Posted on 07/31/2008 11:01:49 AM PDT by MHGinTN
Another FreeRepublic Op-ed for the political season (#2 in a series)
The first in this series of op-eds [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2053169/posts] began with a composite exchange between three mythical posters. The subsequent posts by fellow Freepers served to illustrate the accuracy of that composite ‘fictional’ exchange. This episode will not have such a fictional exchange.
The central feature of this op-ed will be the selection of a candidate to accompany McCain in his run for the White House as we try to explore what is needed in such a candidate.
It can be argued that the man or woman chosen to be in the number two spot on the Republican ticket is significantly more important this election cycle than any in recent decades. McCain is a very elderly candidate, albeit he appears full of energy and still a bulldog. Of course, the dog has shown he is as likely to bite the Republican side of the isle as he is to bark and snap at the democrat side. We don’t like it, but the reality is he’s the Republican nominee who will be on the ballot, not withstanding democrat operatives lobbying for him to be replaced on the ticket by the ‘powers that be’ whom some imagine to exist in smoke filled backrooms of power … face it, Freepers, McCain got the most votes for the nomination, wherever those votes came from.
McCain has several weaknesses, aside from his proclivity to ‘reach across the isle’ to compromise with democrats. McCain has a few much ignored strengths, also. We’ll get into his strengths as this thread unfolds; surely some Freepers will relate McCain’s strengths during a discussion. Can a veep choice alleviate the weaknesses of a nominee? Not really, but the second name on the ticket needs to be able to step in and function for the benefit of the nation should the top name on the ticket have to step aside.
Democrats will no doubt have their sycophantic media-whores focusing episode after episode upon the medical history of McCain, his age, his infirmities, etc. The second on the ticket better be a picture of health, maturity, and resolve. The Democrat controlled House and Senate will be a major aging hazard for whomever occupies the White House. The veep choice must be tough, proven tough not just called tough.
America has an invasion happening, mostly crossing our border which is to the South of the lower forty-eight. McCain has a ridiculous past history in dealing with this issue … the term flip flopping doesn‘t even do it justice. Presently, he appears to favor closing the borders, then dealing with the festering sore of millions of illegals in America. The veep choice had better be onboard with dealing with that Gordian knot in a more conservative way than the democrats, else the running mate will be a major negative upon whom the Republican voters will focus.
The war against terrorists--and ongoing against terrorism as it relates to protecting this nation--is not going to disappear as a premier issue with voters … we view the federal government as primarily responsible to protect US, not withstanding Democrat support for defeat of the current administration via Democrat aiding and abetting the enemy, and actively seeking to generate defeat/failure in Iraq. The defeatist effort of the Democrats will only increase if a Republican becomes president this cycle, you can count on it! The McCain veep choice will need to be firm in resolve to execute the war effort in the face of such treachery as the Democrat Party will exhibit.
Energy independence has been ignored by democrat as well as Republican controlled Congresses. Cheap oil gave politicians an excuse to ignore the issues looming as supplies fail to meet increasing demands world-wide. The American people appear to have awakened to the realities as the price of fuel for their cars, SUVs, and vehicles which supply their groceries and supply stores has finally bitten them through their wallets. The administration for the next four years had better grind that issue toward energy independence. The threat to our national security posed by dependence upon foreign supply for the energy to fuel our economic growth is real, is upon us, and is the key to winning against liberalism for the next five to ten years. The veep choice better be onboard with fighting the Democrats to achieve energy independence.
This Freeper would contend there is only one man and no woman who represents such a veep choice, Duncan Hunter. And Duncan Hunter doesn’t have the baggage of having made too many compromises with democrats!
Now, let me get my asbestos suit on and we’ll field the fire balls. Let’s have a discussion, fellow Freepers. If you’ve got someone you think superior to Duncan Hunter, name them and give the reasons for such a choice. Let’s focus upon citing the strengths of those we want on McCain’s ticket. PERHAPS we will get through to McCain. I know his team has someone who reads FreeRepublic every day. Let’s give her an eye-full!
Ping to you, Jim. For your reading pleasure as this thread progresses.
bump for later
No fire balls here. I’d support a McCain - Hunter ticket.
Duncan Hunter is fine with me.
I’d also happily accept Mitt Romney, Guillini, Thompson of course.
Maybe Palin. Pawlenty...don’t know enough.
What I’m looking for is for McCain to throw us Conservatives, who he’s effectively thrown under the bus, a compromise VP.
So that, should McCain die during his presidency, we’d have a qualified candidate to stop up. The bigger thing, however in that I don’t think McCain will die in the next eight years just a hunch, is that McCain will acquiesce and graciously allow a conservative to be given the benefit of VP status come eight years beyond McCain’s reign.
A sitting VP has best chance for the nomination and victory after an eight year stand by a president.
McCain’s choice for VP should reflect a gracious bow to us conservatives that after his eight years we might have a real conservative primed to step up.
It’s how I see it. Whether or not I vote for McCain hinges on his choice for VP. Although I will NOT vote for Obama under any circumstances.
And how enthusiastically I support McCain during the ticker tape parades of his campaign depends on how much I like his choice of a VP.
Because for me, it’s not about McCain. It’s about his VP.
Me too. bttt
Ping-a-ling-a-ling
In Tennessee, the primary got my vote for Romney over McCain ... and I’m stamped a ‘hater’ by the Romney operatives! I could still live with Romney as the veep, but I would far and away prefer McCain select Duncan Hunter as his running mate because I think Duncan will be the best to run the nation should JOhn fail to finish his four year tour, and I certainly think the exposure would make Duncan the #1 choice in 2012.
Can a veep choice alleviate the weaknesses of a nominee?
Used correctly, yes, they can.
If you have a POTUS candidate that is short on foreign affairs, you can find a VP selection that is long on foreign affairs (not the James Bond kind) and tell the public, "I will rely heavily on my VP for advice on foreign affairs".
In this manner you make two points. Number 1 - YOU are the POTUS, not the VP. and number 2 - you are NOT adverse to considering advice from someone that knows more about a subject than you.
The war against terrorists--and ongoing against terrorism as it relates to protecting this nation--is not going to disappear as a premier issue with voters
I think it, almost, already has disappeared as a premier issue with the majority of the public.
The MSM doesn't carry the news of a winning war in Iraq the way they do a losing war in Iraq.
The war in Iraq IS the WOT to many normal everyday people. They forget about Afghanistan, and any other places or situations.
We have been told that we are on the verge of winning the war in Iraq. We have been told that we are on the verge of a drawdown of troops in Iraq, of some sort, because we are on the verge of winning.
The WOT will still be an issue but not a premier issue.
Now, as to your choice for the VP slot, I couldn't agree more that Duncan Hunter WOULD be a premier VP, BUT.....I don't think John McCain will make that choice. And I'll give you the reasons why.
McCain is not going to take California, with or without Hunter.
For the same reason that so many said Hunter didn't stand a chance as the candidate for POTUS - he isn't a "NAME" that is recognized nationwide.
He has just retired from his congressional seat and I don't think he wants back into politics so soon.
McCain will not choose anyone so conservative as his VP.
There are several other reasons why I don't think McCain would EVER choose hunter as VP but these will do for now.
Ping
Good opinions & well written, MHGinTN. Duncan Hunter was my first choice, but he never really caught on as a candidate so, gee, I dunno as veep.
He could win with just about any wingman if he didn’t seem so determined to keep playing `maverick’. He and Barry seem to be sharing a bottle of stoopid pills.
Save America the pain of liberalism- Dump the chump and put DH in as the nominee.
In the case of this particular election cycle, our nation has an opportunity to have the Vice President actually be a functioning person; if McCain would put Duncan Hunter, as VP, in charge of the border problem, and assign him the responsibility of filtering the issue of drilling and developing altenate energy sources, I really believe the nation would not only get the illegal invasion fixed, but our future in energy independence and the positives Duncan could accentutate would assure he is the superior leader for 2012 and beyond!
Traditionally, the veep hasn't been a fucntioning strength the American people can get familiar with seeing in service after the election.
Won't happen though, so I won't be voting for McCain in November, but writing in Hunter instead.
That's what you will have to contend with.
Try again.
Of interest PING!
Big bump for later - I do agree with you though - go Duncan Hunter.
Amen to that! Pennsylvania’a primary was on April 22, and by that time, McCain was the only one left standing. I didn’t have anyone else to vote for.
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