Posted on 05/27/2008 7:06:29 PM PDT by adi
Despite the hype around the Memorial Weekend gathering in Sedona at Sen. John McCain's ranch, only Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is being given serious consideration for the vice presidential nomination, say McCain insiders with knowledge of the ongoing vetting process.
"McCain has gotten a good look at [Mitt] Romney as a competitor and as someone who is running in support of his candidacy, and frankly he can't tell the difference."
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is not considered a serious candidate"
http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=13271
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Jindal and Paulin are, like Oprah’s Obama, too inexperienced. The media would point out that Jindal and Paulin are too young and inexperienced, and the American people will fall in line.
Oops, it’s Palin. They are both new in their jobs, like Oprah’s Obama is.
Seems to me like McCain didn’t like Romney calling him a liberal again and again on the campaign trail. Perhaps he just floated his name to appease conservatives a bit hacked that the moderates and liberals overran the early primary votes??
I’ve said it before he will pick some third rate county auditor from southern Idaho as his running mate. John is not the type to have anybody on the ticket that can outshine him on any level. And outshining John is not that hard. This is an LBJ like landslide with long coattails in the making just like the last time we ran a Senator from Arizona as our candidate.
Palin brings the disaffected Hillary women supporters now that Hussein Obama has got the Dem nomination.
Jindal would drive away the blue-collar dems in OH, PA, MI, WV.
Crist brings FL. Romney possibly brings MI.
McQueeg knows that Romney makes him look like the buffoon that he is and his ego is too freaking out of control not to be threatened by that.
Either Mc Queeg picks Romney or New Englanders in general won’t vote for him.
McQueeg sees things on a National scale and he is not that bright.
If he loses N.E. and he will, because Dems here love Hillary in spite of Teddy, Lahey, Dodd.
The Northeast Dems are racist, but they will never give over to a Republican ticket.
So if he actually wants to recruit some N.E Republicans to bring those Moderate Dems along,
He’ll choose Romney.
Other than that, it will be the lowest turnout in years except for College Students and Moonbats ( we have plenty of them.. they are not a majority however).
Just my thoughts from personal observation in enemy territory.
Palin would be fine. She’s been in office for 2 years, has lots of local experience, her husband is not a pol but works as an exec on the North Slope and is part Yupik (a local Native American group), and she’s clearly aggressive but at the same time not so abrasive that nothing could get done. Jindal might be fine, but he’s really, really new.
The most successful US presidents have been governors (well, some of the worst have also been governors - think Carter and Clinton), but in any case, state governors generally have a much better chance than senators of getting elected to the presidency.
One of the better analyses on this thread.
BTW, unless I am **much** mistaken, this will be the first such contest, senator vs. senator, in US history. There's no track record on which to bet, other than that senators have historically made mediocre-to-lousy Presidents.
Well..it definitely NEEDS to be a GOVERNOR....someone who has had to live (sorta) with a BUDGET.....something Senators don’t really know anything about....
Several weeks ago, it was Rice. Then Huckabee. Then Romney. Now Jindal & Palin.
Per one report last week, even Michael Bloomberg was on the short list — McCain's short list and Obama’s short list.
Why is everyone fawning over Jindal? Please, leave the man alone and let him clean up Louisiana. The guy is only 38 years old. He’s got plenty of time and he’ll be a prime candidate in 2012. The same people pushing Jindal are the ones who drooled over Condi Rice a few years ago.
Palin has more experience as Governor than Jindal (2 versus 1 year). Both have more executive experience that Obama (0).
Both Palin and Jindal have a variety of other experience, in total comparable to Obama’s experience.
If Obama has enough experience to be President, both Palen and Jindal have enough experience.
Moreso, both Palin and Jindal have shown themselves to be good governors in challenging situations. And, both have compelling stories.
Bottom line for me: Palin is a reformer who has taken on the Republican establishment in her state, raised a son who joined the military during a time of war, and brought a Downs Syndrome child into the world when others would have aborted the baby. These things tell me that she lives the values I associate with the Republican Party.
Palin will help us peel off so-called working class Democrats and win in the states we have to win in November. I’m not sure Jindal would help us do that.
Historically a VP doesnt deliver their homestate to the Presidential candidate. I think however that the best triangulation, to use a Clinton term, would be to take Palin as I feel women would see this as the outreach to female Clinton voters who arent just about Party.
Gee, didn't all the anti-Romney people tell me that he would morph back into lib-lite as McCain's VP? It sure doesn't look like it.
The affirmative action choices (sorry) won't fly. Palin, Hutchison, Jindal, Watts, and the like would make McCain look like he's reaching. The media would crucify the choice as Clarence Thomas times 10.
It's going to be a conservative white guy from a swing state.
Romney.
Please let Jindal get some real success in LA first too Young!
I think McCain’s best bets for VP are: Tim Pawlenty, Mark Sanford or Robert Portman. He doesn’t need a “glamorous” choice. He needs someone who is rock steady and can take over the Presidency on a moment’s notice.
Say what you will about our dear president, but he picked an excellent VP choice in Vice-President Cheney. McCain should follow the same model.
Does anyone know any of the other choices that W was considering for VP?
Thoughts?
McCain definitely needs a Governor, big-city Mayor (or a non-politician), definitely outside the Betlway type.
Or Pawlenty (Gov-MN)
Also, let's give Jindal a chance to show, perhaps, that ANYONE is able to clean up the swamp that LA gov't has been for 40 years and longer.
Wouldn't put it past him, at all -- but -- performance FIRST, then perhaps national office, right?
Can’t think of a big city mayor that would qualify. Gubnor or someone from the private sector.
Aint that the truth.
Obama's achilles heel(s) are blue collar Catholics (although enough will hold their nose and vote for Barry O in New England) and Scots-Irish protestants (appalachia).
Louisiana needs Bobby Jindal more than America needs him.
Rudy? Bloomberg? Social conservatives would sit out the election then. Plus Bloomberg is anti-gun.
Not Romney is a step in the right direction.
I like the preacher - JC Watts.
He would add energy to the campaign...but anybody would do that, compared to Monotone McCain.
1)There is no reason to believe that anyone knows anything of what went on in Arizona.
2)Romney’s “support” at this stage is about fund raising. He’s not going to raise any money for a guy he is trashing, so that part of this story is clearly absurd.
3)This election is not and never has been about the much ballyhooed “principles of conservatism” because from Day One there was no doubt whatsoever that Congress would be Dem majority. Any lofty conservative principle based proposals are DOA and serve only to galvanize the hatred among the Dems — when what is needed from them grudging acceptance of some less-liberal-than-they’d-prefer USSC Justice or less-surrendering-than-they’d-prefer long term security agreement with Iraq for a permanent troop presence.
So forget floating names that are right wing true believers, because those names don’t bring the swing or blue EVs that are needed.
4) Focus very narrowly on Ohio, Michigan, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Iowa. Frankly, you can narrow that further to Ohio and Michigan. McCain needs one of those two. Of all the names mentioned, only Romney points at one of them.
I would rather see Obama win than have Bloomberg anywhere near the White House. I will flat out refuse to support a McCain-Bloomberg ticket.
Sanford and Romney would be the strongest candidates. They both a bring strong economic background, which I believe is McCain weakest link.
Romney would also take Michigan away from the dems and bring in some votes in the N.E. region. Romney’s economic strength would also play well in Ohio and Penn whose economies are not doing so hot right now.
Sanford is well respected in the south. He would strengthen McCain in the south immensely. He would help with Florida and pull in many southern swing voters.
I think the gov of Louisiana would be a poor choice. One, he’s very young. Two, he’s about as experienced as a governor, as Obama is a Senator. Three, I don’t know how many votes outside of Louisiana he would bring for the ticket.
My $0.02.
This weekend meeting was not about picking a VP. I think McCain brought them in to let them know in person that none of them would be his VP. He wants their support in the general campaign. McCain has set up regional campaign structures and each of the people invited will be instrumental in fundraising and campaigning in a particular region.
McCain’s VP pick will be none other than Joe Lieberman. He’s just crazy enough to do it.
McCain’s big plan is to win the middle. His strategy will be focused on independents, RHINO’s, and Reagan Democrats. He will get the lesser of the two evil’s vote from a majority of conservatives anyway. We have no place else to go.....except home.
McQueeg is doing everything in his power not to give conservatives a reason to vote for him.
Insiders and anonymous sources what a laugh. If they actually knew something they would put their name on it.
Palin would be my first choice.
Jindal as VP would leave LA will Governor Mitch Landrieu. Jindal has work to do to clean up that state.
Crist is only considered because of Florida. He’s no more experienced than Palin or Jindal and the homosexual rumors about him are strong.
Despite the advice of certain FRiends I don’t have a problem with Romney.
Engler and Thompson are washed up.
Mark Sanford must be strongly considered.
I would like to see Romney...name recognition.
Jindal would be a solid choice. I would have bet the farm against him picking Romney or Crist. My gut is Lieberman or someone like George Pataki.
If true, I think it’s heartening that McCain is not seriously considering either Romney or Crist as his runningmate. McCain needs to pick someone that is (i) at the very least acceptable to both social and economic conservatives, and preferably inspiring to conservatives, and (ii) ready to serve as president from Day 2. While Romney and Crist have the experience to serve as president, they both have quite liberal records and would be disastrous as McCain’s runningmate.
Bobby Jindal would be an outstanding VP (or perhaps even presidential) nominee for 2012, but I think that he needs a few more years of gubernatorial experience before making the jump. Besides, he’s only served as governor for 6 months and has way too much important work to do in LA to leave the government to the Democrat Lt. Gov.
I think McCain’s best bets are the same two guys I’ve been proposing ever since it was clear that McCain would be the GOP presidential nominee: SC Gov. Mark Sanford and MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Former OH Congressman Rob Portman is an intriguing choice as well, given the importance of OH and neighboring PA and MI. WI Congressman Paul Ryan (who was one of my longshots along with fellow House conservatives Mike Pence and Steve King) is also a principled conservative from a swing district (51% for Bush in 2000)in a swing state (50% for Kerry) in a swing region (the WI-MN-IA tri-state area went to Kerry by only 50%-49%), but is a young, good-looking guy who could get Dan Quayled by the media despite his accomplishments.
Whoever McCain picks, he or she better be a conservative or he’ll lose in November (and make our dim House and Senate prospects even dimmer).
Point is - Obama DOESN'T have enough experience - and should he live to be a hundred, he still won't.
Palin and Jindal, however, could well mature in experience and be ready in another election cycle or two - but not yet.
Experienced enough now to be VP, maybe, but not POTUS - which is what must be considered.
Agreed.
It has occurred to me that the main obstacle regarding McC is that he has so many years of service - So there's a plethora of things to agree/disagree with him on...whereas with all the new whippersnappers, service wise, with only a couple years under their belts, don't have much action to point a finger at.
That doesn't make them Knights/Knightettes ;o)... in shining armor. Give them 20+ years in office and each will have plenty of actions some of us will disagree with.
I'll take real and sustained experience and remember that we will never have a candidate that has delivered 100% the way each of us would agree with...especially since each of us have a different list of pet subjects.
Indeed, many in FR demand 'their' candidate agree with them 110%.
We need to keep our eye on the ball: Do we want to take a chance the clinton gets back into the Oval Office? Do we dare take a chance that obamama gets his skinny little polished, programmed puppet arse into the WH?
If not, we need to tuck our precious egos into our back pockets and vote McC.
I think I agree with you.
Obama is unqualified to be president by reason of inexperience. Jindal and Palin each have at least as much experience as Obama, and have some executive experience which Obama lacks entirely, but neither of them have enough to be president either. If the choice is between an inexperienced candidate for president versus an inexperienced candidate for vice president, the decision is obvious.
The inexperience of Obama manifests itself continually in his gaffes when speaking without a script. The man is simply incapable of tip-toeing through the minefield that is foreign policy, where we simultaneously must work with less than perfect regimes while advoctaing for democratic reforms; and, where we are both the only superpower in the world and must seek to involve other, lesser powers in diplomacy.
Obama obviously appeals to the utopian element in the Democratic Party, but the majority of the American people will see him as the empty suit that he is.
Having said this, I must, in fairness, point out that the neocons in the Bush Administration were/may continue to be simplistic in their analysis of foreign affairs.
Absolutely.
And he needs time to prove his ability to clean up the muck and mire of corruption. N.O. is one of the most corrupt cities in the nation...It's a swamp in more ways than one.
If Jindal is able to defeat the entrenched corruption in LA, he will have proved himself. Until then, even though he shines like a new penny now, he, and others with so little time in the saddle, is untested as far as being material for VP within a breath of the presidency...
I think that, since McCain is a westerner who has been a U.S. senator and representative, he should balance the ticket by choosing a conservative who has been a governor from a state that is in the eastern half of the U.S. John Ashcroft would be the perfect choice. Although he ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate and lost to a dead man, he later got four years of experience, as the U.S. attorney general. That experience would help him as McCain’s running-mate and as vice president.
If McCain wins the election, whom should he nominate for some cabinet positions? I think that he should nominate these people: Secretary of State, Dirk Kempthorne; Sec. of Treasury, Ed Schafer; Sec. of Defense, Mel Martinez; Sec. of Homeland Security, Asa Hutchison; Attorney General, John Sweeney; Sec. of the Interior, Richard Pombo; Secretary of Agriculture, Frank Keating; and Chief of Staff, Newt Gingrich.
My best estimate is that a President moves the numbers 4 points in his home state and 2 points in nearby states, and that a Vice President moves the numbers 2 points in his home state. Gore did o.k. in Tennessee in 2000, and way better than Kerry did in 2004, but not well enough to deliver his home state. But Kerry did make the difference in New Hampshire in 2004. So, in a very close election, the candidate or his running mate might help deliver a particular, crucial state.
The traditional rules for tabbing a Vice President are these:
1.not hurt.
2.balance the ticket, regionally or philosophically (this means McCain has to name a conservative)
3.help in a crucial state.
Your point that Governor Palin can help with a demographic group, cutting across the country, and helping in several potentially crucial states, is a new and interesting consideration.
We Republicans need to appeal to women and to Hispanics. I think Governor Palin can help with appealing to women; and, I think both McCain and she can appeal to Hispanics on the issue of patriotism unless Obama tabs Richardson as his running mate.
Your point that, from our perspective, this election is about preventing the Democrats from totally consolidating power is absolutely correct.
We stand to lose 3 to 7 Senators. With such losses, I don’t believe we would be able to sustain a filibuster in the Senate (think of the several RINOs in our midst). With a majority of any size in the House, a large enough majority in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, and the White House, it will be Katy Bar the Door.
On the other hand, with a RINO president, and a firmly Democratic Congress, the net movement will be in the wrong direction, but we will survive.
Hopefully, in 2010 and ‘12, and with the War in Iraq finally over, we’ll retake the House and the Senate.
This is why I would support McCain enthusiastically as long as he names a conservative running mate. I am looking toward the future.
On the other hand, if he names a fellow RINO, I will give serious consideration to supporting Bob Barr.
Even if he doesn't like Romney, he sure seems to be using his connections to raise money.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.