Posted on 05/25/2008 12:53:14 PM PDT by The_Republican
With perfect timing, John McCain has signaled the opening of the vice presidential speculation season, just as the last dregs of suspense are being drained from the marathon presidential contest.
By inviting three of the hot prospects for his running mate to his Sedona, Ariz., ranch for a weekend barbecue-cum-audition, the Republican standard-bearer has given official sanction for journalists and politicians to start calculating who will occupy the second lines on all the ballots come November.
Conventional wisdom is that the winners of this guessing game hold only the briefest of interest to voters. Until the night of the traditional vice presidential debate, they receive almost no coverage in the campaign. Except for Lyndon Johnson in 1960 bringing comfort to Dixie, vice presidential candidates have almost no impact on the election.
So why bother?
In part, it's because everything else at this stage of the race seems so scripted. And it's also that in an era of remarkably close presidential contests, there is always a chance that an inspired -- or disastrous -- choice by the nominee will tip the balance.
I am permanently disqualified from attempting to guess the running mates. The only time I have ever been right was Spiro Agnew, and no one wants to risk a repetition of that calamity.
It was in an interview during the Oregon primary in 1968 that Richard Nixon floated the Maryland governor's name in a typically heavy-handed way, solely to nudge Agnew into an endorsement. Nixon then reminded other reporters at the GOP convention that he had made me the recipient of that leak.
Despite that sordid history, I am as addicted to the speculation as anyone. So, when the McCain campaign announced last week that he would be entertaining former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
One thing I am worried about in all of this, and I’ve said it before, is that if we do end up with a true conservative running with McCain, what effect does this have on the message they convey?
You have a Jim DeMint, Mark Sanford, Mitt Romney, Polenti...men who would appear to have a strong future in the party and who ran as conservatives....they can’t rightfully have major policy disagreements with McCain and remain on his ticket, can they?
So do they faux-agree with the guy and switch their positions, refuse to comment, or what? It definitely hurts their stock if they start hanging out with McCain and are forced to refuse to deviate from the RINO swing.
Hmmm.... I hadn’t really thought about it in these terms until recently. Just more of the reality of the situation, I guess.
LOL
“is that if we do end up with a true conservative running with McCain”
Never happen. He’s already said that he wants someone that agrees with him on the issues.
“It’s going to be the boy wonder with the brown ring around his neck. “Gramnesty”, so get ready!”
A man with a complexion and disposition to match his name, indeed.
“OHHH LIND-Say!!”
Youz like beer? I know where I can get my hand on some :0
*snarf* LOL!!! ;)
If they agree with McCain, they piss off the base.
If they disagree with McCain, they piss off the base.
It is how liberals are destroying the GOP, from within.
Hernandez is a certified traitor. Born in Dallas, he decided as an adult to become a dual-national Mexican citizen. His last "real" job was serving on Mexican President Vicente Fox's cabinet as his "American Reconquista Director." After that gig ran out, he worked (sic) for George Soros funded internationalist foundations, like the one that published his new book.
The "New American Pioneers" proclaimed in his book are the illegal alien invaders he urges to become settlers in the USA. Hernandez believes all Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the USA should become dual citizens and consider themselves Mexicans first, "to the 8th generation." He believes there should be no border at all between Mexico and the USA, ever.
And this is the man McCain chose for his "Hispanic Outreach Director." When McCain was asked about this choice, he said he chose Hernandez because he agrees with his positions. If so, McCain is supporting invasion and reconquista.
You really think?
Not that I have any particular reason to feel different but I am quite aware that McCain does not, and has never, liked the conservative base of the Republican party.
Thus I would think he’d try to pick a VP that would offer some sort of balm for our wounds. And Graham’s not it.
Hey, I say more power to McCain if he manages to pick off so-called Reagan Democrats and Independents. Yeah he’s got to spit on the conservative base and I’ll confess to being one such.
Evidently McCain thinks he doesn’t need the Conservative base and while I read seasoned pundits who say that a Republican can’t win without such a base, it sure seems to me that McCain is running with that football.
And if he wins, then he was right. The rest of us who once believed in conservative principles, who really wanted the concepts preached and put into practice by a political party once believed to represent us, well we will either have to start our own party or shut the hell up.
IF McCain wins.
And if he picks Graham or that ilk as his VP for sure it will be a spit directly in our eye and a firm message to go away and be nice.
The big key will be IF McCain pulls it off. And if he’s running against that zero in a suit and tie named Obama and doesn’t win, well it will then be time for Conservatives and/or Republicans to re-think things, eh?
Amen, unfortunately.
If it’s Graham or Huckabee, I may just become more catatonic. Or, become a survivalist. Those guys won’t help Mac win.
We need, for the best reason, to defeat Senator Obama.
As to Mac’s VP follies, I wonder if the right person attended Mac’s bbq this weekend.
The GOP VP nominee must exude life and vitality.
The 65/25% Obama youth vote seems, for now, sealed up (It could get worse); the youngsters might even show up and vote. Bodes ill.
Mac’s got enough gravitas; maybe a relatively young, attractive, conservative woman, like Alaska ‘s governor, should be considered for VP.
Obvious drawback would be a possible inability to “promise” an EV rich battleground state.
Check her out. I think she just had a baby.
See where she stands on the issues.
Last thought: Mac ought to move on his VP before dem’s do.
You have a Jim DeMint, Mark Sanford, Mitt Romney, Polenti...men who would appear to have a strong future in the party and who ran as conservatives....they can’t rightfully have major policy disagreements with McCain and remain on his ticket, can they?
I think that that can be finessed. A reporter asks you, Mr. VP Nominee, "What about gun control? You used to be against it, and now you are with McCain, and McCain is for it. What do you say to that?"You reply, "Actually there is no controversy between Senator McCain and Senator Obama (or Senator Clinton, for that matter) on that issue - so I prefer to spend my energy promoting the understanding that we can, are in the process of, and would be fools to allow ourselves to fail to, win the battle of Iraq. Having once committed ourselves there, we asked Iraqis to trust us because we knew that we could not succeed without their cooperation. Many Iraqis did trust us, and we owe them a persistent, determined follow-through on the threats to their security . . ."
The proper role of the VP is to attack the presidential candidate on the other side. And I think that can be done, even in the VP debate, and even if the opposing VP tries to make you the issue. Because ultimately, except in the unlikely contingency when he is not, the VP is actually chopped liver anyway. And as such his attacks on the opposing presidential candidate are actually what matters.
This is why McCain would be extremely well served to choose a conservative black for VP - he would be able to criticize Obama more freely than a white person could. And that could be crucial in the campaign. In addition, there could be trouble after the election, if Obama was flown away in a landslide - and a black VP being elevated to national office would make a lot better story than black riots with the excuse that the "white boys" won.
Well you wouldn't find me sobbing if McCain chose, say, a Michael Steele as a VP pick. It's just you never hear his name mentioned save oncit in a blue moon. And as far as I know, Steele was not invited to that infamous barbecue.
” ... Sedona, Arizona ranch “
McCain and the media (including Fox News Sunday today) perpetuate the myth of his “Sedona” ranch. Sedona is a beautiful (and expensive) red rock area 10+ miles from McCain’s ranch which is actually just outside the humble working class community of Cornville, Arizona. “Cornville” doesn’t ring as elegant an address as Sedona. But from McCain’s area you can’t even see Sedona!
I’m just shocked McQueeg did not invite Rooty Giuliani to the ranch to explain (maybe with a chart, some video and nice sharp pointer) how his campaign strategy worked.
Course Rooty would have had to skip the part about McC’s conservative-hating handlers managing Giuli’s losing strategy (which has now reached cult status as the stupidest strategy in US political history).
Could have been interesting (chuckle).
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