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pan6467 · 08-24-2008, 07:36 AM

Do not be surprised if McCain brings in a true darkhorse that no one even thought of.... former mayor of Cleveland, former Ohio governor, presently US Senator representing Ohio, George Voinivch.

Voinivich has an extreme bipartisan following in Ohio, a state McCain needs to win.

Both are mavericks, both are trying to shake up and redesign the GOP name.

Voinivich , IHO, McCain's strongest move. He rebuilt Cleveland, he was an extremely good governor in Ohio that was able to work well with both parties.

He's pro-life, so the GOP can rest easily. But he has voted NO with Dems to extend Bush's tax cuts Vote 118: H R 4297 . He has voted with Dems on numerous issues, Vote 157: S 2611: Would tighten border security and establish guest worker and "path to citizenship" programs, Vote 229: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider H.R.5970; Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006, Vote 177: H R 6331: Shall H.R. 6331 Pass, the objections of the President of the United States to the contrary notwithstanding?; Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.

How did he vote on Bolton?
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2005/04...ote-on-bolton/

Quote:

GOP Sen. Voinivich Blocks Vote on Bolton
Jon Ponder | Apr. 19, 2005

The Democrats on Foreign Relations did their level best to derail the nomination of hotheaded Bush political operative John Bolton as US Ambassador to the United Nations but it was Republican Sen. George Voinivich of Ohio who shut down the vote for now:

A Senate committee delayed a crucial vote today on President Bush’s nomination of John R. Bolton to be the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations after a Republican senator stunned the Foreign Relations Committee by saying he might oppose the nomination if forced to take a stand.

The delay exposes Bolton, a controversial State Department hawk, to at least three more weeks of efforts by Democrats to derail his nomination as other Republicans waver over allegations that Bolton intimidated subordinates over disagreements about policy and intelligence assessments.

The delay also marks a setback for the Bush administration, which was trying to push the nomination through the committee in the face of the wavering support of two moderate Republicans, Sens. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

But it was a third Republican, Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, who voiced doubts about Bolton today and forced a delay in the vote.

“I’ve heard enough today that I don’t feel comfortable about voting for Mr. Bolton,” Voinovich said. “I’ve heard enough today that gives me concern as a member of this committee.”

I truly believe, Voinivich would be McCain's best choice. I think that a McCain-Voinivich ticket would be unbeatable by Obama. It would be enough to get moderates from both sides to take notice, it would be an Independent's dream and there is no dirt on Voinivich, the man is truly a decent man. I have had issues with his voting record but unlike some..... cough Biden cough...... he stands up for what he believes and doesn't back down or sell out.

This was written in January of this year,

Martin Gottlieb: McCain, Voinovich: Distant brothers

Quote:

Martin Gottlieb: McCain, Voinovich: Distant brothers

By Martin Gottlieb

Friday, January 18, 2008

Some followers of politics in Ohio might be wondering why Sen. George Voinovich is not now — and never has been — publicly aligned with presidential candidate John McCain.

They seem, after all, to have much in common. Both are strong Republicans with strong independent streaks. Specifically, both are generally seen as tilting from Republican orthodoxy toward the political center.
Extras

Both, for example, have been skeptical of Bush administration tax cuts, at various times. Both have been generally strong for the Iraq war, but critical of the administration's handling of it (though McCain was more strongly for the surge).

Both are also anti-abortion, rather than aligned with the "social moderates" in the party; that's worth noting because abortion is still one of the issues that defines political subdivisions in this country.

And yet when McCain was looking for support for a compromise on judicial nomination, for example, he came up with then-Sen. Mike DeWine, not Voinovich.

The pattern has held with regard to McCain's presidential campaigns.

All things considered, McCain and Voinovich bring to mind brothers who aren't close.

But there are differences between them. They might even be seen as profound and fundamental, depending how one thinks about politics or, as the politicians like to say, public service.

Look at the Senate issues they focus on, try to establish expertise in and have their names connected with in the Senate.

With McCain, you're talking about big, juicy, high-profile stuff: campaign-finance reform, pork-barrel spending, war and peace.

With Voinovich you're generally talking about the nuts and bolts of making governance work. Symbolically enough, one of his big concerns has been civil-service reform, designed to make sure the federal government is expertly staffed.

And you're talking about attention to the federal debt, an issue that is equally avoided by the politicians of both parties.

In foreign policy right now, Voinovich is particularly focused on Kosovo. And his involvement is typical of him. He's not fighting for or against its independence from Serbia, which is the hot issue. He's pushing the State Department and others to focus more energetically on the effort to make transformation to independence go well.

He has myriad initiatives in other realms. Most typically, he doesn't play to one side or another in a hot-button debate, but tries to focus attention on issues that otherwise don't get much attention.

This difference in issues plays out in different relations with the media.

Among media people, McCain is associated with "straight talk," meaning both a willingness to relax and say what's on his mind and a willingness in campaigns to speak unpleasant truths. A classic example was his admission in Michigan that auto industry jobs aren't coming back. His more opportunistic opponent, Mitt Romney, pounced on him.

Voinovich, meanwhile, has a reputation not as a "straight talker," in the McCain sense, nor as an obfuscator, but as a policy wonk who isn't very quotable.

To stretch a point, what we have here are two different approaches to the life of the centrist, of the skeptic surrounded by partisans and ideological warriors.

If you like the Voinovich approach, you might see McCain as a glory hound. You might, for example, see the pork-barrel issue as one that the media love, but that is of trivial importance. It entails a tiny percentage of the federal budget, and, anyway, some of the projects are actually good, concrete, nonpartisan ways of helping local communities.

You might also note that, much as the media love the campaign-spending issue, nothing ever really changes as to the power of the special interests in politics, no matter what. You might also believe the problem is overstated, anyway.

If, on the other hand, you like the McCain approach, you might see Voinovich as a back-bencher, a guy who doesn't enter, or typically figure into, the big battles, who doesn't get himself bloodied, doesn't really try to lead.

In a recent telephone press conference, Voinovich, typically, wanted to talk about such issues as Egypt and Kosovo. But he was asked about the presidential race.

He wouldn't endorse, but seemed to maybe lean toward Mitt Romney, because of his executive experience. He believes that where George W. Bush has really failed is in management.

That's a fairly unusual perspective, but one that wouldn't surprise anybody who knows Voinovich.

Some might conclude that the big difference between McCain and Voinovich is that one clearly has been aiming for the presidency since he got to Washington, and one hasn't. But, really, it's more than that.

So don't be surprised..... I have a feeling Voinivich maybe on that list and it maybe only Voinivich's decision that keeps him off.