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Obama's Vice-President [Should be Jim Webb]
Rasmussen Reports ^ | 5/08/08 | Gerald Pomper

Posted on 05/08/2008 9:22:16 AM PDT by freespirited

Virginia Senator James Webb should be the Democratic candidate for vice-president.

Senator Barack Obama is close to winning the Democratic nomination for president. His overwhelming victory in North Carolina and virtual tie in Indiana, with a forthcoming tide of superdelegates, will bring him within a hundred votes of the nomination. Obama has victory in sight, unless the iron laws of arithmetic are repealed by superdelegates meeting in "smoke-filled rooms" in an age of "no smoking" edicts in air-conditioned retreats.

Obama must soon turn to the choice of a running mate. The best choice, in my opinion, would be Senator Webb. To make the case, let's first dispose of two contrary arguments.

The first is that party tickets need to be balanced geographically, with each of the running mates bringing in their home states from different regions. The reality is that almost no voters are swayed when a native son is in second place on the ticket. Jack Kemp could not carry New York for the Republicans in 1996, just as John Edwards could not bring North Carolina into the Democratic fold in 2004.

In 2008, the outworn argument for electoral balance comes in a new form: advocacy of Hillary Clinton as Obama's running mate. Some politicians see this as the Democratic "dream ticket," combining the distinct appeals the two candidates showed in the party primaries. If elected, that ticket would bring a President Obama sniping from his vice-president and the anguish of the likely intrusive pretensions of Bill Clinton as a self-designated "co-president." But In cold-hearted political terms the combination doesn't make sense.

Senator Clinton would not, in fact, bring that much to the ticket. Her strongest appeal obviously is to women. But women are likely to vote predominantly Democratic in any case, as they have for the past quarter of a century. Would women facing a recession and mounting health costs really support John McCain's tax cuts for the wealthy and his ineffective health program? Would the most outspoken feminists really endorse a candidate pledged to appoint the Supreme Court Justices who would reverse Roe v. Wade?

The real "gender gap" is not caused by women, but by men. The Democrats have been losing presidential elections because men have left their ranks in greater numbers than women have come to support the party. By my calculations, the effect of these movements in 2000 was a net gain of four million votes for Bush over Gore, far more important in his "victory" than the Florida vote manipulations. In 2004, Bush won majorities among both white men and white women, with white men again decisive, 62 percent voting for the President.

An Obama-Clinton ticket would be historic in overturning barriers of race and gender. But confronting the electorate with both a black and a woman candidate at the same time might well try its patience beyond the limits of well-meaning tolerance. It is simply realistic, even if not ennobling, to remember that white males constitute forty percent of the electorate, and that they too may want to identify with some candidate. Of course there is such a candidate in the race -- Republican John McCain. Democrats need to counter his appeal.

The true contribution of a running mate is what the selection signals about the presidential candidate. In these terms, the most successful recent vice-presidential choice -- in electoral terms -- was George W. Bush's selection of Dick Cheney. Bush faced doubts about his foreign policy competence. Cheney, with vast experience and service in two stints as Secretary of Defense, seemingly certified Bush's competence.

Webb fits Obama's true needs. The Illinois Senator's greatest deficiency is his lack of experience in foreign policy and military security. Clinton has made that her chief point of attack -- as in the now-classic "3 A.M. telephone" ad -- and this area is obviously McCain's greatest strength. There is no way for Obama to match McCain, even if he could manufacture some "sniper fire," but the right running mate could give him a measure of credibility, in much the same way as Cheney helped Bush.

Webb is a former Navy officer and Vietnam veteran (exactly matching McCain), and a former Secretary of the Navy bringing directly relevant executive experience. He won four military medals in Vietnam, and was wounded twice, a record that, along with awards from the American Legion and VFW, would repel attacks by SwiftBoaters. His term at the Pentagon came under Ronald Reagan, when Webb was a Republican, an advantage in Obama's effort to achieve a new electoral coalition. With this military background, he reinforces the Democrats' case against the Iraqi intervention, a position he has articulated from the beginning of the war and with particular force, including a direct confrontation with President Bush at a White House reception. As a novelist, non-fiction author and Emmy-winning television reporter, he also shows intellectual distinction.

Webb also would bring specific political advantages to the Democratic ticket. His rural roots, vigorous language and championing of working class values would compensate for Obama's evident weaknesses among these voters. Webb provides a populist platform on corporate regulation, trade, taxation and health care that would further extend the party's appeal to its lower-income base. Born in Missouri, educated in Nebraska, California and the Naval Academy in Maryland, he encapsulates a national electoral appeal. Finally, to the limited extent that state residence matters, he would help to switch Virginia into the Democratic column for the first election since 1964.

Webb may have some deficiencies as a candidate, related to sexist writings done thirty years ago and his occasional indelicate language. He, and Obama, would need to make special efforts to clear those hurdles to bring women voters back into the Democratic fold. They can succeed by emphasizing the evident differences between them and McCain on both economic and social policies, as well as the Iraq war.

On his own, we can expect Webb to outshine any of the pallid Republicans being considered for the McCain ticket, to close the party's "security gap," and to provide the necessary appeal to white male voters. For Senator Obama, Webb's selection would show both audacity and hope.

Gerald Pomper is the Board of Governors Professor of Political Science (Emeritus) at Rutgers University. He has written extensively on U.S. politics, including seven quadrennial books on presidential elections since 1976.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: 110th; 2008veep; jimwebb; obama; ratvp; webb
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To: Old Phone Man
Webb is a darn good choice.

Off your meds again?

21 posted on 05/08/2008 9:49:23 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (What if Tony Almeida is the 12th Cylon?)
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To: Moose4; iceskater; P8riot; Flora McDonald; Gabz

You know, Jim Webb for VP might be the one thing that would make me pound the pavement for McCain until my feet were bleeding...


22 posted on 05/08/2008 9:50:42 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (What if Tony Almeida is the 12th Cylon?)
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To: freespirited

The guy was the secretary of the Navy,graduated with honors from Anappollis, served in the US Marine Corps in a rifle company and saw a lot of shid in Nam.....A hell of a lot better record than any democrat on the ticket...Maybe he’ll be president someday...I’d trust him with that job too!!!
Read “Fields of Fire” his first of many novels All his combat novels have a message...It tells a guy something about the experinces he more than likely went through, and the charactor of what he’s about....

Like I say, he might be a Dem now but he once was a Republican....I believe he has good charactor,...That’s more important then his ‘effin politics!!!! At least it is
to me!


23 posted on 05/08/2008 9:51:33 AM PDT by Old Phone Man (ks)
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To: manapua
Virginia is essentially there already.

No, not it's not.

24 posted on 05/08/2008 9:52:25 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (What if Tony Almeida is the 12th Cylon?)
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To: freespirited

Yes, please. Take Webb and remove him from Virginia.


25 posted on 05/08/2008 9:55:56 AM PDT by OpusatFR
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To: freespirited
"Webb is a former Navy officer and Vietnam veteran (exactly matching McCain)...."

Seems the author, a professor emeritus, needs to do a little more research. Webb was a marine officer, not a naval officer.

26 posted on 05/08/2008 10:07:09 AM PDT by paddles
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To: Corin Stormhands
Any man who remains a member of the UnAmerican Democrat Party after their aiding and abetting our enemies in two war theaters, for the last 6 years, should be shunned and run out of town.
27 posted on 05/08/2008 10:18:35 AM PDT by roses of sharon ( (Who will be McCain's maverick?))
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To: Old Phone Man; freespirited; ReagansRaiders
Like I say, he might be a Dem now but he once was a Republican....

And then he lost his mind.

28 posted on 05/08/2008 10:38:58 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (What if Tony Almeida is the 12th Cylon?)
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To: freespirited

Great choice. Obama would think he’s running with his wife Michelle since Webb is an angry person of color—his color usually being red...sort of like Slick Willie, the albino on spring break as Dennis Miller called him.


29 posted on 05/08/2008 10:50:50 AM PDT by MIchaelTArchangel
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To: Old Phone Man
Webb is a darn good choice.One real good thingabout him is that he’s been there and one that as far as the military goes...Say what you want about him, I’d trust and follow him if the shid ever hits the fan!!!

And I thought the $hit you said yesterday was the dumbest thing I had ever heard....

Don't forget to tell everyone here how much you hate Rush and that you will be voting for Obama.

30 posted on 05/08/2008 10:55:30 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.)
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To: freespirited
The burden of this piece is that Obama should nominate a Democratic version of McCain. That might be wise.

Because I think McCain should nominate a black. Webb would nominally be similar in competence as well as skin color and sex, but a Democrat. The point to McCain of nominating a black would be to similar in skin color and sex, but equal to or better than Obama in experience. That is, no executive experience necessary. Obama might profit from nominating a white with similar "moderate" politics to McCain; McCain OTOH would profit from nominating a black with conservative politics to balance his ticket and unite his party.


31 posted on 05/08/2008 11:05:44 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (Thomas Sowell for President)
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To: Niteranger68

Awwwwwww poor little nightranger is all worked up....If Jim Webb becomes Obama’s VP Ya never know? I just might.I’m sick of being a Pubbie and that’s for sure, I could never be a Demonrat either....
If I do vote for Obama, I’ll let you know first, little ranger boy!!!!


32 posted on 05/08/2008 11:20:56 AM PDT by Old Phone Man (ks)
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To: freespirited

Webb. He’s a freshman senator, less than 2 years experience. He had no other elected office before that.

He was a military man. He’s been a military man. He taught in a military college, where he harrassed women and maybe slept with one of his students.

He was Secretary of the Navy for a couple of years, did nothing of note in that office, and then was “resigned” out because nobody would listen to his opinion.

That was in the 80s. Since then he wrote books and I presume did something else other than live off his pensions.

He’s probably the only VP they could think of that makes Obama look experienced.

Webb won because Allen was successfully labeled as a racist who used the N-word throughout his career but was unwilling to admit it. The Democrats would vote for anything with a “D” after it, and in the end, attacks against Webb, especially for his books which were loved by the military, turned off the military vote for Allen. I don’t know if they voted for Webb, but they didn’t vote for Allen.

There’s no way the military vote in Virginia abandons McCain to vote for Webb. And that’s how Webb won, holding the democrats while getting enough of the military vote to swing. And as I said, that only worked because Allen’s campaign attacked salty language used in books as if Webb was some sort of pervert (books that McCain had recommended — one had a forward by McCain).

Allen only lost by 10,000 votes. He probably lost 5,000 when he denounced the confederate flag. He probably lost the other 5000 at least when he said military people should be ashamed that they read and enjoyed Webb’s books.

McCain won’t make those mistakes. Virginia could have been competitive for Democrats this year, with just about ANY republican candidate — except McCain. I just saw a poll that says McCain is up 10 to Obama here. Webb can’t make that big a difference.


33 posted on 05/08/2008 11:26:06 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: andy58-in-nh

Thanks for confirming my point — Allen’s campaign attacked Webb for his writing, but too many people have read and appreciated Webb’s books, even with the offensive scenes and words — so it was like Allen was attacking them personally.

When you claim, as others have here, that a book is pornographic, you aren’t just attacking the author, you are saying that the people who read that book read pornography.

His books were read by a lot of military people who vote Republican, and who probably didn’t want someone like Allen, who never served, criticizing their book choices.


34 posted on 05/08/2008 11:29:13 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Old Phone Man
Awwwwwww poor little nightranger is all worked up....If Jim Webb becomes Obama’s VP Ya never know? I just might.I’m sick of being a Pubbie and that’s for sure, I could never be a Demonrat either.... If I do vote for Obama, I’ll let you know first, little ranger boy!!!!

Sorry...I thought your were old enough to vote.

35 posted on 05/08/2008 11:40:46 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.)
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To: CharlesWayneCT; freespirited
Webb won because Allen was successfully labeled as a racist who used the N-word throughout his career but was unwilling to admit it.

As long as we're clear that those attacks were fabrications.

I blame Wadhams much more than Allen. Yes, Allen said the "m-word." But Wadhams didn't understand Allen or Virginia. And his recent comments underscore that.

That said, you're spot on about Webb. The military won't go for him over McCain. It may be that McCain is the one candidate who can keep Virginia in the red column.

36 posted on 05/08/2008 11:40:53 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (What if Tony Almeida is the 12th Cylon?)
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To: CharlesWayneCT
When you claim, as others have here, that a book is pornographic, you aren’t just attacking the author, you are saying that the people who read that book read pornography.

I believe your choice of the first person pronoun ("When you claim...") might serve to convey a false impression. Otherwise, you do appear to understand that I am not claiming the book is pornographic - quite the opposite, actually. I think your intent was to criticize others for not reading the book themselves before passing judgment. Again, I think that Fields of Fire is a terrific work of literature, and the characters that Webb created - Goodrich, Snake, Baby Cakes, and Hodges - have stayed with me for many years after I first read it.

37 posted on 05/08/2008 11:47:30 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh (Politicians cannot buy votes that are not for sale.)
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To: freespirited

Webb vs. McCain in a Presidential race would be like Bligh vs. Queeg. Would be fun to watch, and it would be a good move for Obama, though probably not for Webb.


38 posted on 05/08/2008 11:55:09 AM PDT by Defiant (McCain's big vein drains mainly from his brain.)
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To: Corin Stormhands

You are right, I did not make that clear. They were just allegations, which he denied.


39 posted on 05/08/2008 12:07:31 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: andy58-in-nh

You are right, I meant “you” as in “the campaign”.


40 posted on 05/08/2008 12:08:05 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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