We all hear the same names mentioned as prospective running mates for John McCain: former Office of Management and Budget Director and one-time U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and even former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.
Each one would bring something to the ticket. Some come from crucial swing states that could help McCain reach 270 electoral votes. A number are governors, adding a non- Washington, D.C., piece to the ticket. By most standards, all are good-looking and articulate.
And yet, none of them would change the partisan political equation in the fall election, and I’m not at all sure any of them would increase McCain’s chances of winning in the fall. Certainly none of them would constitute a statement by McCain about his presidency, the kind of statement that would send a message to voters.
There is, however, somebody who would fill that bill and therefore be a near-perfect pick for McCain: Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.
Hey, they both think Iraq is important. Whoop-de-doo. As important as that is, there are other things which also matter.
gee, Joe as VP candidate? Sure. If you are going to tick of the conservatives, you might as well go whole hog.
“Everything to excess. Take big bites. Moderation is for monks”
(Attributed to R.H.Heinlein)
AGREE 100%!!!
“What Color is a Conservative?”
J. C. Watts
Heads would explode.
Too many senators to pick from.
Never trust any report or group who claims to be nonpartisan, there is no such thing. All this report means is that the Democrats are trying to hedge their bets. They are really scared that their first two choices cannot win the general election, so they are making sure that their third choice continues in his liberal tradition by picking a Democrat as his running mate.
Why does “bipartisan” always end up as compromise from conservative Republicans, and victory for liberal Democrats?
Our new rallying cry should be: “I’m partisan as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore”!!!
Somebody forgot the barf alert!
Hey, why not just choose Hillary?
Is there any plausible scenario wherein McCain gets dumped at the convention and the Republican Party gets to have a Republican candidate?
Stuart Rothenberg who wrote this article is in the pocket of the Dem Party. This is the dumbest suggestion I’ve heard yet. This would give us two tax and spend liberals on the GOP ticket. What is this country coming too?? Why wont a real Consverative step forward?? Does anyone care about this country. All I want is a President who will 1. Protect our borders, 2. Lower this awful tax burden 3. Ease up on environmental laws 4. Protect Life. How much is that too ask for. Lieberman is the opposite of all of these things.
There are already three Democrats in the race, do we really have to make it four.
And who should the Dims pick. It certainly won’t be a conservative.
“For McCain, There’s Only One Perfect Candidate for Veep (editorial)”
It will be light loafers Lindsay.
joe lieberman would cause me to stay home come november.....NEVER would I vote for mccain
I would NEVER vote for McCain if he didn’t pick a STRONG CONSERVGATIVE....and JOEY ISN’T IT!
Won’t happen. Just 8 years ago he was running as a ‘Rat with Gore. MegaFlipFlopFlipFlopFlipFlop
History has shown that the VP nominee (unless the subject of a major scandal) has very little effect on the election.
This Rothenberg is having a Liebergasm. Unless Lieberman - at a minimum - officially declares himself to be a Rebublican, this suggestion is a no-go from the get-go.
McCain’s major problem is to get the conservative GOP base not to sit out the election. (He will attract a good number of alienated Democrats dissatisfied with their candidate, no matter who his running mate is.) Accordingly, he has to choose a running mate somewhat to his right ideologically. Mitt Romney will provide that, and his youthful appearance will mitigate McCain’s age problem.