The Denver convention nominee phones your house.

[saltpoint]

Currently there are 8 Democratic candidates. Some have withdrawn from consideration earlier this year. Others began campaigning and dropped out. Likely more will be eliminated as primary voters' choices winnow the field.

For purposes of this thread, the current eight candidates are not eligible to be nominated as our vice presidential candidate.

If the current eight are not in play as veep, who do you favor instead?

The Denver convention nominee one year from now phones your house and you get to choose. You don't know now who that nominee will be, but nevertheless, you have to choose a veep a year out from the convention.

Names below are possibilities. I list them alphabetically without regard to my preference or your preference. It's just a list. If your choice is someone else, answer with that choice, or choose a name from the list.

Senator Evan Bayh
Former Senator Bill Bradley
Former Senator John Breaux
Governor Phil Bredesen
Retired General Wes Clark
Former Senator Max Cleland
Former Senator Tom Daschle
Senator Dick Durbin
Governor Mike Easley
Senator Russ Feingold
Former Senator Bob Graham
Former Vice President Al Gore
Senator Tom Harkin
Former Senator Gary Hart
Former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptor
Attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Governor Janet Napolitano
Senator Bill Nelson
Governor Ed Rendell
Governor Brian Schweitzer
Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Governor Ted Strickland
Congressman Chris Van Hollen
Former Governor Tom Vilsack

[Vincardog]

1. Cobert

[saltpoint]

2. I'd listen to Colbert's press conferences any day of the week, any hour.

Dubya's are torturous and painful to listen to.

[Yael]

4. HA!

That would shake things up a bit.

:rofl:

[Yael]

3. Napolitano would be an interesting choice but

I would go for Feingold

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. Lots of good ones on the list, can't choose without knowing the Dem Nominee.

The VP should have strong skills where the Pres. is weak.

[saltpoint]

6. Agree that a good ticket-balancer would supplement the president's strengths.

Supplement/ shore up / bolster / etc.

[cloudbase]

7. I thought this might be a serious question,

but then I saw Sheila Jackson Lee as one of the choices, confirming that somebody has a great sense of humor.

[saltpoint]

8. May one presume from your answer that you would be less than

enthusiastic if she were to be nominated for vice president in Denver?

[cloudbase]

9. You can take that to the bank.

It's not some shot in the dark I'm taking. Prior to my retirement, I spent years on the Harris County (Houston) AFL-CIO Labor Council as a delegate and executive board member, and sat in on many of the political meetings. The woman was marginally qualified to sit on city council. I am completely unimpressed with her performance in congress. Of course, she couldn't be worse that the present VP, but he's not exactly the gold standard.

If you value your safety, don't get between Sheila and a camera.

[saltpoint]

12. Although it's true I don't have a thing against the woman, I also do not have

your observation angle and experience.

I won't challenge what you feel about SJL, but will say that in some of the hearings on C-Span I have been impressed with her. Again, not to pick a fight, but simply to admire something in her that is a gift I don't have.

I appreciate the input and the insider's glimpse, cloudbase.

[LWolf]

10. Here's my somewhat shorter list:

Barbara Boxer
Brian Schweitzer
Maxine Waters
Sheila Jackson Lee
Christine Gregoire

[saltpoint]

11. LWolf, you do females a worthy service by making most of your shortlist

choices women -- and strong women at that. Politics in the past has been such a boys club that it's refreshing to get some women on board.

Of your list I favor Boxer (I've loved her since forever) but feel that Schweitzer is no slouch and would help the ticket immensely too.

[LWolf]

13. I also favor Boxer.

She was my Senator until '05 when I moved out of the golden state, and if I were ranking them, she'd be first.

Schweitzer? He'd be a strong plus for any ticket, imo. I have to admit I'd like to see a woman in that spot this time around, but if not, he's the one!

[Hippo_Tron]

14. I'd give some serious consideration to Senator Sherrod Brown

Key swing state and would drive labor turnout. Biggest problem is that we'd be pulling him out of a senate seat just two years after he was elected.

[saltpoint]

15. Agree that he'd be great remaining in that Senate seat, but when he

whupped Mike DeWine a year ago, there was much jubilation among several Ohio Democrats we're still in touch with from long-ago Dayton-Cincinnati days.

[CK_John]

16. Governor Kathleen Sebelius is going to be Hillary's VP. n/t

[saltpoint]

17. It would be a breath-taking choice, and there'd be two women on our

ticket.

Sebelius is among my favorite Democrats. I voted more than once for her father, John Gilligan, in his Ohio career.

[MonkeyFunk]

18. Bet she won't

[CK_John]

19. She needs another woman to counter Lynne Cheney, who will be Mitt's VP choice else

she will be spending all her time fighting LC instead of Mitt. LC makes Dick C look like a nice guy. She is mean and good on the campaign trail.

Another practical reason would be to counter the Bill (alpha) male problem that any male VP would encounter.

[MonkeyFunk]

20. Lynn Cheney?

:rofl:

I thought Melinda Gates was going to be the VP nominee for the Republicans?

You do spend an awful lot of times coming up with extremely implausible scenarios.

[CK_John]

22. Melinda Gates will be used if Obama wins. John Roberts if Edwards wins.

Also I glad you are keeping track, so that you can verify my picks when they are selected.

[MonkeyFunk]

26. And if Richardson wins

they'll pick J-Lo; Biden, they'll pick Kerri Strug; Dodd, Mary Jane Watson; Kucinich, probably Princess Leia.

[saltpoint]

21. Just for the record, I'm not a huge fan of Lynn Cheney.

I don't think Satan could counter Lynn Cheney.

She's kinda in a league all by herself.

[CK_John]

23. She will be the link that keeps Mitt on the team. n/t

[saltpoint]

24. I see where you're coming from but man, that is a frightening combination.

Mitt Romney and Lynne Cheney.

Dear God.

[CK_John]

25. This is why I bring it up, so that we prepare. This gang will not go easily, and this election will

be one hell of a battle.