I am firmly in the Jim Webb or Wes Clark for VP camp

[ruggerson]

either one's fine by me.

[Ninja Jordan]

1. What state can either bring to the table?

VA isn't going Hillary. I like Strickland from OH.

[Herman Munster]

4. says who?

the latest VA polls have hillary beating all republicans in VA>

[Ninja Jordan]

9. Not happening.

Bill couldn't even win VA. It is bluer nowadays, but not by that much. Webb only won there by one half percent. And this was with the dumbest, worst republican candidate possibly ever.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. Said dumb candidate was a previously popular incumbent with 10x as much money as Webb

And Webb had to overcome a complete lack of name recognition given that he'd never held elected office. Had Mark Warner run against Allen it would've been a cakewalk.

[Ninja Jordan]

14. It wouldn't have been a cakewalk either way. Allen self-destructed more than anything.

The Democratic candidate isn't winning Virginia. You can mark it down.

Picking off a state like OH (w/Strickland as the VP), or perhaps FL (w/Bob Graham as VP) makes more sense.

[BootinUp]

16. That was an unknown against an incumbent.

I actually give Hillary a 30-40% chance to win VA if she has a strong night. For some reason I feel very good about her chances overall, its probably because the Republics sound like a bunch of wackos so far.

[NOVA_Dem]

23. I tried to tell people that VA is not voting for Hillary Clinton

it won't matter who's on the ticket. I still wonder why Warner got out of the race b/c he would've been a sure bet for '08. Maybe Hillary "convinced" him not to stay in the race.

[skipos]

22. VP candidates usually get @ 5% boost in their homestate

Looking at the data...

VA '88: Bush + 12.79% Republican
VA '92: Bush + 9.94% Republican
VA '96: Dole + 10.48% Republican
VA '00: Bush + 8.54% Republican
VA '04: Bush + 5.74% Republican

we can see it is trending blue. If Mark Warner was on the ticket he would easily take it. Webb, who is not as popular as Warner would put it in play.

[Awsi Dooger]

28. I think it's more like 3 to 3.5 points

I know the recent average is higher, but that's somewhat skewed by a small state like Wyoming, and a state like Tennessee in '92 which had not had anyone on a national ticket in so long.

In 2004 I used 3 to 3.5 as a projection and that's exactly what Edwards was apparently worth in North Carolina, looking at those same partisan index numbers you used.

I agree with the summation. Warner at VP would put vital Virginia in our camp. With Webb it's a possibility.

Gore really blew it in '00 by avoiding Bob Graham. World history changes right there, with a simple strategic choice.

There wasn't a viable VP option from Ohio in '04 for Kerry.

[Ninja Jordan]

32. The fact that Hillary is the candidate erases any of that.

[BayouBengal07]

2. I like Wes Clark.

I've liked him since he ran in 2004. Military experience, smart, speaks like a dozen languages (the kiss of death in Red State America I know), and has administrative experience from his post as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Forces (badass title).

[emilyg]

12. So do I.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Both are fairly short, so that's good for the Veep. I prefer Clark. nt

[daninthemoon]

5. Did you see Wes Clark on Bill Maher Friday? He wasn't his usual

brilliant self, and kind of left me disappointed. Jim Webb would be a gift to anyone's campaign.

[gateley]

7. I was uncomfortable with some of his statements. I was disappointed, too. nt

[rwheeler31]

10. I do not want a military guy in that position.

[jmp]

17. That makes 2 of us.

Military officers make me nervous. There's too many years of brainwashing involved in the process.

[jmp]

6. No thanks!

Especially with Webb.

[Gman]

8. I like Bill Richardson

for the slam-dunk on the Hispanic vote.

[JDPriestly]

13. We need Jim Webb in the Senate.

[daninthemoon]

15. Good point. Is it standard for all states that the governor would

install a senator to finish a term if a senator moved on to veep? We can't afford to risk any seats. Besides, Jim Webb is certainly an important voice right where he is.

[OHdem10]

18. Both Excellent--we need Jim Webb in Senate. Clarke will

do a fine job as VP

[wiseguy182]

19. Webb and Clark and other thoughts

I like Webb, especially after he helped us get rid of George Allen, but he's too new to politics and is too robotic sounding to make him a veep candidate.

Clark has a similar problem, too new to politics, never held elected office.

But they would both be great Cabinet pics.

The governor of Virginia is a Democrat, so if Webb got promoted, I don't think we'd have to worry about losing that seat.

Strickland was just a House rep last year, so it may be risky to go for this huge of a promotion (VP) this soon.

What about Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, yeah he's kind of conservative, but if he can carry Florida...

[TwilightGardener]

20. I'll say this again: Webb is on wife #3--why give up a big advantage

over Rudy by picking a VP with the same problem?

[w4rma]

21. Webb is to important to Virginia to let him get smeared in a national campaign. (nt)

[wiseguy182]

24. Evan Bayh

I think Indiana senator Evan Bayh should be considered. He has the experience of both governor and senator, and might flip Indiana, which would normally be out of play for us. I believe it has 9 electoral votes.

[JTFrog]

29. No thanks.

I wouldn't vote for a guy who wants to send my kids off to war while he stays home and fights the big battle against video game violence. Ass backwards thinking there.

I thought the Dems were going to stop the wars after being put in the majority. It's the only reason I voted a straight D ticket in 2006. Bayh, Clinton and Lieberman are all birds of a feather. And those birds are hawks.

[CK_John]

25. We need a Gov for VP, K Sebelius. n/t

[DFW]

26. To several points made here

I agree that Webb is too important to the Senate to have him
leave. As for his personal life, there is one major difference
to Giuliani's situation. I have never met Webb's first wife, but
I have met his second wife, and spoken with her for a while.
She is not only on good terms with her ex, but goes to his rallies,
lives nearby, and their kids feel the same way. I don't know what
it was that caused them to get divorced (his third wife is not only
bright but absolutely stunning as well--I could speculate endlessly).
Contrast this with Giuliani, whose relations with his former partners
can be accurately described as somewhat less than cordial, and that
goes for at least some of his children. Webb has the enthusiatic
support of his kids and at least one ex. I think the contrast,
especially if Giuliani is the Republican nominee, would be devastating
for the other side if they brought it up.

The physical stature of both Webb and Clark is, I think, of no significance.
Don't tell me Cheney brought stature to the office. Webb and Clark
are both amazing intellects, probably surpassing that of any of our
potential nominees, with the possible exception of Obama, and would
both add to a Democratic ticket. All in all, I feel that if it will
be one of the two, that Wes Clark would be more to our advantage, as
he would bring higher credentials to the campaign--not a qualification
as VP, but a necessary qualification as a candidate--and would be able
to hit the ground running as the next president's point man on foreign
policy, and not need time to establish his bona fides.

[wiseguy182]

27. Hillary & Wes Clark

I believe both Hillary and Wes Clark are from Arkansas, so there is great potential to get back that state if that's the ticket. I believe they have 6 electoral votes.

[Tom Rinaldo]

30. General Clark plans to blog at Daily Kos on Tuesday, October 30th at approximately 1PM EDT / 12N CDT

You will be able to locate his blog easily via his personal user page: http://www.dailykos.com/user/uid:61913


The above notice is posted at Clark's Web Site this morning.

[sampsonblk]

31. Clark