McCain's running mate?

[lanlady]

Poll question: McCain's running mate?

The names of possible contenders are starting to bubble up. So who do YOU think McCain will choose for his running mate, and why? Will he go with someone of impeccable "conservative" credentials, to shore up his support on the right? Or go for the political middle ground, in order to syphon off independents voters from the Democratic camp?

[Why Syzygy]

1. Joe should get his shot at VP. n't

[liberalnurse]

2. Jeb Bush..........

deals will be brokered by may 1st.

[griffi94]

20. never happen

mccain will avoid any direct contact with anybody named bush...probly avoid all the bush re-treads as
well....at least while he's running.....

[JPZenger]

25. Dick Cheney

How about Dick Cheney? You know he's not going to leave power without taking some people with him. Those "man-sized" safes in his office are probably filled with automatic weapons.

[griffi94]

29. cheney's not leaving power

hell they sold almost everything to haliburton...cheney will be the most powerful man in america
as soon as he leaves office

[gateley]

3. Giuliani. nt

[JPZenger]

21. The right wing won't stand for Giuliani

I think you can strike Guiliani off the list. McCain will try to calm the ring wing nuts with his VP, and Giuliani won't do that.

[Exultant Democracy]

52. It depends on who gets the nomination, If Hillary is the nominee he could choose Rudy

and Run hard in a lot of moderate states knowing that he will win the deep red states anyway. If Hillary can't beat Obama in the south then McCain doesn't have to worry about his flank.

[groovedaddy]

4. Satan's not available? David Duke? n.t

I would never vote for repub not even in a poll!x!

[Olney Blue]

5. I think it will be someone young, but we don't know yet.

[greguganus]

11. Sure couldn't be anyone older! n/t

[Bucky]

73. Agreed.

But his two smartest choices are Charlie Crist and Lindsay Graham... both of whom have rumor problems.

[Hawkeye-X]

6. Fuck it - I'll say it.

The corpse of Ronald Reagan.

[Bicoastal]

7. I despise anyone named Pence.

Pence was the name of the guy who was taller and better-looking and more popular and richer than I was all through grade school, and even managed to snag first chair in the high school orchestra over me, the guy who eventually became a professional. He made it through College pursuing a business degree, then gave it up, became an "actor," and moved into his parents' basement.

Great, I thought, I've got an edge over Pence at last. I'm working and moving up, he's a loser.

With 4 months, he manged to become a cover model for Abercrombie & Fitch.

DAMN YOU PENCE!!!

[SteppingRazor]

8. I'd say one of these three: Lindsay Graham, Charlie Crist or Liddy Dole. n/t

[JPZenger]

12. I can't imagine the GOP would nominate an alternative lifestyle American

I can't imagine the GOP would nominate Graham as VP, considering his bachelorhood and his rumoured lifestyle.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[SteppingRazor]

18. The same rumors swirl around Crist...

but at every McCain campaign stop, it's been Crist and Graham standing behind McCain. The choice between those two is whether McCain wants to reaffirm his alleged status as a moderate, in which case he'll go with Crist, or whether he wants to make an appeal to conservatives, in which case he'd go with Graham.

[JPZenger]

22. Wouldn't It be Funny if all the VP candidates turn out to be gay?

Wouldn't it be funny if all the best GOP VP candidates turn out to be gay, and McCain has to pick Jeb Bush? Based upon the stories from Asia, I hear Neil Bush is straight.

[JPZenger]

19. Governor Crist's Bio

http://www.flgov.com/gov_biography

Here's Governor Charlie Crist of Florida's official bio. He has only been governor for a short time, and state attorney general and State Education Secretary for a couple years before that, and a State Senator for a few years before that.

I think he needs more seasoning, stewing and boiling in Washington before he's ready.

[SteppingRazor]

23. Sort of like Obama?

Point being, you don't necessarily need experience to be a success in politics. And speaking as a Florida resident, I can tell you that, moreso than any other Republican I've seen, Crist has an ability to get Dems behind him.

[Az_lefty]

9. it'll be Huckleberry, that's why the little twirp is still hanging around

[nxylas]

26. Nah, he just doesn't know when to quit

If he wanted to suck up to McCain, running against him doesn't seem the best way to do it. Dropping out and letting him run virtually unopposed (I say "virtually" because Ron Paul is still in the race, though I can't see him suddenly surging if Huckabee dropped out) would be a much better way of getting into his good graces.

[JPZenger]

10. Won't pick Santorum

I would love it if he picked Sphinctorum. However, once a person is defeated for re-election in a landslide in their own state, it usually disqualifies them from higher office. It is the political Peter Principle.

I think public pressure will force McCain to pick Huckabee. Considering that McCain would be 76 at the end of his first term, it may be one of those rare situations where masses of people might vote against McCain because of his VP.

[livetohike]

13. I thought he would pick Santorum but after seeing your logic

I think you are right about this one :-).

[ctaylors6]

14. Pawlenty (or Sanford)

[NV Whino]

15. I say Old Joe

He denies it, but I think it would united the repugs.

[jimbot]

16. Hutchinson

[michreject]

40. My first thought

It would get him the southern vote.

[Straight Shooter]

17. Other: Gordon Smith, Oregon. If he were smart, he'd pick him.

Check his record. Gordon Smith has a lot going for him that would make him a perfect veep.

[Arugula Latte]

36. Oh gawd ...

I hate that smarmy lying SOB. :banghead:

[Straight Shooter]

37. It's all image, and Republicans think he's all right.

He also works well with Ron Wyden. Perception is everything.

I want Ron Wyden as veep for Hillary. That would make a lot of Repubs bang their heads. :)

[Arugula Latte]

38. I know. He plays Mr. Moderate before elections and out-of-touch voters buy it.

Then he goes back to DC and votes hard right with Bushco. (FISA is the latest example)

[JPZenger]

24. Larry Sabato's Analysis of VP Candidates

The following is an excellent analysis of many VP candidates for the Dems and Repubs. It was prepared a year ago, but is still relevant. It was prepared by Professor Larry Sabato of U. of Virginia, who regularly appears as a pundit on TV. You need to scroll down the page to the two lists.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=LJS2007032901

When you look at that list, it is amazing how many GOP candidates would probably be excluded because they are not conservative on abortion and other social issues.

Also, I believe most of the Dem candidates will be disqualified because of a lack of foreign policy experience. Bill Richardson is still looking the best to offset Obama's weaknesses. I don't care that he was a weak campaigner, we need his credentials.

[Iceburg]

30. Good article ... thanks /nt

[katty]

27. if he picks Suckabee--he might as well retire now

[AndyTiedye]

28. We Will Need to Bring Back Those "A Heartbeat Away from the Presidency" Ads

He's going to pick Fuckabee. He has to in order to reunite the Repiglickin party.

[JPZenger]

32. Huckabee won't unite the economic conservatives

Huckabee would shore up support with the social conservatives/evangelicals, but the economic conservatives oppose him. I don't see any good choice for McCain.

Elizabeth Dole is 72 - about the same age as McCain. I'd love to see those two elderly people up on the stage promising an energetic administrtion. They can also do ads for Geritol at the same time.

[Strawman]

31. Chuck Norris or Ric Flair

Rather than Huckabee

[massromantic]

64. I don't know...

I was thinking Sylvester Stallone.

[Seabiscuit]

33. Other:

Someone who can crush the opposition?



Someone you don't want to have a beer with?



Someone with rural appeal?



Someone with a big smile?



Someone who will attract the youth vote?



Someone who knows how to keep his lips sealed?



Someone who will continue the Bush legacy?

[Seabiscuit]

48. LOL!

Well, at least I thought it was funny.

:evilfrown:

[Jack Bone]

34. He'll wait until after the Dem nominee announces their VP.

then figure on what part of the nation, geographically, his VP should be from to help his election chances.

Also throw in the fact that his running mate needs to be "ultra-conservative".

[Arugula Latte]

35. Other: Wilfred Brimley!!

[Strelnikov_]

39. A life-sized cardboard cutout of Reagan

Hey, can't be any more inanimate than the 'living' original.

[Seabiscuit]

54. Either that or Reagan's skeletal remains.

[Hobarticus]

57. 3D hologram of Reagan....

[shayes51]

41. It's going to be Colin Powell.

[JPZenger]

42. I don't thing geography will figure into it

I don't think geography will matter in VP picks for Dems or Repubs this year. There are much more important factors. Obama needs someone with foreign policy and Washington experience. In addition to Richardson, that could mean Biden or Dodd. Obama has the luxury of not having to worry about whether someone is a good campaigner or has charisma. Because Obama is attractive to people in many border states, he doesn't have to worry about geography.

McCain needs someone to unite the party base. The evangelicals showed up in huge numbers yesterday and almost defeated McCain in Virginia. They showed up to vote for a candidate who statistically had no chance of winning the nomination. That shows a serious division.

[XemaSab]

49. I think it's going to have to be a fundie and probably a southerner

I think he needs BIG fundie turnout if he wants to hold on to swing states like Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee. :P

[onenote]

43. two people we can be certain it won't be: Jeb Bush and Joe Lieberman

I've seen several posts here at DU where people suggest that these are likely McCain running mates. Neither one is even remotely likely. THere is no chance that Bush will be on the ticket. None. Nada. The repubs are going to be running away from chimpy and putting JEB on the ticket is a non-starter. As for Lieberman, the day the repubs put someone with a pro-choice record on the ticket with a 70 plus year old presidential candidate is the day I eat my hat.

[MethuenProgressive]

44. Condi-liar rice. "Hey lookit! We got one too!"

The VP debate will be a riot if the questions stray from mid-70s Soviet wheat shortages.

[Musty]

45. It'll be Jeb Bush and

a month after the election, if McCain wins, guess who'll wake up dead?

[Seabiscuit]

50. This clown?

[no name no slogan]

46. Gov Tim Pawlenty of MN

He's got solid conservative credentials, but not dingbat conservative. He's a fairly popular two-term governor of a very blue mid-western state. Pawlenty is also one of the McCain campaign's national chairs, and has been campaigning for him all over the country.

St. Paul is also hosting this years' GOP convention, which may be a factor as well.

[JPZenger]

47. One of the few without major defects

He seems to be one of the few candidates without major defects. The Repub. VP may be decided by the process of elimination - who is left standing after you remove people with major disqualifications.

[JohnnyBoots]

51. Newt Gingrich is my guess. Either him or Voldemort. What is Bill Frist up to these days?

[Exultant Democracy]

53. It is going to be based on who wins our nomination. If Obama he'll run right if Hillary left.

[TexasObserver]

55. They need Huck to shore up the evangelics. If they stay home, it's ugly for the pukes..

[Hill_YesWeWill]

56. someone young nt

[grantcart]

58. Republican govenor of florida

[GalleryGod]

59. Work ??????????????

[cloudythescribbler]

60. If not Huckabee, then someone else with "evangelical appeal"

It would be TOTALLY political as a choice, but that has me falling off the floor.

[apnu]

61. I went with Sleazy Rice...

... she's the only one 'they' think could counter either a woman or an African American in the GE.

[riona]

62. Charlie Crist

Just a hunch

[Seabiscuit]

63. Sauron.

[Staples]

65. Lindsay Graham...I would contemplate voting for that ticket if Hillary is the dem. nom.

[Seabiscuit]

71. You mean this Graham cracker?

(holding a sign saying "Obama Osama and Chelsea's Moma Cut & Run" apparently made by the same freeper (Momma/Mama is mis-spelled, either way you cut it) responsible for the "get a brain moran" sign.

And... here he is doing his standard Alfred E. Neumann impersonation:

[Phillycat]

68. LOL.

How about Bill Frist or Zell Miller?

Because leadership should be crazy batshit insane.

[Alexander]

66. Huckabible, for the crazybatshitinsane fundie vote.

They'll turn out in droves if he picks Huckabee. I imagine a lot of them will vote with the idea that Huckabee would be president before too long.

[blm]

67. Tom Ridge.

With a chance of Charlie Crist.

[TheDoorbellRang]

69. Jeb Bush

:scared:

[bluedog]

70. charlie crist

[BringBigDogBack]

72. Jeb

[Blarch]

74. Newt.

[hulklogan]

75. Haley Barbour

Governor, Katrina "hero", insider's insider.

The perfect fit.

[sueragingroz]

76. I say LIEBERMAN because...

If Obama gets the nomination, McCain will then be seen as the ultimate UNITER (by partnering with a former Democrat) and steal all of Obama's mo jo...

[krkaufman]

77. Petraeus.

If legally allowed.

[Lorien]

78. Jeb Bush

wouldn't want to slow down a dynasty now, would we?