Handicapping the race for Vice President may seem a bit premature, given the neck-and-neck race for President in the Democrat party. But then again, everything about this race has been "premature;" from its start more than a year and a half ago, to the Republicans having their nominee before this summer's convention in New York.
However the maneuverings for the 2d place on each of the tickets has begun; do not kid yourselves for one moment. While the conventional wisdom states "no one runs for the office of Vice President," in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
This is especially true of the Republicans during this election season.
Former Governor/Reverend Michael Dale Huckabee (a.k.a. "The Huckster") is still running in the Republican primaries, despite the fact that he has no chance, politically, mathematically, or in reality of getting his party's nomination.
So why is Michael Dale still running just as hard as ever?
Simple; John McCain is having trouble convincing conservatives he is the "real deal," and The Huckster, who is also pretending to be a conservative himself, has one important primaries in the South.
Other potential running mates are Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (he has been a tireless campaigner for Senator McCain), and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
On the Democrat side, the picture does not appear to be as clear, given the propinquity of Senators Clinton and Obama to each other in the delegate count, and in the polls.
However, if conventional wisdom is any guide, we fully expect the "Super-delegates," or the "party establishment" to give the nomination to Mrs. Clinton if this race remains tight right up to the convention. Barring any unforeseen illness, or gaffes, Senator Clinton will carry the Democrat party's standard in the General Election next fall. The "powers-that-be" will choose the vastly more experience candidate to go against Senator McCain.
Senator Obama is frequently mentioned as Mrs. Clinton's obvious choice for a running mate; a veritable "dream-team" ticket that would be historic in its makeup. However the presence of two minorities on the ballot would be problematic for the Democrat party.
For this reason, I believe Senator Clinton will turn to retired NATO Commander General (and fellow Arkansan) Wesley Clark to be her running mate.
General Clark is a geographic/gender balance to the ticket. He also gives Mrs. Clinton a "soldier" she can run with to counter Senator McCain's "war hero" narrative that he most certainly will try to capitalize on.
General Clark gives Hillary "street cred" with National Security, and it would bolster her image against charges that she would be unable to handle the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that she is anti-military.What say you, Gatherites?
Huckabee Begins Campaign for VP Slot
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=103004.85748.115146
Will Wes Clark be Hillary's VP?
http://politicalchase.com/2007/09/15/will-wes-clark-be-hillarys-vp/
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Comments: 57
He is a white guy, a military guy, and a Southern guy. A veritable "Electoral-Trifecta!"
Vice President Wesley K. Clark?
I am counting her in on that. Do you, or anyone else, honestly think the Democrat Party is going to nominate Barack H. Obama? Those "super-delegates" will fall in line to Hillary Clinton, the establishment candidate at the convention, and this thing will be over. Obama won't see the nomination.
running for VP the way Nixon did w/Ike back in '52. He's
disingenuous like Nixon is, and ole Hucky is rumored to be
as thin-skinned as they come.
Sounds like Nixon's doppleganger to me...
New York City suffered the onslaught of the science-deprived, triumphalist, hate-mongers in 2004.
The visit was made tolerable only by the clever stories told about them, and the jokes made at their expense.
I am collecting the idiotic predictions made by clueless Republicans in this election year.
So far, we have Don H. and Dana loudly trumpeting the inevitability of the pandering flip-flopper, Romney.
There is also the science-impaired Isaac, who foresees a big Republican sweep in November.
This is too priceless.
Wrong. Huckabee needs 957 of about 1125 remaining delegates to win the nomination. Unlikely, but not mathematically impossible. I guess you didn't bother checking the facts.
I don't know that McCain will feel any compulsion to name Huckabee. My opinion here, but that simple act could guarantee that McCain loses in November. He needs to move to the center for the general election, not jerk violently to the right.
McCain does not need to "move to the center," because he is already there! HELLO!!
McCain does not stand a snowball's chance in hell in winning in November if he cannot win in the Southern Baptist Southeast; not exactly a bastion of "centrism."
But, hey, this is America. Believe whatever foolishness you want.
come november you'll have a choice of hillary clinton on the left, or john mccain in the center/slightly to the left. that's it! the only choice you have until the next election; which, if it is not better than this one, i'm going to pray for Jesus Christ to come back and end this mess.
It's what we do.
I only commented on the Republican side, because I doubt your scenario about the top spot for the Democrats. Because both Democratic candidates have shown they can win in ALL regions of the country, McCain should choose wisely. Picking a homophobic, xenophobic, flat tax nut case would not bolster his cause.
Great, Lord Peter. I'll be stopping by periodically to catch up. I don't envy you the task, though. It's like Roger Ebert having to sit through bad movies just to file a review. Ouch!
Also, isn't this true?... Mike doesn't need a majority of the delegates before the convention? He only needs to keep McCain from getting the magic number -- 1191?. Because if McCain doesn't, then there's still potential for other decisions to be made at the convention, right? I'm actually not sure.
I can't see McCain picking Huckabee. McCain has a chance of picking up a lot of Independent voters in the general election, especially if Clinton is the Democratic nominee. Independents will likely not vote for a ticket with such a religious bent after 8 years of Bush & Co. Frankly, if conservatives don't vote for McCain than the Republicans don't deserve to keep the Presidency.
I also don't see Wesley Clark as VP for Hillary. She doesn't really need a military man in her corner since she is being accused of supporting Iraq too much already.
But, Wesley Clark might be an interesting VP choice for Obama if he becomes the Democratic nominee.
Wesley Clark, he's a good man though.
You have some good points but:
* I think Schmuckabee ...
* mccain in the center/slightly to the left.
*A guy whose name is "Wimsey" is going to call people "idiotic."
Dave A.
> Picking a homophobic, xenophobic, flat tax nut case would not bolster his cause.
Nice summation of Huckabee. The Christian wacko right, and the Anti-war wacko left both have some tiny number of points where they are right, but they don't help the country and should stop having such a huge effect on the country.
If there was a way for both parties to move towards the center start dealing with issues instead of letting their extreme sides yell at each other holding the rest of the country hostage we might be able to solve some of our problems.
Vice President Wesley K. Clark
This is too priceless.
Either you think "Wimsey" means something that it doesn't or you are "idiotic" and just helping to prove Peter's point- perhaps both, because that statement makes no sense whatsoever.
Evan Byah for the Dems
The Democratic race is far too close to call at this point with Barak doing far better at this point than I had anticipated. If he continues to roll up high percentage wins he will be choosing the VP candidate.
I can't believe that McCain would choose Huckabee. Too much liability there due to the religious factor. Democrats would love to run against a ticket where one of the candidates had proposed changing the Constitution to comply with "God's laws!"
And I can't see Condi as a vice presidential candidate under McCain either. Were Obama the candidate on the Democratic side, her choice would be far too transparent. Condi has some experience but none of it domestic. She'd be an unqualified candidate.
I think McCain does not like Christian righties, but if his "Spidey-senses" tell him that he's going to be in deep doo-doo in the states the Schmuck-ster won recently in the "Southern Baptist SE," McCain is such a craven political animal, he'll hold his nose and pick Hucky if it means getting those states.
Otherwise, I see him taking Charlie Crist or Tim Pawlenty. Pawlenty has been piling up frequent flier miles campaigning for the job...er...uh...I mean campaigning for McCain and McCain and he seem to get along. Hucky would be like Ike nominating Nixon; getting a VP you don't personally care for. McCain's ego is not that strong. He needs adoration. Not that Pawlenty is a syncophant/bad guy. I just think John wants someone he likes and Crist and Pawlenty would be more to his liking.
Those who think Condi would be VEEP have been playing too much fantasy football. She's got too much money to make in the private sector/academia to consider a job that ain't "worth a pitcher of warm spit."
Thanks for stopping by!
Obama, needs someone who can win the middle. Obama, being one of the most liberal voting members of the Senate, needs someone more centerist. The political left will follow him like lemmings, they already are. Anyone who supports Hillary will have no problem voting for Obama, but that's still only 35% of the poplulation. How are you going to win the other 15%?
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Write on the ballot all day and it will not even be looked at! If you don't put in a vote those counting thousands of these things, when it is done by humans, have seen write ins for donald duck, yellow dog and other brilliant statements. They don't have time to tally the non voters. Please vote, even if you vote against what I want!
Mitt Romney would be a reasonable VP for McCain if he wants him. You mention foreign powers, that will be McCain's job. The vice president in most administrations has really little to do. Cheney was the first to ever pull the strings on the president!
Keep your delusions to yourself please. If Obama is nominated we can know immediately McCain is the new President, and that the next Supreme Court nominees will be as terrible as the last 3. Obama has nothing, and the adults who will really vote know what.
As far as this Barack Obama business, this will prove to be nothing more than shining sunshine up the ass. He is all fluff. Nothing there but hot air and big teeth.
The 44th President of the United States
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
Does somebody want to tell me that the media doesn't have a negative influence? The Ohio Primary is already settled for Republicans.