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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: Waco

According to the 22nd Amendment, a VP who steps in to assume the presidency uses up one of his two terms if it is for more than 2 years.


41 posted on 02/20/2008 5:16:57 AM PST by counterpunch (McCain/Kennedy '08)
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To: cbkaty

I can’t understand for the life of me why there are so many conservatives on this site who are so quick to play identity politics like a bunch of Democrats.


42 posted on 02/20/2008 5:18:04 AM PST by counterpunch (McCain/Kennedy '08)
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To: JohnnyZ

I’d prefer DeMint


43 posted on 02/20/2008 5:22:57 AM PST by Nonstatist
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To: kingattax

I wonder if we’ll see a Hillary/McCain ticket in order to defeat Obama? I hope not. But McCain loves to do the unexpected. I wonder if McCain would consider selecting a pro-christian VP? It would make accepting McCain a little less nasty.


44 posted on 02/20/2008 5:45:43 AM PST by Sweet Hour of Prayer
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To: MinuteGal
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 suggest that you take some of that yahoo search discovery and treat it like it is.....unauthenticated bovine secretions.
45 posted on 02/20/2008 5:49:11 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: RVN Airplane Driver
Show me one thing that is "unauthenticated". Governmental public records on both his prior personal and tax problems are not "unauthenticated".

Try Google, then, if you don't like Yahoo.

I like J.C., so don't take your anger out on me. I am not nor was I ever walking in his shoes. He was walking in his own shoes. So don't shoot the messenger.

I posted facts and I encouraged you or anyone to use a search agent to verify for your own satisfaction. No one should have a problem with that, I'm sure.

Leni

46 posted on 02/20/2008 6:09:58 AM PST by MinuteGal (Mitt and Fred are Still My Guys!)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver
J.C. Watts, bright, articulate conservative....what else needs to be said...

I would vote for McCain if JC is his Veep. I feel so strongly about that, I even changed my tag line!

47 posted on 02/20/2008 6:24:24 AM PST by Night Hides Not (I'm voting for McCain...if (and only if) his VP is JC Watts!)
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To: MinuteGal

Leni....you go girl...you have the answers...remind me of my wife....now reply and you will have the last word.


48 posted on 02/20/2008 6:25:20 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: Owl_Eagle

You don’t want Crist a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Trust me.

He was the best of two bad choices in the general election in 2006. That is all I can say.


49 posted on 02/20/2008 6:35:35 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: sphinx

I like Jindal, but I think he needs time to sort out Louisiana. He is coming over the horizon, though.


50 posted on 02/20/2008 6:37:08 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: RVN Airplane Driver
Very clever....but a red herring nonetheless.

Paraphrasing an old adage among lawyers.....when the facts are on your side, pound the facts. When they aren't, pound the table.

Leni

51 posted on 02/20/2008 6:38:25 AM PST by MinuteGal (Mitt and Fred are Still My Guys!)
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To: FocusNexus

This guy isn't afraid to fight with the 'rats.
52 posted on 02/20/2008 6:39:03 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: FocusNexus
“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.”

All of the above are positive attributes for a McCain VP for sure. However, the most important factor to consider when selecting his VP is; choosing someone who can deliver a large state that might otherwise go to the Democrat nominee (Obama?). As an example, perhaps Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, etc. So far, there has not been much discussion among the chattering class about coattails. It will be interesting to see (and critical for Republicans) that McCain have strong coattails. But alas, I question that he will...

53 posted on 02/20/2008 6:59:04 AM PST by snoringbear (')
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To: kingattax

Yeah he’d make a good Executive Officer of the Titanic...


54 posted on 02/20/2008 7:03:21 AM PST by rolling_stone (same)
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To: kingattax

As the Democrats said during the impeachment, Lindsay Graham is “light in the loafers”. I had never heard that expression before, and wasn’t sure what it meant. I do now, and I agree.


55 posted on 02/20/2008 7:03:51 AM PST by Eva (Benedict Arnold was a war hero, too.)
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To: cbkaty

You read my mind. I still miss Watts; he did a good job of articulating conservative ideas and ideals.


56 posted on 02/20/2008 7:16:03 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
1) Duncan Hunter

2) Condi Rice

3) Mitt Romney

I'll take #1, but not #2 or #3. Rice has had a horrible tenure as SecState. She should go back to CA and run for the Senate.

Romney is a complete non-starter for me. Furthermore, he doesn't help the ticket win the South at all. If anything, he further alienates the South.

If McCain is smart, he'll pick a Southern conservative. Maybe Haley Barbour, or Mark Sanford. He could also pick Michael Steele if he wants to counter Obama's "historic first" thing.
57 posted on 02/20/2008 7:18:28 AM PST by Antoninus (How did you come to Barack?)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

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

The “race pick” of the day. THAT’S what needs to be said.

Same for the cries for Jindahl, or the Condi crooners.

If I was Obama, the presidential candidate, the first thing I’d say about McCain picking a black candidate for VP would be: “why vote for _their_ black? Look where they put her, in the BACK of the bus!. Vote for me, and we get to DRIVE that bus!”

- John


58 posted on 02/20/2008 7:34:10 AM PST by Fishrrman
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To: counterpunch
I can’t understand for the life of me why there are so many conservatives on this site who are so quick to play identity politics like a bunch of Democrats

If I understand your statement, you believe I posted JC Watts because he is black? That is quite a leap and assumption don't ya think? Is it possible that I actually believe in this man for all the right reasons?

59 posted on 02/20/2008 7:36:00 AM PST by cbkaty (I may not always post...but I am always here......)
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To: FocusNexus

Dick Cheney. It worked for Bush :-)


60 posted on 02/20/2008 7:43:06 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
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