question about the timing of VP announcement: if Obama doesn't announce this week, he

[BklynChick]

would have to wait until after the Olympics, right? That would be around the 23/24 just right before the Convention. Is there a good reason to wait until then?

[JerseygirlCT]

1. Well, it could make the convention quite exciting

couldn't it? Imagine the announcement coming during the convention? That would keep the attention focused on the Dems pretty heavily.

And then there'd need to be all the chit-chat about the pick - which would then come during the GOP convention - which, let's face it, doesn't have nearly the excitement factor to begin with.

I could see how they might be thinking about something like that.

[gateley]

2. Maybe he hasn't really decided yet. It's a tough decision. nt

[KittyWampus]

35. "it's a tough decision" LOL! that made me laugh as it seems like an understatement

[freesqueeze]

3. Is there a good reason?

sure, the GOPeople will have to go straight to tearing down Obama and skip the two weeks of attacking his veep choice...who'll probably remind everyone of petulant celebrity sluts anyway.

[FrenchieCat]

4. I think that he should announce at the convention, personally.

That will give him a giant bounce that would make the McCain camp hard pressed to compete with that news.

Plus, it will give the MSM less time to vilify whomever is selected, because you know they will.

[napi21]

5. That would also do something else. If Barack announces VP at the

Convention, that would force McNuts to wait until HIS convention to do the same! If McNuts announced his pick while the Dems were holding their convention, his news would be LOST! I think both candidates are waiting to see who the other one choses. We'll see who wins the standoff.

[mcctatas]

6. Surely you jest....

the liberal media would never dare to vilify the veep choice of "the one" :rofl:

I agree, I think he should wait until the convention too...

[highplainsdem]

7. If the running mate he announces is anyone except HRC, how enthused do you expect her delegates

to look and act at the convention?

If he's going to choose anyone except HRC, it's a huge mistake to wait till the convention.

Do you think the MSM will ignore the disappointment among Clinton supporters if someone else is announced as his running mate then? I don't. And the story line will be, "Obama chooses ________, Clinton supporters unhappy." I wouldn't count on much of a bounce from the convention if that happens.

If he's going to choose someone else, and he wants Clinton's supporters to have accepted that so they can at least feign enthusiasm for his choice, he needs to announce it as soon as possible before the convention. And with the Olympics so close, he's running out of time.

[FrenchieCat]

8. I expect that a whole of them have gotten over the news that Hillary

most likely will not be VP.

We are talking about the National Democratic Convention, not graduation from the 8th grade class.

[highplainsdem]

10. Yes, we're talking about delegates who will have seen the polls showing she'd be the strongest

running mate for Obama. Do you expect them to cheer wildly for a weaker one? Especially if they initially supported her in the primaries? They'll know very well any other choice will hurt our chances of taking back the White House.

[FrenchieCat]

22. Well, guess they weren't going to be happy no matter what.....

I don't know what to expect from people who are more vested in a person than in the issues.

[polmaven]

31. You are so right!

Thank you, FrenchieCat.

That poster doesn't give us (Clinton supporters) much credit! We are not immature, pouty children. We are proud to have supported Senator Clinton in the primaries. We will defend her against what we see as unfair, often childish and, yes, often sexist attacks. We are first and foremost Democrats, though, and support the Party's nominee.

I am not a delegate to the convention, but I talk regularly with 2 or 3 who are/were pledged Hillary delegates. What they hope for at the convention is unity. That should be what everyone here wants as well.

That does NOT mean throwing Senator Clinton out of the party, as some people on this board would like to see, but it does mean supporting Senator Obama, unquestioned now as the Party's nominee for President, and doing so enthusiastically. It also means supporting HIS choice for Vice President.

[DFLforever]

27. You've made a very important point.

If HRC is not going to be VP, they can't go into the convention with nearly half the delegates thinking she might be. It would create an uproar.

But I'm thinking it might be possible to announce the week before the convention, even if the Olympics are still ongoing.

[polmaven]

33. Give us a break!

The HRC delegates going to the convention are ADULTS. They are also DEMOCRATS! There won't be any "uproar" with delegates stomping their feet and whining about the VP choice.

Unlike many people here, anyone who is willing to spend the kind on money it actually takes to be a Convention delegate is politically astute enough to know that the VP will be chosen by the nominee. Not by themselves.

If there is any perceived attack on Hillary, you may see some kind of protest about that, but not choosing her as VP will not be seen as an "attack". I am quite sure as well, though, that the "original" Obama supporters at the Convention will be childish enough to allow any overt attacks toward Hillary to take place.

I think we will see a united Democratic Convention.

Please give up the notion that HRC supporters are whiny, pouty children. That is demeaning and offensive.

[book_worm]

18. I agree it would be fun and add suspense if he did it at the convention.

[polmaven]

34. You bet it would!

:thumbsup:

[Kdillard]

9. I think the only press Obama wants to get this week is for

his ideas on the economy and what he can do for people in Indiana. He wants to then go on vacation with his family and get well deserved rest. Hopefully the Olympic buy will have been worth it and he can get a bounce without saying anything before the convention. Competing with the Olympics for attention would be a mistake. Better to make it a few days before or at the end of the Olympics perhaps the 23rd or 24th and have hopefully pages of good publicity leading up to the convention so that it will have more impact. If Obama choses well and has chemistry with his running mate the campaign can generate fresh enthusiasm among voters.

[nsd]

12. The Olympics closing ceremony is Aug. 24. The convention starts Aug. 25.

Waiting until after the Olympics is the same as announcing during the convention. Obama might do that, but I'd think it would be wiser to announce beforehand, so that the VP is a separate story from the convention and to preempt any shows of disappointment from delegates whose favored candidate wasn't picked.

[Cha]

20. You make

excellent points, kdillard.

[cbc5g]

11. It might be this week but maybe not..there are good points and bad for both

in choosing next week he gathers enthusiasm going into the olympics...he can use his new VP in the Olympics ads and during that time we can see how the Republicans will define the new VP, but they won't have much media attraction because of the Olympics. It also shows that Obama is continuing to lead this political race and McCain is following.

in choosing at the Convention he gathers huge excitement for the convention, and, if McCain is waiting to see who Obama has for VP in choosing his VP then he will only have a few days to do it after the Dem Convention. It nullifies his strategy time in figuring who would be the best answer to Obama's choice. In order for this to work Obama and his team has to be VERY tight lipped leading up to it because you know McCain is probably listening in to everything the Obama campaign says through Bush government spying. I hope he is taking precautions.

[Motown_Johnny]

13. OR... it is the only news that can cut through Olympic coverage. So you announce in the middle of it

[book_worm]

14. Why not that is when most VP's are announced. Kerry is the only one

I can remember who announced it three weeks before the convention. Why are people so impatient?

[BklynChick]

16. isn't it obvious... we have NO life!

[FrenchieCat]

25. Speak for yourself, I'm more than busy writing to all of the asshat reporters

as it is. LOL!

[Muttocracy]

15. Calendar dates I looked up - wonder where it will fit in:

Olympics Aug 8-24

Dem convention Aug 25-28

Rep convention - Sep 1-4

Debate 1 - Sep 26

VP Debate - Oct 2

Debate 2 - Oct 7

Debate 3 - Oct 15

[Catchawave]

19. This week for sure....

and definitely before the convention....doesn't the VP have that speech to give :D

Since his favorite network, NBC is going to be all over the Olympics like white on rice from 8-8-08 til 8-24-08, that's a consideration too. China is going to be a bigger story than American Politics! Plus BO's $5 million ad buy, he'll be around :)

Besides, Obama can pass the media baton to his Veep choice, and take a little break during the Olympics.

[Olney Blue]

17. I think he should choose Joe Biden NOW and unleash his attack dog.

:think:

[Muttocracy]

23. then you'll enjoy this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6582088

[Olney Blue]

28. Thanks! I had missed it.

:hi:

[nsd]

21. How important are the Olympics in determining the VP timing?

Obama has three choices: (1) announce next week (Aug. 4-7), (2) announce during the Olympics (Aug. 8-24), and (3) announce at the convention (Aug. 25-28).

Do people think the Olympic games will soak up so much news coverage that Obama would necessarily work around them?

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. He should announce at InvesCo, during his acceptance speech.

If you want Hollywood, there it is.

[nsd]

26. He can't do that.

The VP nominee has to be approved by the convention delegates (by roll call or voice vote). Obama's speech at Invesco closes out the convention.

[scheming daemons]

29. Unless he has mastered time travel, and can announce on Thursday who is speaking on Wednesday.......

:eyes:

[Alter Ego]

30. It would be a cruelty to his supporters to make them piss themselves waiting.

He should announce soon, because when the Olympics begin nothing else will matter.

[TheBigotBasher]

32. Why

should he announce before the convention? The Convention is a show case and the importance of a good convention generating positive news stories (including the discussion of his VP pick) cannot be over stated.