Who will be McCain's Vice President?
 

Will it be Lieberman? Giuliani? Alaska gov. Sarah Palin? Mike Huckabee? Romney?

Do you think he will pick someone from outside Washington? Young or Old? Religious or center-leaning?

Who do you want to see him pick?


I think Sarah Palin would be the most interesting choice. It would make all the females that were supporting Hilary just because of her gender think about switching sides (Hilary could run again in 4 years if Obama loses too). In reality I think he will pick Huckabee.

Romney might be a smart choice for a GOP campaign. He'll probably want someone more conservative and religious than he appears, but not ultra-religious like Huckabee. He and Leiberman seem to be buddies (shudders), but picking a Republican in Democrat's clothing could lose him a lot of hard core Republicans, which seem to be his base.

Who do I want him to pick? Dennis Kucinich! :thumbsup:

Could be Lieberman, Bobby Jindal, or how about Powell or Rice?

Any of these would give McCain an instant minority boost to counter Obama.

Powell would be a brilliant choice, but he'd probably turn it down.

Rice is interesting, but I always get the impression that people don't like her. I mean it's obvious why liberals don't like her, and irrelevant, but a lot of my conservative friends don't trust her. I'll have to ask why. Moreover, I'm not sure if she could do the job if anything happened to McCain. Powell? Absolutely. Leiberman? Maybe. Rice? I honestly don't think so.

I think McCain has to decide if he wants to appeal to the conservative base of the party with a social conservative or broaden his appeal to independents.

In the first scenario, someone like former congressman John Kasich of Ohio (swing state) who is a social and fiscal conservative. In the other scenario, someone like Tom Ridge, former governor of Penn (another swing state).

But most likely, IMO, it will be Romney.
-----Added 23/8/2008 at 06 : 03 : 03-----
There is still a rumor that Powell will speak at the Democratic convention on Wednesday night (national security night) and endorse Obama.

Never mind - error!

Its a safe bet it wont be Pat Buchanan....lol

In a recent article on World Net Daily, Buchanan described McCain's top foreign policy adviser (who was a lobbyist for the Repub of Georgia) as a neocon war monger....a dual loyalist, a foreign agent whose assignment is to get America committed to spilling the blood of her sons for client regimes.

It's going to be Romney. I don't think there is a better choice because he brings economic knowledge as well has been vetted A LOT during the primaries.

If McCain wants to guarantee victory, select Hillary, HAHA. I don't think that would happen in a million years, but who knows.

If McCain chooses a pro-lifer like Lieberman or Ridge, he's going to lost a lot of the evangelical vote.

Well having Rice, Powell or Jindal would equalize the whole race issue. Obama would lose the whole "minority" novelty and the contest could get back to real issues. Rice is a highly educated, competent woman. Of course many people don't like her. Hillary suffers from the same problem.

Hmm...Hillary-Rice ticket...interesting..... Wonder if Oprah would endorse them...

In a dream world Powell would run. :) But I highly doubt it.

I don't believe it really matters who McCain's VP choice is... Obama will win handily regardless.

With that said... it will most likely be Romney.

Just out of curiosity what would your dream Republican ticket look like?

I'm not a Republican. My dream candidate would be non-partisan or apolitical.

I guess since we're dealing with real as opposed to ideal... I could live with something like a Lieberman / Powell (or vice versa) ticket.

I think Ron Paul is a shoe in for the republican VP spot.

So here's Ron Paul with a pancake on his head.

Attachment 17813

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/


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
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.

pan....I would be very surprised...no, shocked and stunned beyond belief.

While Voinovich is a well-respected policy wonk, right up there with Biden, he is probably one of the dullest members of the Senate and not what you want and need on the campaign trail. And, I dont see anything in your article that would suggest that McCain and Voinovich have any interest in working together.

The articulate and young pretty boy from OH, John Kasich, would be much more formidable.

Kasich sucks. Too GOP. May help him in parts of Ohio, but those parts he'd already have locked up. Voinivich would bring ALL of Ohio. And dull or not, Voinivich has a lot of respect on both sides of the aisle and is not a puppet.

Course if McCain truly wants young, pretty boy, strong on beliefs..... he could switch parties and nominate my personal favorite senator and politician.... the one and only SHERROD BROWN..... IF Obama had chosen Brown... I'd be wearing Obama pins, have Obama/BROWN bumperstickers and be the biggest fundraiser for that ticket they'd have in Ohio......

perhaps I could do it for McCain/Brown...... stop laughing........ it's possible in my reality.

Plus, boring and unassuming maybe the contrast needed for the supposed hot headed, publicity hound, maverick McCain needs.

Can't be Romney. Nobody really likes him and he's like the only guy in politics richer than McCain. After house-gate (I've got McCain owning 8 houses in the office pool!) McCain cannot choose another moneybags.

It will probably be Cheney... ;)

From an interview McCain had with Stephen Hayes in 2005 (who was writing Cheney's biography at the time):

Asked whether he’d be interested in Cheney had the vice president not already have served under Bush for two terms, McCain said: “I don’t know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.”

With Cheney's popularity even lower than Bush's (less than 20% in one recent poll).....now that would make a great ad!

I think you'll be quite amazed when the actual elections take place. It will be close.

You're completely off base here. Romney is a very good conservative VP choice. I don't know what you mean by nobody. Do some research first.

Last time I checked, Obama was fairly well off too. Kerry was extremely rich. It's a double standard that Obama is trying to make John McCain's success seem like a bad thing. Since when was success bad?

When you are an evil money-grubbing Republican, of course.

It is not that he is rich it is that he doesn't understand the needs of the lower and middle classes. He doesn't understand what it is like to struggle to make mortgage payments, he doesn't know what its like to pump your own gas, last year McCain spent $270,000 on maids and butlers for his houses, etc. He seems to be out of touch with realities outside of his rich circle. Obama on the other hand group up poor, he worked with the poor in Chicago, he understands what these people are feeling.

Another quotable are last year his wife said "Private jets are the only way to travel around the midwest (paraphrased)". It must be nice to get to fly everywhere but some of us have to drive and are struggling with the cost of gas. It costs me $600 a plane ticket to fly home.

Last I checked Obama frequently travels on private jets too. John Kerry always flies on private jets, has multiple houses, and is possibly wealthier than McCain, yet no one tried to vilify him when he was running. This is why I don't like many tactics of the left. Everything to them is a double standard, just about everything they accuse conservatives of, there are liberals that are far more guilty of, yet they can do no wrong.

The polls always show what the American voter cares about. Since Obama started making a deal about this stupid house issue, McCain has actually pulled even with him in the polls. So it really shows that although you might think not knowing how many houses you have (and in reality, they're mostly houses owned by his wife) people don't really care. It doesn't mean he's out of touch, it just means he doesn't know.

It amazes how Obama's cult of personality trumpets any minor thing he does, and blindfolds his followers from any negative thing he does. Fortunately for the country, many of the independents do not swoon for him, and will vote for or against him based on ISSUES not his celebrity.
-----Added 26/8/2008 at 08 : 34 : 02-----
:shakehead:

So I'm assuming money grubbing Democrats is acceptable. Notice none of them are attacked from the right for being successful. I find it ironic how those on the left can talk about "the American Dream" when they seem to overtly attack those who are living it. You can't have it both ways!

Looking objectively, I think most would agree that both sides are equally guilty.

No one vilified Kerry (remember the Swiftboaters?) or his wife? Obama has not been vilified for being a "secret Muslim" or other equally outrageous charges about his patriotism? Or portraying Michelle Obama as an "angry black woman."

You dont think the right, most notably Limbaugh, Hannety, Fox News, et al, dont use the same tactics or apply double standards that you find so offensive? Hell, Limbaugh invented and mastered the tactics in modern day mass communications.

I agree the focus should be on issues and facts.. but lets no try to make the silly argument that taking the lower road is one-sided.

You might start with stopping the bullshit about a cult of personality and blindfolded and swooning followers.....or money grubbing Democrats.
-----Added 26/8/2008 at 08 : 54 : 09-----
Or equally baseless claims that Obama wants to turn the US into a European style socialist state or destroy the world's greatest health care system.

Did you even check if they never attacked Teresa before posting or did you just try and poll that out of your butt?

Cindy’s fortune: An asset and a liability - Kenneth P. Vogel - Politico.com
Kerry's Wife: Above Suspicion?, WS: Why Won't Teresa Heinz Kerry Release Her Tax Returns? - CBS News
Remember the John Kerry flip flop add where they showed him sailing? One of the things they were attacking was Teresa's money. They successfully painted Kerry as an elitist. This year McCain tried to do the same to Obama.
McCain tried to push the Obama is an elitist card and now it is biting him in the butt. He and Republicans are reaping what he sowed.

Now well were at it do we want to talk about the ridiculous attacks on Michelle Obama?

How is that for your hypocritical double standard?

Look here's one thing we can agree on. Attacks on spouses are WRONG. I don't believe Rush's and Sean's attacks on Michelle Obama were justified.

That being said, don't bring up the elitist aspect. Obama and Kerry both certainly talked down to the crowd. McCain talks to the crowd. Every Obama speech seems like a pep rally for himself. McCain seems fairly humble in my view.

I have never seen Obama talk down to the crowd. Please provide examples.

Yes... while someone's perceptions may seem well founded, it would be hard to point to an example of Obama "talking down" to a crowd. His crowds are diverse in intelligence as any political crowd and they seem to love what he says. I could also see how an opposition supporter may have negative perceptions of how McCain communicates to his audiences.

Is Darth Vader a valid response?

The latest name I heard was Joe Mott from Youngstown, Ohio. Who knew?

Well after reading what I wrote, I think I misspoke. I meant to say insults not talks down.

My example "all you need is inflate your tires and get regular tuneups and you'll save as much oil as you would get from drilling." Isn't that a little insulting?

Why not... "Barry, I am your fah-thah"

First he didn't say it way. He said there are many things we can do to save gas now and not increase supply 6 years ago. Then he gave an example of inflating tires. Which is true! It has been estimated that people will save an average of around 3% gas by properly inflating your tires. Hell even McCain admitted Obama was right on the tire inflation.

It seems like all you have are republican talking points. You should try getting your news from more diverse sources. I make it a point to read the following websites daily:

CBS news, Fox news, Daily KOS, Redstate, Election Projection, and Electoral Vote.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/ar...829354,00.html
-----Added 26/8/2008 at 10 : 10 : 21-----
Already been mentioned.

Calling Obama rich in the same way that Romney and McCain are is ludicrous. McCain is the son of an admiral who went to the Naval Academy and spent years earning relatively large salaries in Congress and the Senate. He also married an incredibly wealthy heiress, and now can't even remember how many houses he owns.

Mitt Romney is the son of the former Governor of Michigan. Mitt turned into a brilliant businessman and made unfathomable amounts of money. He then became the governor of Massachusetts.

Barack Obama was raised partially abroad and partially in Hawaii and partially in Kansas. The one constant in his life was that his family's economic situation ran from working class to poverty-level (occasionally, he was fed with the assistance of food stamps). He was a brilliant student and politician, and managed to earn his way to the Ivy Leagues, a coveted position at the University of Chicago Law School, the state of Illinois's legislative bodies, the U.S. Senate, and now the Democratic nomination for President. He also wrote two well-received books, which recently (as in the last 4 years) allow him to claim a wealthy, but far from ultra-rich, income.

McCain and Romney were scions of powerful families, and each are currently worth hundreds of millions of dollars more than Barack Obama. I'm not saying that any of these facts prove that McCain or Romney are elitist, or that Obama isn't. But it certainly seems ridiculous to suggest that only the latter is, and if you can make a case for any of those three to be "out of touch with average Americans," well, it probably isn't Obama.

P.S. Forseti:

A) OK, I was being flip about nobody liking Romney. But seriously, there's hardly a groundswell of support for his VP consideration.

B) John McCain has certainly accomplished a lot in his life. But let's not call his wealth a "success," unless you consider getting a sugar mommy a resume-builder. The guy married into a fortune.

That's success isn't it? :lol:

To be honest, McCain probably didn't know how many houses he had because many of them belonged to his wife. So, moot argument on the Democrat's side.

My advice to both parties. Stop the bickering and get to the issues. I still don't know what McCain's full economic policy is and I still don't know what Obama's full foreign policy is.

And neither have elaborated on their health care policy since the primaries. Hello people!!! Aren't those the big issues of this election?
-----Added 26/8/2008 at 11 : 36 : 21-----
Time Magazine... very diverse source :shakehead:

By the way, I listen to conservative talk radio, npr, watch cnn, fox news. Is that diverse enough?

...no.. I don't feel insulted. Then again, I was hugged when I was a kid.

Well I felt his saying that was insulting the intelligence of the crowd. He's assuming no one has properly inflated tires and no one takes their cars for service. Now I'm sure some people drive with near flats and don't change their filters and oil, I'd be willing to bet most people take care of their cars.