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Picking a Veep. Advice for McCain as he chooses his running mate. (WSJ)
Wall Street Journal ^ | Feb. 20, 2008 | Hillyer

Posted on 02/20/2008 12:32:27 AM PST by FocusNexus

The topic du jour among the conservative chattering classes is the question of who will emerge as best choice to be John McCain's running mate. The question is best approached first by forgetting about all the names and instead focusing on the qualities for which Mr. McCain ought to be looking. As is often the case, some of the conventional wisdom about who he should pick seems terribly misguided.

Mr. McCain should not move left with his choice. Some in the media see certain secretaries of state or Democratic senators or "moderate" GOP governors as ideal choices--but they are wrong. What Mr. McCain needs, in order to free himself up to thrust and parry with the Democratic nominee, is somebody who can spend all his (or her) campaign time tending to restless conservatives.

Mr. McCain himself, by virtue of his history and personality, only annoys a lot of conservative voters. Trying to convince those anti-McCainites otherwise would be a waste of time, and perhaps positively counterproductive. Instead, McCain needs to be free to be McCain (for better or worse), while a solidly conservative running mate works the conservative vineyards.

So there you have it: Mr. McCain needs a solidly "full spectrum" conservative, reformist, youngish, cool, well-rounded, brainy, all-media-respected, articulate, telegenic, border-state/constituency-challenging, non-party-weakening, executive-experienced, running mate who can handle the presidency at a moment's notice.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; elections; liberal; liberalagenda; liberalvalues; mccain; mccainvp; rino
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To: FocusNexus

John Bolton.


21 posted on 02/20/2008 2:49:25 AM PST by jonrick46
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To: FocusNexus
McLaim cannot win... its a moot point..
Linsey Graham would be par for the course..

That way two(R) Senators get smushed(one from AZ) to be replaced by democrats.. That way they lose the election 2 Senators and any repect most pubbies have for the party..

A lose.lose.lose situation.. Rahm Emanuel is brilliant..

22 posted on 02/20/2008 3:00:11 AM PST by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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To: FocusNexus

Bobby Jindal is awfully young but otherwise fits the bill.


23 posted on 02/20/2008 3:14:30 AM PST by sphinx
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To: FocusNexus

Wild assed guess,(WAG), McNut takes Kay Bailey for VP, dies before 1st 100 days are up, Kay serves out his term and is elected twice on her own. Huge world shortage shortage of Kool Aid as RATS go nuttier,


24 posted on 02/20/2008 3:24:53 AM PST by Waco
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To: FocusNexus

Knowing McCain’s proclivity to “reach across the aisle” and punch conservatives in the nose, his choice will probably be Lieberman.


25 posted on 02/20/2008 3:30:11 AM PST by CharacterCounts (When you discover rats in your house, you only have two options - fumigate or tolerate.)
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To: informavoracious

Someone “who can handle the presidency at a moment’s notice” - is that codespeak for ‘McCain’s old and sick and could keel over at any moment’? [God forbid]
*****************************************************
For the good of the country I hope he picks someone as conservative as Newt or Duncan and we do get to see that transition ASAP..


26 posted on 02/20/2008 3:30:37 AM PST by Neidermeyer
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To: guinnessman; counterpunch

I’d rather see Fred at AG.

Bolton at State.

If McCain wants to try to placate conservatives, a few announcements like that would help a lot.


27 posted on 02/20/2008 3:44:52 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: hosepipe
The VP nominee needs to be more "cool" than "hot." Mr. McCain seems to want to reach through the TV screen and shake sense into the viewer. He needs to be balanced by a calm voice of reason.

Too bad Charles Krauthammer no longer practices psychiatry. As Veep he could be available to administer electro shock therapy to a President McCain.

28 posted on 02/20/2008 3:45:56 AM PST by COBOL2Java (Vote for McCain! Mental health is overrated!)
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To: sphinx

We need to give him 4-8 years to begin to clean up Louisiana (if that is even possible), and then bring him up.


29 posted on 02/20/2008 3:46:48 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: FocusNexus

J.C. Watts, bright, articulate conservative....what else needs to be said...


30 posted on 02/20/2008 3:58:11 AM PST by RVN Airplane Driver ("To be born into freedom is an accident; to die in freedom is an obligation..)
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To: COBOL2Java

You posted to the wrong radical hyperbol..


31 posted on 02/20/2008 3:59:20 AM PST by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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To: informavoracious
Someone "who can handle the presidency at a moment's notice" - is that codespeak for 'McCain's old and sick and could keel over at any moment'? [God forbid]

The full article says as much, though in more polite language.

32 posted on 02/20/2008 4:03:17 AM PST by steve-b (Sin lies only in hurting others unnecessarily. All other "sins" are invented nonsense. --RAH)
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To: Owl_Eagle

The “Crist Is Gay” rumor also circulates among FL Republicans. Not surprised to hear that your Democrat relatives like him. He is a total RINO & a great disappointment after JEB.


33 posted on 02/20/2008 4:04:55 AM PST by weepnomore
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To: FocusNexus
McCains' V.P. Criteria...

Can't be smarter than me

Can't be more likeable than me

Can't have any ambition to higher office

Can't be a first , as in ethnic or female.

He'll pick a guy who will stand 3 feet behind him, keep his mouth shut and always be conscious of the lighting, so as not to ever throw a shadow on McCain, its all his ego will tolerate.

34 posted on 02/20/2008 4:13:34 AM PST by Kakaze (Exterminate Islamofacism and apologize for nothing.....except not doing it sooner!)
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To: FocusNexus

McCain is so out of touch with conservatives that he better leave picking a running mate to Rush!


35 posted on 02/20/2008 4:20:43 AM PST by SWEETSUNNYSOUTH (Liberalism is a mental disease.)
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To: SWEETSUNNYSOUTH

36 posted on 02/20/2008 4:24:37 AM PST by cbkaty (I may not always post...but I am always here......)
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To: Waco

“Wild assed guess,(WAG), McNut takes Kay Bailey for VP, dies before 1st 100 days are up, Kay serves out his term and is elected twice on her own. “

Not possible according to the 22nd amendment. If you serve more than two years of someone elses term then you can only run once.

I’ll throw out a name that fits all of the qualities mentioned in the article. His name is Jeb Bush. His only problem is his last name...

My opinion is that we elected the wrong Bush for POTUS in 2000. Jeb would have been much better.


37 posted on 02/20/2008 4:33:49 AM PST by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: cbkaty; RVN Airplane Driver
I suggest going to Yahoo search and read up about J.C. Watts. His personal background and long-running IRS and indebtedness problems preclude him from being selected to run as dog catcher in a larger venue than that which formerly elected him to congress.

I like J.C. as do most people. He certainly is an articulate conservative. But you don't see or hear much from him any more except for an occasional TV guest gig. He would not be touched with a 10-foot pole by the GOP for any high office. The liberal media would tear him to shreds. His personal history is what it is, sadly.

Leni

38 posted on 02/20/2008 4:38:48 AM PST by MinuteGal (Mitt and Fred are Still My Guys!)
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To: FocusNexus

Prediction: Whoever he picks will create further damage to Conservatism. Read my lips!


39 posted on 02/20/2008 5:02:48 AM PST by wolfcreek (Powers that be will lie like Clintons and spend like drunken McCains to push their Globalist agenda.)
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To: FocusNexus
So there you have it: Mr. McCain needs a solidly "full spectrum" conservative, reformist, youngish, cool, well-rounded, brainy, all-media-respected, articulate, telegenic, border-state/constituency-challenging, non-party-weakening, executive-experienced, running mate who can handle the presidency at a moment's notice.

For those who have trouble reading, they are screaming

MARK SANFORD MARK SANFORD MARK SANFORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


40 posted on 02/20/2008 5:14:34 AM PST by JohnnyZ (Romney's religion is the only reason he won half the states he did)
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