Obama Veepstakes Poll

[nomorewhopper]

wish you could have more slots in the poll, so here's some more options:

Evan Byah - US Senator, Indiana. Former Indiana Governor
Ed Rendell - Governor of Pennsylvania, former Mayor of Philadelphia
Brian Schweitzer - Governor of Montana
Katherine Sebilius - Governor of Kansas
Tom Vilsack - Former Governor of Iowa

[mystieus]

1. Kathleen Sebelius

[onehandle]

15. No. She has an excellent chance of taking retiring Senator Brownback's seat.

I want that seat in Democratic hands.

[Hola]

2. Clinton or Webb

Would be happy with either. But Clinton has to want it, can't have Obama asking and then being turned down.

AFAIK Strickland has said he is not interested.

[MADem]

3. None of the above. NT

[high density]

4. ABC.

[saltpoint]

5. Will accept Senator Obama's decision.

But if he phones me to weigh in, I'd have him consider the people on your list, minus Rendell, Vilsack, Petreus, and Clinton, and would add names like Bill Bradley and Tom Harkin.

Although RFK Jr endorsed Hillary Clinton, I think that would be a stunning choice and shattering to the Pukes.

If she were interested in the job, RFK Jr's cousin Caroline would be even stronger.

[rucky]

30. Yep. I'm not losing a wink over this flap.

[ShortnFiery]

6. I have to ask: What is this "love fest" with Wes Clark all about?

I just don't get it. :shrug:

[tokenlib]

14. Have you taken the time to learn about Clark??

His resume is impressive. He is progressive on many issues. He is a lot more than just a retired general. As Supreme Comander of NATO--he interacted with foreign leaders, he has taught economics,he has worked tirelessly for democratic candidates the past 4 years.

I think Clark would be an asset for going after the waste and screwy priorities in the military budget.

[nomorewhopper]

17. i think he looks great on paper

but he seemed to fizzle out during the last campaign

i suppose i should take a second look

[tokenlib]

18. The media tended to ignore him during his campaign in 2004...n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

35. Added Benefit: He's a FOB (Friend of Bill)

Clark was born in Arkansas and he and the Clinton's go way back. Clark on the ticket is a way to woo Clinton voters without having Hillary on the ticket. He's also a white male and, I hate to say it, would do the ticket a lot of good in the swing states (OH, PA, FL, WI).

[nichomachus]

7. He needs balance

The VP spot is about balancing the ticket. Obama needs a white male, with foreign policy experience and military experience, someone with name recognition but not too much baggage, someone from the Hillary camp, but not too closely identified with the Clinton years.

That would all point to Wes Clark.

[Lena inRI]

16. Excellent summary, nichomachus. . .

. . .since I worked hard for Clark in 2004 and became one of his RI delegates, I would like to add that Clark and Obama sound remarkably alike on most issues. .

. . .OBAMA and CLARK are KINDRED SPIRITS

OBAMA/CLARK 2008

:loveya: :kick: :loveya: :kick: :loveya:

[TahitiNut]

24. The (symbolic) "cosmetics" are not to be ignored, either.

A northern black and a southern white. Clark is a Rhodes scholar and Obama is Harvard Law. Clark would influence the Pennsylvania-Ohio "patriot belt" enormously. Clark's experience with NATO and high popularity in Europe cannot be dismissed. Clark and Obama seem to have a very similar intellectual approach ... so the 'bandwidth' of their coordination and communication should be quite decent. It may boil down to "chemistry" - and it might be there.

I'm NOT inclined to favor former career military blindly. The nature of their service and experience is critical. (NO stand-off "flyboy" flag officers - ground-pounders only.)

[Spazito]

32. Add to that he is a southerner from Arkansas, another plus imo n/t

[mmonk]

8. Sebelius. She is one of the most mentioned by people handicapping

the VP race.

[newmajority]

31. But that alone is a good reason for her not to be the VP candidate.

Considering that's exactly what Cheney did, it would be a bad precedent to follow.

Not that I'm comparing her and The Dick at all, of course. But it still wouldn't be a good way to represent "Change", by doing business the way they did.

Clark is looking more like a logical choice, because as we saw even yesterday, Grandpa McLoon and the Repukes are going to play up his military credentials. Yeah, it's blatant hypocrisy, given that they have stood behind a cowardly Chimp who deserted the National Guard during the Vietnam War, and helped that deserting coward trash the record of numerous Vietnam vets in the 2000, 2002, and 2004 elections, starting with McCain himself, ironically enough. Then moving on to trash Al Gore, Max Cleland, and John Kerry.

If Clark was on the ticket, it may well take that issue off the table. Or if it's not, let the General fire back.

[pbca]

9. Kathleen Sebelius

I don't think Edwards or Gore are interested and Obama has already said NO to Clinton

[cloudythescribbler]

10. Barbara Boxer, possibly Sebelius or Stabenow ... SHOULD BE A WOMAN NOT HILLARY ...

And hopefully, whoever it is should NEVER have supported the Iraq War Resolution back when (this isn't the only litmus but it is an obvious one that would eliminate many otherwise possible contenders). (I would hope that the VP nominee would also be, eg, pro-choice, at least as strong as Obama on the Greenhouse Effect issue, not have a lot of baggage or high popular negatives, be highly competent, etc)

[nomorewhopper]

11. interesting, wonder if HRC would support the ticket if BO picks a Female Veep

I like Sebelius for all the reasons you mention above.

obama has some things to think about regarding foreign policy/military. on one hand, he opposed the war from the beginning which is a huge plus, on the other hand he is considered to be inexperienced in foreign policy affairs and has never served in the military

[cloudythescribbler]

20. Barbara Boxer meets BOTH criteria -- voted NO on IWR AND LOTS AND LOTS of foreign policy resume ...!

plus she's very popular w/low negatives other than from the right, nondivisive, and AFAIK, not weighted down with any baggage.

Both in terms of the PRESIDENCY AND in terms of a CANDIDATE, I think she'd be great.

Sen Stabenow also voted no on IWR, and has foreign policy background, but not as much as Boxer. Stabenow might conceivably help a lot with the proverbial "non-latte" "non-liberal" Democrats, including women in that category. But on balance, I think Boxer the better choice.

Incidentally, Richardson ALSO has a strong foreign policy background, and would boost the ticket, likely, MUCH more than, eg, Biden, in my arrogant opinion.

I still prefer Boxer, or Sebelius, or Stabenow or Napolitano -- it's really time to have a woman not only on a ticket, but hopefully on a WINNING ticket.

[femmedem]

12. Feingold.

Edited to add: I see I'm not the only one thinking along these lines:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4723399

and

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/14/0344/63006/455/515166

[Alexander]

19. Seconded. Obama-Feingold would win in a landslide.

[Cant trust em]

13. Ed Rendell is a hell no.

You can't be critical of Obama the way he was and be attached to Obama in the GE.

[liberaldem4ever]

23. I agree with you about Ed Rendell

I don't know why he is even being considered at all. There are lots of reasons why, but the main thing to me is he is not trustworthy at all. He seemed to kind of disappear from Hillary's campaign all of a sudden, didn't he?

[DainBramaged]

21. No women (I don't count Hillary, she is an extension of Bill)?????

[liberaldem4ever]

22. I used to hear about Anthony Zinni as a VP possibility for Obama

But I haven't heard his name mentioned in a long time. Does anybody know why-did something happen with him? I picked Bill Richardson in the poll, but there are a lot of good choices. :)

[onehandle]

25. He endorsed Bush in 2000 and suddenly withdrew from an effort to run him as a Senator.

Says he'll never run for office.

The Bush endorsement is an automatic no in my book.

[liberaldem4ever]

26. Didn't know that-thanks!

No wonder he is out of the discussion for VP. Anybody who endorsed Bush is an auto NO for me too. That's bad judgment for sure! UGH. :thumbsdown:

[Eurobabe]

27. Biden. Webb, Clark: in that order

[underpants]

28. No call yet

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6090963&mesg_id=6090963

[BlooInBloo]

29. Schweitzer.

[cliffordu]

33. Webb was also a ground pounder in the Marines, wasn't he??

[demokatgurrl]

34. Sebelius or Napolitano

calm down the bitter hard-working white women a bit.

[ccharles000]

36. Hillary.