So, candidates, who's going to get the nod for vice president?

The Manchester Union Leader ^ | May 11, 2008 | Chris Cillizza and Shailagh Murray

[2ndDivisionVet]

WASHINGTON – Sen. Barack Obama's victory in North Carolina and near-miss in Indiana last week remove much of the doubt about whether he will win the Democratic nomination for president. With Obama the likely Democratic nominee and Sen. John McCain long his party's presumptive nominee, the search for their vice presidential picks can now begin.

Below, you'll find the five most logical veeps, assuming McCain and Obama are the candidates, ranked in the order of the likelihood of being chosen. No. 1 on each side is currently the likeliest to be named.

REPUBLICANS

5. Mitt Romney: A few months ago, it would have seemed crazy to include Romney on a list of potential McCain vice presidential picks. It was an open secret that the two men didn't like each another, but politics is a funny game, and Romney is charting an aggressive fundraising schedule on behalf of McCain over the coming months.

4. Charlie Crist: No single politician had more to do with McCain becoming his party's standard-bearer than the governor of Florida. Crist's endorsement of the senator from Arizona just before the Sunshine State primary put McCain over the top and cemented his grip on the nomination. But, if polling is to be believed, McCain may have an easier time there if Obama is the nominee and won't necessarily need Crist.

3. Rob Portman: Portman, who spent 12 years in Congress before several stints in the Bush White House, will be one of the finalists for the job. Why? He hails from Ohio -- perhaps the swingingest of swing states this fall -- and is widely acknowledged as an expert on economics.

2. John Thune: Thune is handsome and articulate and comes across as a moderate, despite his very clear conservative voting record. Thune is also a hero in conservative circles, thanks to his defeat of then-Sen. Tom Daschle (S.D.) in 2004. The one knock on Thune is that he hails from a state that is already well in hand for Republicans.

1. Tim Pawlenty: The Minnesota governor remains the single possibility in the Republican vice presidential field who best fits what McCain wants and needs in a VP. Pawlenty has been elected twice in a Democratic-leaning state that is almost certain to be a battleground in the fall. He is liked and respected by both conservatives and moderates, and he gets rave reviews for his political instincts. He has also known McCain for nearly three decades and, at 47, could allay some concerns about McCain's age.

DEMOCRATS

5. Sam Nunn: It's hard to argue with Nunn's place as one of the pre-eminent Democratic thinkers on foreign policy and defense issues. He spent more than two decades in the Senate representing Georgia and chaired the Armed Services Committee. That resume, coupled with the fact that Nunn is a white Southerner, could well make him an appealing pick for Obama.

4. Tim Kaine: Kaine's great strengths in this process are biography and geography. A former missionary and a man who is eager to talk about his faith, Kaine could help Obama bridge the "God gap" that has emerged in recent presidential elections. He is also the highest-ranking elected official in Virginia, an emerging battleground state, and his popularity, coupled with Obama's appeal to African American voters statewide and white voters in Northern Virginia, could make the contest for the Old Dominion a barnburner.

3. Hillary Clinton: After Clinton's speech in Indianapolis last Tuesday, many within the party thought she was opening the door to the idea of sharing the ticket with Obama. Her rhetoric since then, however, particularly her comments about "white voters," may well quash the "Dream Ticket" talk before it begins in earnest. While Clinton has broad and deep support within the Democratic Party, picking her as vice president would seem to run counter to Obama's change message.

2. Ted Strickland: Although Obama may not feel compelled to name Clinton to the ticket, he is well aware of the need to offer an olive branch of sorts to the backers of the senator from New York. Strickland, the first-term governor of Ohio, may fit the bill. Not only is he an active and high-profile Clinton supporter, but he is also the popular chief executive of a state that Obama must find a way to win if he hopes to be president.

1. Kathleen Sebelius: The second-term Kansas governor earns the top spot because of her ability to further bolster Obama's strengths while not exacerbating his weaknesses. Picking Sebelius would affirm Obama's core message of change and would give Obama's run even more historic weight. Sebelius' electoral success in traditionally Republican Kansas would also echo Obama's pledge to change the electoral map in the fall.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I hope they're wrong on the GOP side.

[EyeGuy]

“Picking Sebelius would affirm Obama’s core message of change...”

Oh yeah, that “change” thing.
Kinda like multiplying by zero....

[Dawnsblood]

I suspect Webb for Obama and TPaw for McCain. I do not like it either :)

[Nathan Zachary]

I heard Ron Paul was going to be Obama’s pick for VP...

[fantom]

Have no fear , mccain will pick a non threatening, unknown , gop rino hack. If he manages to slither into office he will be damaged goods anyway. If the big O picks a pro military southern blue dog , he will give the geezer all he can handle . No matter , imagine how strong O will be in 2012 , running against mccains butt boy .

[proudpapa]

I like Pawlenty, plenty.

For some reason, I keep thinking Obama will go with a female, not Hillary, from a swing state. Someone like Claire McCaskill, from Missouri.

[TBP]

Obama won’t pick Webb because Webb is a newly-elected freshman and he needs someone with gubernatorial or other executive experience. My guess is Richardson.

As for McCain, Romney makes a lot of sense, but I don’t think they like each other. I’m afraid he may have made a deal with Huckafeller to knock Romney out in exchange for a prize like the VP slot.

[Grunthor]

“So, candidates, who’s going to get the nod for vice president?”

McCain - Kennedy?

McCain - Feingold?

McCain - Liebermann?

[Grunthor]

I heard Hillary for McBoob.

[1066AD]

An older friend is touting Lieberman for McCain’s pick.

I can’t believe Obama would pick HRC, it would totally blow off his “change” mantra for one thing LOL.

[JLS]

I believe the Dims go first this year. If I were McCain, I would consider further enticing the some H.Clinton voters by nominating a woman probably a governor. The current GOP women governors are:

1. Sarah Palin, Alaska. She is young, just had a child and certainly would add youth to the ticket. I like her as a Veep but a ticket of two people from small western states?

2. Jodi Rell, Connecticut. She brings geographical balance to the ticket. She is 18 years older than Palin.

3. Linda Lingle, Hawaii. She is Jewish which might attract some H. Clinton voters. She midway between Palin and Rell in age. She is single. Again is the GOP going to run a ticket both from small western states?

I do think McCain should consider a woman. I am not sure if any of these three women are conservative enough. I am interested in Palin because she is from a more conservative state and likely to be the most conservative.

Particularly if Obama is dumb enough to pick another US Senators, the GOP needs a governor on the ticket. Then we can watch two US Senators claim to be running as outsiders.

[BillyBoy]

Rell and Lingle are RINOs that will alienate the GOP base (I do NOT want a pro-abortion gun-grabber a heartbeat away from the Presidency), so that leaves Palin as the only viable female Governor for the ticket. Of course, McCain could also consider a Congresswoman or female cabinent member, or ex-Governor for that matter.

[Uncle Ivan]

1. Kathleen Sebelius: The second-term Kansas governor

The robot?

[no dems]

Who is your choice for the GOP VP?

[no dems]

Sara Palin of Alaska is my choice.

[BillyBoy]

I'm guessing McCain picks Pawlenty. Palin and Sanford might be better choices, but Pawlenty's the only one guranteed to put Minnesota in the GOP column and bring other midwestern states into play. Thune is a backstabber who knifed John Bolton and brings nothing to the ticket that another conservative Senator from a swing state could also provide. I don't see what Romney brings to the ticket either, except maybe helping out in Michigan. He does look youthful for his age. Crist could help in all-important Florida, but there's a bunch of conservatives here on FR with a huge ax to grind with him. I haven't read up on why. Portman would clearly be there for geographic reasons only, though he's way too much of a D.C. insider to be a good candidate IMO. If McCain is looking at Ohio, I would suggest Kasish instead.

On the RAT side, I doubt Obama would pick Nunn, but it would be interesting to see all those Georgia RINO freepers who heaped praise on Nunn as a "true conservative" react in horror. Maybe they'll finally wake up to the fact the old school Georgia Dems are NOT "more conservative" than "most yankees". If Obama wanted a Georgian, he'd probably pick a current office holder or Max Cleland for the "he's a poor disabled person victimed by Republican ads" factor. Tim "freaky eyebrow" Kaine, at least we'd get him out the way as Governor, but he'd make Virginia competative for Obama, which is not good. I don't think Obama will pick the Hilderbeast, though it's possible if she threatens to go third party on him in the general unless she gets the nod. Strickland is a dark horse, Obama will pick him if feels he REALLY needs Ohio badly. Sebelius and Webb are the most likely choices, they have more "gravitas" than Obama and come from states that normally-lean Republican, but are popular enough there to probably swing them.

So I agree it's probably Pawlenty for McCain's running mate, and Sebelius/Webb for Obama.

Then again, alot of presidential candidates have been picking running mates nobody expected to, like when Santorum was high on Bush's radar and he shocked everyone by going with Cheney instead. When I first heard it was Cheney, I thought had to be some kind of errorous reporting.

[2ndDivisionVet]

"Who is your choice for the GOP VP?"

1.) Sen. Fred Thompson

2.) Rep. Jim DeMint

3.) Rep. JC Watts

4.) Rep. Duncan Hunter

5.) Rep. Steve King

6.) Rep. Adam Putnam

7.) General David Petraeus

8.) Gov. Mark Sanford

9.) Gov. Bobby Jindal

10.) Sen. Tom Coburn

[2ndDivisionVet]

"Crist could help in all-important Florida, but there's a bunch of conservatives here on FR with a huge ax to grind with him. I haven't read up on why."

I haven't lived in Florida since I was 10 years old (1970) but FReepers from the Sunshine State hint that their governor is gay and it's well-known. Don't know it for a fact, but I've heard it from dozens of separate individuals.

[Dagny&Hank]

Sarah Palin is about as outside of Washington D.C. as one can get.

[BillyBoy]

1.) Sen. Fred Thompson — Too old. If the GOP nominee was an energetic guy in his 40s, Fred would be fine, but paired with McCain, the Dems will attack the GOP ticket as old, grumpy, tired, and out-of-touch.

2.) Rep. Jim DeMint — What would he bring to the ticket? He endorsed Romney in the primary, and South Carolina is safe for the GOP. Also, there are plenty of prominent conservative officials in the state besides him.

3.) Rep. JC Watts — Interesting idea, he’d make a great VP, though it might come across too much as pandering if Obama is the opponent. Plus Obama will tell blacks “the GOP says they’re for blacks but they put the most qualified guy at the back of the bus. Vote for me and we can DRIVE the bus!”

4.) Rep. Duncan Hunter — Would make an excellent veep. McCain won’t pick him after he endorsed Huckabee and since he can’t carry California. Might end up as SOD if McCain is smart.

5.) Rep. Steve King — Hadn’t thought of this one before. Interesting idea. Might be a dark horse choice.

6.) Rep. Adam Putnam — Too young. He’s like what, 31? 35 is the minimum age. And he looks young too.

7.) General David Petraeus — Don’t know anything about his politics. Could be a liberal Dem on every issue besides Iraq for all we know. Plus we probably still need him over there.

8.) Gov. Mark Sanford — Excellent choice, has all the qualities McCain lacks, except South Carolina is probably in the bag. Still probably on the top of most short lists though.

9.) Gov. Bobby Jindal — Too soon.

10.) Sen. Tom Coburn — Again, he’d make an excellent veep, but what credentials does he bring that McCain doesn’t already have? Plus the GOP establishment will likely torpedo him.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Congressman Putnam (the third highest ranking Republican in the House) will be 34 this year, so you are right, he is constitutionally out for this cycle. The fact that he only assumed office in 2001 and is already near he top in leadership should tell us something, though. Vice President Cheney is older than President Bush, why is that a bad thing? I think Fred Thompson will probably serve in some capacity in a McCain administration, don't you? I am guessing that the general is a conservative, from everything I've heard: Wes Clark is an anomaly, believe me.

[Coldwater Creek]

I believe that McCain will choose a Southerner from the corporate world.

[BillyBoy]

I think Fred Thompson is a likely choice for Att. Gen. in the next GOP adminstration, whether or not McCain had won the nomination. Fred's really cozy with McCain (having co-sponcered McCain-Feingold and endorsed McCain in 2000) and that's a bad thing, IMO. I'd like to have a veep who would try to sway McCain further to the right. Fred is likely to happily go along with McCain even when he privately thinks it's a bad idea.

Petraus... you're right he's more than likely a conservative, but putting an career millitary man on the ticket with no political experience has ever worked that well in the past, it was the death of the Whig Party. Of course, the two exceptions being Presidents Einsenhower and Taylor. As a POW, I think McCain's millitary credentials are pretty solid. Petarus as veep would be a better fit for a GOP nominee with no millitary saavy.

Here are some choices I think McCain should consider for veep:

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska)
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minnesota)
Gov. Don Carcieri (R-Rhode Island)
Gov. Mark Sanford (R-South Carolina)
Rep. Cathy McMorris (R-Washington State)
Rep. Thelma Drake or Eric Cantor (R-Virigina)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey)
Rep. Candice Miller (R-Michigan)
Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado)
Former Rep. Gary Franks (R-Conn.)
Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Oregon)
Sec. of Education Margaret Spelling (R-Texas)

[Bon mots]

I can’t believe Obama would pick HRC, it would totally blow off his “change” mantra for one thing LOL.

But they would win. In other countries, politics has bound stranger bedfellows.

Obama should do it, otherwise, he's toast. He might get away with a 'switch' and put another woman in there. Then the idiots and sucker-moms would come out in full force.

[tiger-one]

My pick for GOP VP. NH Sen. John Sununu a great conservative, sadly not liberal enough for Ace McCain.

[DemforBush]

My best SWAG (Scientific, Wild-A$$ Guess) is Governor Bill Richardson for Obama. He’s a southern Democrat, widely touted as a “moderate” by the MSM, and is Hispanic. It gives Obama a running mate with executive branch experience, gives the superficial appearance of a balanced ticket, and scores points with a critical ethnic voting group.

As for McCain...*shrug* I honestly have no idea. I’ve heard everything from Romney to Mike Pence of Indiana. I think a lot depends of whether McCain is looking for someone that will make his/her own run in 2012, or just someone that will help him win and govern for the next four years - his own Cheney, if you will.

All just IMHO, of course.

[no dems]

Does Fred Thompson have the energy to run a campaign on a National Ticket? Fred was my choice for the GOP nomination but the guy ran such a sorry camapign.... I dunno.

[no dems]

I like John Sununu but he’s having a tough time just holding onto his Senate seat this year. He could very well go down in defeat. Hope not, however.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

I would say Edwards except he was on one losing ticket already. Algore is busy running the solar system. Therefore, Wesley Clark is a possibility, but of course he’d be a Clinton mole and his military credentials are open to controversy. Won’t be a woman either.
It will likely be someone more traditional than Obama; white; male; exec experience; no Clinton ties; Hispanic would help. Maybe Richardson?

Check the governors list.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

McCain will pick someone he trusts and I don’t trust a McCain tool, so I’m not even going to think about it.

[section9]

For the Democrats, Jim Webb will be the VP nominee, both to snatch Virginia and to give Obama much needed military street cred. Obama needs a much decorated platoon commander like Webb.

I'm hoping McCain will pick Rice, because she's the most qualified to be President. Period. Whether or not she wants the job is immaterial; there's a war on and it needs to be finished. Other than that, Jeb Bush.

The rest of them are all second-raters, with the possible exception of Romney and Charlie Crist.

I'm counterintuitive to the "run away from the Bushies" crowd in the Movement Conservative gaggle. The Dems and the MSM are going to hang the war around Johnnie Mac's neck, anyway. He needs to double down and advocate victory, and accuse Obama of advocating defeat.

This ain't beanbag.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[JLS]

no dems: I would say it that strong too, if I knew more about Palin.

BillyBoy: It is not surprising given their states that Lingle and Rell tend Rino. Some years that would be ok, but not when the top of the ticket is such a maverick.

[BillyBoy]

I would seriously consider the Governor of Rhode Island for veep but nobody's talking about him. Rhode Island is the one of the heaviest Dem states in the nation but Don Carcieri is a proven conservative (pro-life, pro-family, pro-tax cuts, etc.) who won twice. Rhode Island is the smallest state in term of land area, but the population is pretty decent and if Howard Dean can be considered a serious candidate when he was Governor of crappy useless Vermont,Carceiri is certainly a viable candidate for veep. (R.I. has THREE times the population of Vermont)

Just in terms of demographics, Carcieri would be a great fit for McCain. He's italian, Roman Catholic, and a lifelong resident of a northeastern state. With him on the ticket, I do think McCain would have a shot at winning a state where Republicans normally wouldn't have a prayer.

So while he's not a female Governor, Carcieri is certainly up there with Pawlenty and Palin in terms of Governors that could help McCain win nationally.

[BillyBoy]

>> I'm hoping McCain will pick Rice, because she's the most qualified to be President. Period. <<

She's also to the LEFT of the already maverick McCain (so the last thing McCain needs is to alienate his base even MORE by putting a pro-abortion, pro-affirmative action, Palestinian-hugger on the ticket), AND she's done a terrible job as Secretary of State, regardless of how impressive her resume looks on paper.

Rice would be a drag on the ticket and, if elected, she'd make a lousy veep. Period.

[Vigilanteman]

Rice has also said repeatedly and consistently that she is not interested. So when are people going to leave her alone?

[BillyBoy]

Colin Powell has been saying "NO" since 1992 but the media still slobbers over the thought of him on the Republican ticket to this day. The media loves the idea of articulate, smooth talking, left-leaning blacks "acceptable" to "white America" being in the White House and won't rest until they get one of them elected.

[Clintonfatigued]

That’s a pretty good idea.

Another which occured to me is Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, who has executive experience (former Governor) and is a major vote-getter in that very marginal state.