Posted on 07/21/2008 8:54:05 AM PDT by Reagan Man
So it's getting close to crunch time. John McCain by now should be cutting down his big field of vice presidential contenders to a short list of six to eight names. To stay a step ahead of him, then, in order to make sure our criteria and our favorites at least make the cut, we on the outside should be explaining how the candidate should be reaching his final choice.
~snip~
Choice #1. Former House Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich: More and more, the Pennsylvania native and former Ohio congressman looks like, all things considered, the wisest choice. Compare Kasich to his fellow Ohioan, Portman. Kasich's credentials are more Reaganite, while Portman is heavily tied to the unpopular Bush. Kasich helped lead the fight to balance the budget; Portman was OMB Director when the deficit was huge. Kasich represented a tougher (less Republican) district in Ohio than Portman did and is more likely to attract swing voters in that state -- plus in his native Pennsylvania, too. And Kasich's blue-collar persona is far more likely to attract Reagan Democrats than would Portman. (A friend of mine who works in Portman's Cincinnati office building and often rides the elevator with him said, perhaps unfairly, that Portman strikes him as "somebody who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.") Plus, through his regular host position at Fox News and his popular books, Kasich starts out with higher name recognition than do most people on this whole list. Plus, he left Congress while it still had a reformist bent and many successes to point to, before it fell into disrepute.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
I agree, I can’t stand Giuliani, but having him on McCain’s ticket means a lot of New Yorkers who would otherwise vote for Obama would vote for McCain.
That's the choice. Do we pull out of the tailspin or do we encourage it to fall?
Remember when Kasich used to fill in for O’Reilly? This was not long after the Chandra Levy thing, either. I think Kasich started guest-hosting The O’Reilly Factor sometime in 2002 or 2003 and then FOX eventually gave him his own show, something like “Heartland with John Kasich” back in 2005/06. But Heartland got cancelled in April 2007.
Vman -
That is a pretty comprehensive breakdown - thanks.
I personally think Kasich would be a very strong pick, but why he would want to join the sinking ship known as the SS McQueeg is another question entirely.
Regards -
OO
This conservative has made up his mind on whether he is voting for McCain or not. I believe most conservatives have made up their mind and whether the RINO relic chooses someone with conservative credentials makes little difference. The group this guy lists near the top is laughable. Leiberman is Juan’s best choice. Leiberman would make the old geezer very very competitive in PA, FL , OH, VA, and maybe ever MO. These are states that Democrats need to win, and therefore any RINO like Juan would need to win as well. A conservative on the under ticket is not going to make the RINO relic any more digestible for conservatives, if they can swallow the RINO at the top of the ticket, they can swallow Leiberman who would present some challenges for team Obama.
Blech, blech......that ought to put the poop icing on the McCain cake.
Besides. Kascich is another liberal GOP guy. Nope.
I’ve been predicting Kasich for a long time. Ohio, young, articulate. Only somewhat stinky for conservatives, which at this point, given the top of the ticket and the viable alternatives (Lieberman eg) seems like a big plus.
So, as a self-professed "conservative" you support a life long, pro-abortion ultra liberal to be the GOP`s VPOTUS.
Now that is downright farcical.
Kasich sounds good to me. Yesterday I heard a lot of talk of freakin Lindsey RINO Graham.
Kasich is a smart guy and not sleazy turd like Graham.
He has done the Factor a couple of times recently.
I am voting but I ain't checking the POTUS box. But the conservatives supporting the RINO relic are constantly harping on how important it is for the RINO relic to beat Barry. Well, if winning is that important to the conservatives who are going to vote for Juan, then they need to recognize, it is what it is. This general election is nothing more than Democrat primary run-off between an anti-war Democrat and a pro-war Democrat. As far as abortion goes, I do not remember voting to make it legal and I have voted for a lot of candidates who were anti-abortion but the numbers have not changed much. In fact when it comes to abortion, I think the issue needs more attention in the church than the political arena. I can not see how it can ever gain much traction politically until churches start preaching against it consistently.
Jeb.
In libspeak, a year in “community organization” is worth at least a year running a town or a state, both of which Palin has done. I must admit it would be fun to see his surrogate making such a claim in a VP debate, though.
At his advanced age and with his medical problems, McC has to pick someone who could step in and lead, if and when it’s necessary.
Kasich is too raw around the edges....and as TD noted, he has a “history.” More importantly, Kasich would not bring conservatives into the fold.
Probably an egomaniac like McC will pick someone who will not look too good or outshine him.
A-m-e-n. I think the current VP buzz about Giulie is payback for his endorsement, and to help revive Giulie from political death.
Rudy and McC are using the same infamous "Kick Conservatives To The Curb Strategy."
Keep in mind, Rudy's cocamamie campaign strategy is historic as the worst presidential strategy ever wrought. Rooty fiercely competed in all the early primary/caucus states while publicly stating he wasn't going to b/c of the dreaded so/cons lurking in grassroots states.
In the end, Rooty spent a whopping $60 million (much more than Huckabee's $7 mill) and Rooty got only one delegate for his time and trouble.
In Fla, he was banking on votes of liberal NYC transplants---Rooty campaigned there 61 days straight and came in a distant third. Seems the more voters saw and heard him, the less they wanted to vote for him.
Giulie's WIFE was a BIG reason he lost--even blase liberal New Yorkers RECOILED at the sight of her. Her first campaign speech started his troubles---at a fund-raiser she rambled on and on about "dating" Rooty (while onlookers winced b/c he was married at the time).
Everytime she surfaced voters were reminded the Mayor married an adulteress home-wrecker. Mayor Rudy paraded her around NYC even as he tried to dump his wife and kids out of Gracie Mansion to move the bimbo in.
During the campaign it was discovered Rudy was using city funds to subsidize his mistress and hiding the costs in obscure city agencies.........usually known as government fraud.
Although, it would be nice to use these old pictures up until November:
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