America]

104. Kaine is from Missouri...

Just an FYI.

[Stop Cornyn]

121. 1. Originally from Missouri, 2. current term-limited governor of Virginia, 3. card-carrying

member of the Christian (Catholic) left, 4. impressive history of advocacy on behalf of the poor, 5. outside-the-beltway experience dealing with housing crises.

That's a skill set that cannot be overvalued this election.

[maddiejoan]

52. First

I ask how the hell he got an unlisted number (maybe that's why he caved on FISA)

then I tell him

Hillary
Hillary
or
Hillary

(but only if he'd like to win)

[saltpoint]

57. Now maddiejoan, you know he could win with other nominees.

So I'm guessing you're only pretending that he could not.

If he decided to choose someone no one has even mentioned -- say, Marcie Kaptor or Robert Reich -- do you honestly, really, truly, absolutely think he would not stand about as good a chance as if he chose Edwards or Biden or Clark or Richardson or Clinton or Dodd or Sebelius or Schweitzer or Napolitano or Ritter or Strickland?

[maddiejoan]

122. yeah

I believe that.

:shrug:

[Rowdyboy]

58. Wes Clark, Evan Bayh and Kathleen Sebelius

[saltpoint]

60. Hi, Rowdyboy. I think yours is the first post to mention Evan Bayh.

I go back to the days of his old man, Birch Bayh, Indiana Senator for many a good long year until a wet-behind-the-ears whippersnappin' fool of a Republican Congressman named Dan Quayle chased him from office in the Reagan landslide.

It was a damned dark day for America, IMO.

Birch's boy is politically savvy. He knows how to keep winning statewide elections in Indiana -- by going further right than his father. It costs Bayh a lot of disappointment and frustration among progressives at times but it maintains his influence as a major Indiana historical figure.

And it might even put him in the Vice Presidency.

[Rowdyboy]

64. Agree 100%....I don't particularly like Evan I think he would be a strong choice for vice president

He has both executive and legislative experience, some background in foreign relations, and is bland enough to be an entirely safe choice. That I think is his main qualification-his blandness. Its usually a good thing to look for in a vp.

When I first started following politics around 1970, Birch Bayh was my hero. I really hoped he'd wind up in the White House. You can only imagine what a disappointment his son has been to me.

Still I think he'd do well as a "second fiddle". He has "vice president" written all over him.

[saltpoint]

66. Ah I love it -- another Birch Bayh fan. Not many of us around!

He was a great fighter. He stood against LBJ when the standin' was tough. I've admired him a long time. He and my aunt served as delegates to two Democratic conventions -- one in New York and one in San Francisco.

I think your take on him as a veep consideration is persuasive. Hard to say how competitive he would make Indiana for us, but he is a sort of Midwestern, clean-scrubbed fellow with a beautiful wife and twin kids (I think), so there is the Parade Magazine factor to consider.

I think someone like Richardson actually gives us 2 or 3 new states to the electoral college total, but Bayh wouldn't chase away any of the states we already lead in, and could arguably help in other ways.

[Rowdyboy]

76. I love Bill Richardson and think he'd be great for the ticket but I worry about his appeal to women

Wasn't there a talk of a problem between Richardson and lt gov Diane Denish? If that turns out to be irrelevent, then Richardson would jump to #2 on my top 3 list and Bayh would drop off. Sebelius stays on regardless because she would be a kickass choice even if it pissed off a few Clinton die-hard supporters. That kind of selfishness is unbecoming followers of a serious candidate.

[saltpoint]

79. I am in the dark on any dust-up with the Lt. Gov., but it could be a

cause for concern.

Otherwise, as you say, Richardson adds plenty and he is wildly qualified for the top job.

I love the idea of Kathleen Sebelius as our veep nom, campaigning in Ohio in Mean Jean Schmidt's district, endorsing Victoria Wulsin, our candidate against Mean Jean.

I think that would bring a lot of favorable press and sway many voters' minds. Sebelius has a powerful reassurring presence to her.

[Rowdyboy]

80. I also forgot alol about Bob Graham.....perfect choice for any number of reasons...

not the least of which is that he's be too old to run himself in 2016, leaving an open shot to anyone else interested in running.

[saltpoint]

82. Graham runs the odds way up toward a win in Florida. He remains

popular there.

He would assuage older voters' misgivings about Obama.

He is no slouch at national security issues.

He's careful and administrative and fiercely loyal.

It would be a formidable choice.

[TayTay]

59. Good question, not sure who to answer

Obama still runs to the high ground, as he should since it is his greatest strength as a candidate. He needs an attack dog, someone a little bit gritty and "not nice" to say things that Obama should not say. Wes Clark, Ed Rendell or maybe a Claire McCaskill would be able to do that.

Obama already won the experience argument. People look to the top of the ticket for what they want. The second spot should be someone the President can set loose to do what *needs* doing. He needs someone unafraid to take on McCain and make a little noise now and then. Wes Clark and Ed Rendell can do this. No one was better as a surrogate for Kerry in '04 than Wes Clark. He was on-message, focused and specific in his attacks. His military background is a good counter to McCain and can be leveraged in a debate. Rendell is also a veteran of a lot of political mud fights and would be a great attack dog for Obama.

I see Obama as needing a street fighter here. That frees Obama to continue being a soaring candidate who can continue to inspire, knowing that someone has his back in a fight.

There are so many good people out there. I could easily build a case of about a dozen more people. I think Obama knows all this, knows the holes in his own campaign and will choose someone who can fly wing support for him. That, to me, is his need in this election.

[saltpoint]

62. I think someone like you ought to be on Obama's direct advisors team.

Al Gore could have used you in 2000 as well.

He won that election, but even so, it was unsettlingly close. Way too many people thought George W. Bush was presidential material. Yeeks.

No question but that Ed Rendell could go to bat for us on the talk show circuit and bloody up a few Republicans. If anybody was ever born to that breed, it is Ed Rendell.

[TayTay]

74. This might be heresy here, but Obama's choice is not as important as McCain's

McCain is the guy who needs to expand his outreach to his base and fire up the voters. That is a tall order for him this year. His choice of a VP needs to be done with an eye to money and at least one constituent base that needs a "come to Jesus" call to come home. He also needs someone who can attack Obama relentlessly, but carefully.

What has Obama already been doing? We know that he started Congressional outreach very early and has been using Senators in his camp to attack already. The Senate Obama supporters have held conference calls *on the record* for months now. These calls are highly effective means of showing the depth of support Obama has and the control Obama has in using these high-profile people to attack.

Pardon my use of an overused metaphor here, but it gets a quick visual. Remember the last scene in the first Star Wars movie when the Rebels are attacking the Death Star? I think Obama is going to go closer to that. Rather than one "Gold Leader" or "Red Leader" used to attack, he is going to use simultaneous attacks coming from a lot of different quarters. He is blessed with enough talent in his corner to be able to do that. A VP choice for him is a leader of the attack squadrons, but it doesn't have to be a game changer. The Democrats traditional problem has been cohesion in the ranks and getting everyone to act in some sort of unison. To me, Obama has shown strength in this area already and needs to continue that. We need a field general and someone who can follow the plan more than we need a personality. I see every indication that Obama knows that and will continue to recruit his out-front talent based on that need.

So, lots of attack planes in the air. They report to Generals who can organize the attacks and reserve a unit to deal just with Dem leaders and keep them on track and advised of the plan. The generals report, in effect, to a supreme commander. This would be a nice role for an Obama VP. It requires someone who knows that he is not the ultimate leader here, but who can orchestrate an attack, take some heat and think and react quickly.

This would be nice. We as Dems always talk about coordinated attacks. I do see some signs of this happening already. There is a little bit of fear of Obama creeping into other Dems. Good. We actually do need that.

[saltpoint]

81. Ok, look. In my next life I want to come back as a junior high kid in a

school of which you are the Principal.

Those are the terms. Otherwise, I don't think I want to come back at all.

Unless it's as Emmylou Harris' tour pianist.

See -- I'm flexible.

Now to matters at hand. I love the attack planes flying around making racket and lining up targets. Politics calls for these kinds of metaphors. These kinds of metaphors might not even exist if it weren't for politics, in fact.

Somewhere between the call to Jesus and the need for McCain to pick a game-changer more than Obama, I'm hoping for an investment candidate for 2016. This assumes that the electorate has had enough of Bush/Cheney/et al and will elect Obama. I'm trending strongly that direction but predicting U.S. politics is always an iffy game. Like the NY POST, I thought Kerry might have selected Gephardt, but unlike the POST, I'm too unsure to ever run a street edition announcing it.

I could see Obama going with Richardson on the sheer basis of an electoral college bump. We'd take New Mexico back and likely win Colorado and maybe Nevada -- enough, along with the Kerry/Edwards totals, to win the White House.

We could also win without any of those three states or Richardson, and Obama could surprise us and choose Lincoln Chafee, now an Independent in a very blue state. Or Bloomberg, which I doubt, to reinforce the appeal to Independents. Either of these two would consititute an across-the-aisle, big-picture problem-solving White House model. I could see Obama running on that and winning on that.

Clark brings all pluses and no minuses. Sebelius could bring Kansas into play and would help in Ohio, as she is the Catholic daughter of former Gov. John Gilligan. And a female candidate with a better shot at being on a winning team than Geraldine Ferraro was with Mondale against St. Ronald.

I like Schweitzer. If Obama calls me, I'd tell him to choose Mario Cuomo for one term -- why not have the benefit of Mario Cuomo in Cabinet meetings? -- or Brian Schweitzer, since energy is going to be an issue. Cuomo could command the fleet of attack planes you reference. Both could govern effectively were Obama to fall ill.

[TayTay]

107. Apart from all of this, step back for a second and see the stakes

Obama has all the star power we need in this election. He is the 100 watt bulb and everyone else is going to look like a 20 watt bulb next to him. He has the luxury of choosing someone for their strategic skills.

See just a bit further. This election just might deliver enough votes to get a significant change in health care policy in America. This has eluded us for 45 years. (The last significant health care advance was Medicare.) OMG! This is the work of a generation. We might never get another chance, at least not in my lifetime.

Obama could indeed choose a field general for VP. He can take all the military metaphors, mine included, and go with that kind of person. He does need someone to take the low road so he can continue to a "hope and change" candidate of optimism.

The other thing we haven't discussed is taking a legislative person, someone who knows how to craft legislation, navigate both aisles and get things passed. Maybe this is the year for a Mr. Outside (Obama) and a Ms or Mr. Insider. Who do you see capable of doing that. Any young apprentices to Teddy Kennedy up on Capitol Hill? (I do not see Sen. Clinton in this role, though she can become absolutely essential to passing things, if she so wants, btw. She is too known and too much a presence right now nationally. We can't have 2 100 watt bulbs, it blinds instead of illuminating things in my view. I wonder if a Salazer or Reed of RI would be interested and skilled enough?)

This could be a rare and special moment in American politics. Sometimes windows or opportunity open. They tend to last for about 18 months or so. Then they close. Who can help Democrats make the most of that rare moment of openness?

[saltpoint]

113. Tay, we agree on the point on legislation, although the vice presidency

is the presiding official over the Senate and not (traditionally) its legislative shepherd. There's no reason that cannot change with the right choice under Presidentia Obama, and you raise the point to thunderous applause at my house.

I think it is the single most-overlooked point in blog chatter this spring.

Agree strongly on health care also. Who are you seeing in that role? Who might be the person who can bring together disparate strands and conflicting interests to forge the "new Medicare" ? You'd have the keenest insight on that than most others. Would it have to be a Senator? What about a governor or someone from the House?

He does indeed have all the star voltage we need, and I think you're right on historic windows closing quickly. There's a sense that the campaign is very well managed and that McCain's crew, despite some input from heavy hitters, isn't well-wired. Maybe Obama's veep choice should be someone who can shepherd the legislative agenda and communicate its imperatives to the electorate. Which is likely to be a tough job, given that the electorate has had its will bruised after 8 years of seeing its twice-chosen (?) Dubya light up one exploding cigar after another. Kaboom, kaboom, he's a real mess, and YOU people voted for him in large numbers -- twice. Can U.S. citizens wise up before that window closes and throw their support to a new president's reform agenda? I hope so.

I can make a case most of the names mentioned in this thread, plus a few more if need be. I'm cool on Clinton but will support the ticket if he chooses her. I think Hagel would be a problem, although I could arguably support Chafee. Gov. Richardson has his detractors, but IMO that resume eclipses a lot of their objections. Sebelius is Catholic and a blue female governor in a red state. We have a good set of blue governors in the west who would be warmly welcomed on that stage in Denver if Obama puts them on it.

[Mz Pip]

61. Bayh, Biden & Schweitzer

I like Wes Clark for Secretary of State.

[Milo_Bloom]

63. Richard Clarke, Wes Clark, Michael Bloomberg.

[saltpoint]

69. Hi, Milo_Bloom. I appreciate your pick of Richard Clarke. He is a life-time

public servant with the vry, very big picture in mind, and possessed of both sharp instincts for problem-solving and a bedrock decency.

And that ain't too shabby.

Bloomberg would be a headline-grabber for days on end, and it would piss off a lot of Republian neocons who never much liked Bloomberg to start with.

Democrat --then Republican -- now independent . . . a strong case could be made for Obama to choose someone like Bloomberg in that there ISN'T anyone else like Bloomberg.

[CTyankee]

96. I think I heard Clarke say he wasn't interested in the VP slot.

He seems to be making lots of money for the first time in his life. Maybe he doesn't want to give that up.

But I agree that Clarke is great. I always listen to the guy when he's on. He knows whathe's talking about. I like to say that you can take what Clarke says to the bank...

[SoxFan]

65. Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Tim Roemer

[newmajority]

67. Bill Richardson, Wes Clark, Brian Schweitzer.

I wouldn't want to be the one to doom this ticket to defeat by asking him to run with another senator.

[rox63]

68. Webb, Clark and Sebelius

Each of them brings different things to the ticket.

[saltpoint]

70. Agree -- Obama is confronted with a wide cafeteria of great options

and the choices are in deep bins.

I can live comfortably with any of your three, rox63, but of the set would prefer Sebelius. I'm thinking of the carom between Kansas and Ohio -- two states I'd love to see us compete in feverishly. Sebelius' father, John Gilligan, was Ohio's governor in the living memory of many current voters. Our chances in Ohio are above middlin' already, and while we're a bit down in Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius could put her state in play and make Ohio a more comfortable environment for many down-ballot Dems.

[LWolf]

72. My 3:

Barbara Ehrenreich

Cynthia McKinney

Ann Wright

[saltpoint]

77. Would that we lived in a nation of ideas, LWolf. If we lived in such a nation,

there would happily be nothing threatening to your three choices.

As it is, it's a country that can't even handle Al Gore or John Kerry, who have both the brains AND the humble notion of what it means to be a public servant, and the country STILL said it wanted to have that beer with Dubya.

Two huge lost opportunities, to be sure.

Gore Vidal once noted that only half of all U.S. citizens vote and only half read a newspaper. Vidal added, "One hopes it is the same half."

[Steerpike_Denver]

73. 1. Bob Graham

Graham should be at the top of any list, for many reasons I've posted here before.

2. Wes Clark
3. Anybody but Hillary!

[saltpoint]

84. Hi, Steerpike -- a belated welcome to DU.

You are on the front lines of the convention in August!

That is a great thing. I hope you will post on DU in the days leading up to and during the convention. It would be fun to have a frontline perspective.

Can understand your enthusiasm for Bob Graham. He is often left off prospective veep lists, but I agree with you that he should be on all of them, possibly as a short-list consideration.

I want Florida back, period. And Bob Graham would help us quite a bit to get it back. He remains quite popular there and seemed to have a true talent for governing between disparate interests in Florida. His appeal there is all around the state, where Bill Nelson's stronghold tends to be up in the northern counties. I wish Betty Castor had whipped Martinez for that Senate seat. I love Betty Castor.

So yes. I think Graham should be a serious consideration, if not a shortlister.

[Steerpike_Denver]

90. Graham would be PERFECT

He "balances" Obama in every way: age, "insider" status, regional...
He is hugely popular in Florida as a former governor and senator (and doesn't take a current Democratic senator out of play), and would almost certainly put Florida in the (D) column. Graham was chairman of the senate foreign intelligence committee, so he fills in the perceived foreign policy gap. And, given his age (about the same as McCain't), he would be unlikely to expect a successor role. Like Cheney, he would presumably not want to run to succeed Obama, opening up the field to Hillary or--better, IMHO--another up-and-comer in the Democratic party in 8 years. For that matter, he may only want to serve as VP for one term, so that a successor could run with Obama in '12.

And yes, I am definitely looking forward to a ringside seat for the Augist festivities. Will definitely post my observations and participations.

Thanks for the welcome :hi:

[saltpoint]

75. Obama announces Day ___ of our convention in Denver that he will ask

Mario Cuomo to be his running mate, and that he hopes the delegates there convened will affirm his choice.

He adds that Mario Cuomo has agreed to serve but one term, but has pledged to serve with dedication and loyalty to the planks approved by the convention there assembled.

For a second Obama re-election campaign, a new vice presidential nominee would be selected from a wide field of impression possibilities.

- - -

Now fast-forward to the Vice Presidential debate between Mario Cuomo and Mitt Romney.

[ErinBerin84]

78. Clark, Biden, Schweitzer

[wellstone dem]

91. Those are mine too, but you beat me to it. nt

[asdjrocky]

83. Well OC....

I'd have to say Edwards, Edwards, and oh yeah, Edwards. And by the way, great as always, to see you! :hi:

[saltpoint]

86. This Edwards guy you're talking about... you mean the tv psychic?

That guy who communes with dead spirits?

Well, it could be. If McCain chooses Bobby Jindal, a known exorcist, we'll need to compete.

Edwards it is!

- - - -

Hey there. Great to see you. I know you're listening to some excellent music, partly because it's summertime and partly because there are few Americans who know music the way you do, and I'm thrilled we're making the turn into summer with a lead over that hapless jackass John McCain.

[Mass]

85. Anybody who is ready to go and fight for the ticket.

Clark could be a good choice, as could Biden or McCaskill (but it would mean losing a Democratic senator). Tough I do not like Rendell, he has shown he is able to do that if he wants to.

[saltpoint]

87. This is the kind of talk I like to hear. Fighting for the ticket.

It wins us the White House and it may help defeat morally slovenly hacks like Mean Jean Schmidt.

Hi there, Mass. Go, team.

[shadowknows69]

88. Me, myself and I

Let's face it, I'd rock as President in 8 years.

[rndmprsn]

89. Clark, Biden, Edwards...

in that order too.

[Uncle Joe]

92. I doubt he would accept it but that would be

Al Gore, Albert Gore or last but not least Albert Gore Jr.

[Catchawave]

93. Gov/Gov/Gov.....you can fill in the names :)

Highly unlikely they'll run two Senators again, and CEO experience would be very helpful to him.

[saltpoint]

114. Agree. I think there are some dandy governors to pick from, too. You know

already about the strengths of Tim Kaine. We could throw in Bill, Bill, Dave, and Brian from out west, governors all, and that gives Obama some regional punch out west, or with Kaine he could fight harder for the Catholic independents.

[Catchawave]

125. Now if we can only agree to get them to run with him :)

:hi:

[Norwood]

94. My 3

1) Bill Richardson
2) Wes Clark
3) Jim Webb

[Napoleon Bonaparte]

95. Sebelius, Webb and Clark

Those are the best IMO.

[Geek_Girl]

97. Boxer, Webb, Dean

[LiberalFighter]

98. It should NOT be another Senator

[ShaneGR]

99. Strickland, Clinton, and Beiden... nt

[MrSlayer]

100. Clark, Gore, Kucinich

Any of the three would make me happy.

[PM7nj]

101. Kaine, Clark, Napolitano

[Barack_America]

106. Yep. That's mine too.

And in that order.

[Lord Helmet]

103. Webb, Richardson and Sebelius.

[matt007]

105. 1.Clinton 2.Edwards 3. Webb

In that order of preference

[mod mom]

108. Webb, Richardson, & Edwards

[high density]

109. Wes Clark, Wesley Clark, W K Clark

[martymar64]

110. Clark, Webb, Schweitzer

No particular order, they would all be great!

[musicblind]

111. Hillary, Gore, Edwards

[krawhitham]

112. Clark,Clark,Clark

[hokies4ever]

115. Wes Clark, Kathleen Sebelius, and Joe Biden

[Raine]

116. Clark, Biden, Edwards...

in no particular order.

[krispos42]

117. Edwards, Dashle, and this Sebilus lady from Kansas I keep hearing good things about

Unless Daschle's planning on running against John Thune in 2010, then I'd replace him with, ummm...

Hmph. Wanted to save Clark for SecDef, Richardson for SecState...


Urrrrr... Schwietzer, I guess.

[Skwmom]

120. Schweitzer and Webb.

I really don't have a third. This country is going to go through some difficult times and it desperately needs a team they can believe in.

Obama/Schweitzer or Obama/Webb. The American Public could believe in either of these tickets.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

123. I would tell him no Republicans or ex Republicans

I would tell him we need someone who would help Obama take the South.

[Coexist]

124. thats tough.

[u2spirit]

126. Schweitzer, Clark, Richardson

nt

[aaronbees]

127. Clark, Sebelius, Richardson

They would all be fantastic choices.

[Dinger]

128. Clark, Clinton, Edwards (nt)

[proud patriot]

129. Gore , Schweitzer, Sebelius , Webb

sorry I know that's 4