More than any other tickets, Obama-Kaine or Obama-Sebelius or Obama-Schweitzer would confirm

[Stop Cornyn]

Obama's authenticity when he said that he will value judgment over experience, and that he will bring a new post-partisan solution to fix what is broken in Washington DC.

Kaine, Sebelius, Schweitzer are outsiders rather than Inside-the-Beltway hacks; they have amazing life stories and bring atypical skill sets to the table; they help in swing states (certainly Kaine and Sebelius help in swing states and Schweitzer might just turn his red state into a swing state); and -- most importantly -- they are genuine friends of Obama's who Obama trusts.

I think picking Kaine, Sebelius, and Schweitzer would be a terrifically confident choice and would take the battle to McCain's home turf. Many of the potential VP getting more media attention are defensive choices which implicitly concede issues to McCain.

[gateley]

1. I'd be thrilled if it's Schweitzer. nt

[polichick]

2. I disgree. Choosing a foreign relations expert reclaims the issue...

Which polled voters have given to McCain.

[Skwmom]

4. Oh please, the almost three quarters of a century old man will either pick a VP

with no foreign policy expertise or an idiot as dumb as he is on the issue. Obama needs to keep the change message alive.

[polichick]

7. The Obama campaign isn't blowing off those polls - overwhelmingly, voters...

...trust McCain more than they do Barack on foreign relations issues ~ right or wrong, them's the facts.

[Skwmom]

11. That's b/c the stupidity of John McCain on foreign policy has not been hammered home.

How the idiot acted on the Georgia crisis was priceless in its stupidity.

[polichick]

14. A lot of Americans are as stupid as he is about this - it's the fear card all over again.

[MarjorieG]

16. If not treasonous.

[maui9002]

22. I also think we'll see an ad soon on the draft

Something like the following:

"Do you want more of the same foreign policy experience that got us into Iraq? Do you want more of the same foreign policy experience that may get us into a conflict with Iran? Do you want more of the same foreign policy experience from someone who thinks reinstatement of the draft might not be a bad idea? During the last eight years, the current administration, despite its experience, has made a mess of our foreign policy; isn't it time to elect someone who has good judgment?"

Or

"Do you think the world is a safer place than it was eight years ago? Despite the hundreds of billions of dollars we've spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite more than 4,000 American lives lost in those conflicts, and despite tens of thousands of veterans maimed and injured on foreign soil, we are less safe now than we were eight years ago, our adversaries in Iran and Pakistan have grown stronger, gas has risen to over $4 a gallon, and American influence around the world has been destroyed. IF you're happy with these results, then John McCain is your man, because he'll continue the same misguided policies of the Bush administration. In fact, given all the military conflicts we're facing, John McCain even suggested it might be time to think about reinstating the draft. If you want a change in our foreign policy, isn't it time the American people put someone in the White House known for his good judgment and coolness under fire? Vote Barack Obama for President."

[Stop Cornyn]

9. Those voters who say they would vote for McCain over Obama based on foreign policy issues will not

flip flop no matter who Obama and McCain pick as their running mates. This will be a domestic agenda/reform election. If the election is all about foreign affairs, Obama's VP choice is not going to help him.

McCain's whole long-shot strategy is to turn this election into a referendum on foreign affairs experience; by picking a "foreign affairs guru," Obama would frame the election exactly as McCain would have it framed.

[polichick]

13. Unfortunately, Barack's trip overseas did nothing to reassure voters...

...who are concerned about foreign threats ~ that's why the campaign has to look at this now. There are a lot of people who like the change idea, but need to know that he has experienced people around him. With Russia flexing its muscles, the fear factor is front and center again.

[Skwmom]

3. Obama/Schweitzer, but I'd also be happy with Obama/Webb.

[DebbieCDC]

5. Schweitzer would be my choice!

I lived briefly in Montana in 2006. Great Dem governor -- good ideas on energy, an engineer who worked in Saudia Arabia, I think he even speaks some Arabic. And he really does ride a horse. Boy, can you see the campaign video? Shrub walking around his "ranch" with McInsane in a suit and tie (or better yet, that hard-working sleeve rolled up "look") and next you see Schweiter riding his horse and hearding cattle. That's Western state appeal.

[Radical Activist]

6. Good point. All good choices.

[KingFlorez]

8. He's going to pick someone who as a little bit of experience under their belt

All of these people aren't well known and haven't handled international issues or issues on a national level. Picking someone who is does not have some knowledge on these particular issues would only allow for the GOP to claim the ticket was unexperienced.

[Skwmom]

25. Oh yeah, those guys in Washington have done a bang up job of handling those international issues.

[AlinPA]

10. I think Schweitzer's help on gaining states is not confined to just MT;

he would help big time in ND, SD, CO, NM, AZ, IA, IN, OH, PA and even WVA (coal issue there). Rural people will like him because he knows their issues. (I had included NE in that list in an earlier post elsewhere, but was told by a NE democrat that there is no way NE would end up voting for a Democratic ticket)

[MercutioATC]

19. Exactly. He'd play BIG with our only weak demographic...rural America.

Plus, he comes with some on-the-ground experience working in the Middle East and a "20-years to foreign oil independence" plan.

[maui9002]

12. Judgment over experience

That's the key; I suspect Obama's team is struggling with the same issue. Do we select someone like Biden whose resume says "I've got the foreign policy experience" or someone like Schweitzer whose resume and personality says "I'm like one of you; I'm kind of overweight, I don't take myself too seriously, and I don't see why we can't solve some of the most important problems that face us with a little common sense, something that seems in short supply in Washington DC".

Kaine and Sebelius have remarkable resumes but I was underwhelmed by their responses to the SOTU addresses; recently, however, I thought Kaine shined during last Sunday's appearance on MTP with David Gregory. Schweitzer, while not an orator in Obama's class, would do extraordinarily well in interviews, talk shows, and during campaign stops.

I respect and admire Biden, and I'll support him if he's the VP. But I think Schweitzer would wow people after the initial shock of "who the hell is this guy" wears off.

[Hutzpa]

18. .

hmmmm......


:hi: Welcome to DU; the golden rule at DU is....when you see a newbie you welcome
them with warm hearts.

[Skwmom]

23. You can't hammer McCain on his stuck on stupid foreign policy when your VP pick is just as dumb.

[maui9002]

28. Well, I disagree, not just with your argument

but also with your premise. None of Kaine, Sebelius, or Schweitzer are dumb, and despite their perceived lack of experience in foreign affairs, I don't think picking them as VP would be a dumb pick. And the basis of hammering McCain on foreign policy is that his policies will lead to more of the same things we've experienced during the last eight years under Bush. The mistakes made by the Bush administatioin were not the result of a lack of experience but a lack of judgment and rigid adherence to neo-conservative ideology--picking Kaine, Sebelius, or Schwietzer (none of whom are Washington insiders) would enable Obama to continue pushing the change theme.

By the way, noone thought Bush lacked foreign policy experience when he ran for President; even though he was a two term Governor, I'll stack up the experience, judgment and knowledge of Kaine, Sebelius, and Schweitzer (especially Schweitzer, who spent 7 years in the Middle East and speaks ArabicBush) against Bush (and McCain, who would continue the "might makes right" policies favored by the Bush administration) in a foreign policy debate.

[medicswife]

15. We're talking Montana Governor Schweitzer, right? n/t

[MercutioATC]

20. Yes, Brian Schweitzer.

[Metric System]

17. Aren't Kaine's poll numbers as Governor on the decline? I thought I read that.

[scheming daemons]

21. Schweitzer is my favorite choice..... first ever Western on the Dem ticket as VP!

[JVS]

24. sounds good

[vinylsolution]

26. Brian Schweitzer is terrific, but....

... we need him to keep on winning the battle for hearts and minds here in the west.

Obama's VP pick should not be a state Governor. And that includes Ms. Sebelius of Kansas, who's also doing a great job.

[Skwmom]

27. Why not? Return common sense to Washington is LONG overdue.