The Dream Mate


With the Democratic nomination close to being sewn up (despite some caterwauling from the peanut gallery), the pundits are engaging in their favorite national pastime — Vice Presidential Candidate Dream Date.

John McCain’s looking for a veep of his dreams. My money is on Mitt Romney as he is sucking up the hardest, per usual. He wants to be the new face of the Republican party and he’s willing to do, say, be anything to get it. His only caveats being he wants to stay a Mormon and keep his family. Everything else is negotiable.

Romney knows McCain might be a one-termer. What better way to launch your second presidential bid than after four years in the White House?

Of course, I don’t know what Romney brings to the ticket (Utah? Ann Coulter?), but Mike Huckabee’s too folksy and his other former opponents (Rudy, Tancredo, et al) are either heavily damaged or deranged. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is supposed to be in contention. But there’s still a grassroots campaign to draft Condoleezza Rice. I still think that would be an astronomical mistake, but hey, do it and surprise me, McCain.

As for Barack Obama, the pundits have been hitting the Hillary Clinton/John Edwards/Bill Richardson bong, ignoring some serious flaws in that logic.

1) Barack and Hillary hate each other.

2) Edwards was already a veep nominee for John Kerry in 2004.

3) Richardson got knifed up by Tim Russert on “Meet the Press.” Like damaged. Like fatally. I don’t trust that man’s stamina in front of the Washington press corps. Plus, people already struggle with Obama’s ethnicity. I don’t know if he can afford to add such a huge dollop of diversity on what is already a United Colors of Benetton ticket.

Other names being bandied about include: Sen. Christopher Dodd, Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Jim Webb and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius

I don’t know how I feel about any of those individuals as VP. I like Webb potentially because he’s a Vietnam War veteran, is intelligent and is a “no bullshit” guy when it comes to dealing with the press hacks. But I don’t know if he’s the perfect potential running mate.

A lot of people like Sebelius and she is more of a centrist, which makes her interesting, but hmm … I don’ t know. Her rebuttal to the president’s State of the Union Address was dullsville compared to Webb’s kick ass rebuttal the year before. I respect Dodd for being willing to do a one-man filibuster back in January to stop some bogus FISA crap going down. And Biden is great when he gets all pissed off, but sometimes he can be a little “flying from the seat of my pants” like.

So I’m stumped on the whole thing. I don’t know which flavor of veep I like: Old, white and male. Not-so-old, white and male. Used. Clintonian. White Female. Centrist. Angry Liberal. Southerner. Who would be your dream mate for Obama or McCain?

daniellebelton

13 responses to “The Dream Mate”

  1. Gracie B. Avatar
    Gracie B.

    Webb would be cool. I think Sen Evan Bayh would be wonderful – executive experience, centrist, young, good looking (once one of People’s 50 most beautiful people) wants to be president but keeps playing the waiting game so that other more public and glamorous people run. He’s also a Clinton supporter…so there’s some cross over. But I’m from Indiana, so I may be biased

    Reply
  2. K-Boog! Avatar
    K-Boog!

    That’s a good question, I’m leaning towards Jim Webb but only because of the timing and such. The only thing McCain has above repute is his military service. Jim Webb would be great because he is a veteran like McCain that won a great bi-;\partisan victory with his GI Bill that McCain opposed. Definitely should be strongly vetted as a possibility.

    Reply
  3. The Black Snob Avatar
    The Black Snob

    gracie b.: I checked out your Senator Bayh there and he doesn’t sound half bad! Former governor, current senator. He’s from one of those “amber waves of grain” states, like my Missouri. I’m sure he’d be helpful for Obama in the general and in the Midwest overall.k-boog!: It also doesn’t hurt that Webb is a southerner. Virginia is no Alabama, but a former rebel state is still a former rebel state. He might be of some use with that particular demographic. And I think Webb wants the job, even though he’s playing not-so-coy.

    Reply
  4. starrie Avatar
    starrie

    i know it won’t, or should i say can’t happen, but i will be so disappointed if there’s a obama/clinton ticket…

    Reply
  5. The Black Snob Avatar
    The Black Snob

    Keep the dream alive, starrie!Don’t stop believin’! LOL!

    Reply
  6. rikyrah Avatar
    rikyrah

    McCainCrist -George Hamilton Tan,Silver hair , never a one out of place AND SINGLE?nopeJindal -the GOP will NEVER turn the reigns over to a 36 year old INDIAN. PeriodRomney -THE CHOICE of the GOP Money people. BUT…the Evangelicals ‘ain’t feeling the Mormon’. Period. So, serious conflict between the GOP Money and the GOP Social Conservative Base, who wants its own boy- Huckabee- as the choice. But, Huckabee is an economic populist – which is HATED by the GOP Money Men.The Governor of Minnesota- but, he just dogged out his wife publicly on the radio.

    Reply
  7. AroundHarlem.com Avatar
    AroundHarlem.com

    I don’t know much about the other possibilities, but I like Bill Richardson.I know the “Benneton Ticket” would be a bit much for people, but I’m hoping that if Obama supporters trust his judgement in running mate should he decide to go that way.Lots of Americans say they want change and an Obama/Richardson would definitely be different.

    Reply
  8. The Black Snob Avatar
    The Black Snob

    rikyrah: I gather that to be McCain’s “Dream Mate” Crist would suddenly marry whatever woman he’ll say he’s allegedly been dating for several alleged years. I recall he was holding some woman’s hand when he left that courtship session with McCain a week ago.around harlem: I’m not going to lie to you — I don’t trust the American public’s commitment to change. I feel like they might want to go “half” on some change like Kells wanted to go “half” on a baby back in the day.But if for some reason McCain goes with Jindal or, heaven help us, Condi Rice, jump ball! America might come to its senses and pick a president using their brains, not just their gut that thinks the president should be your hunting buddy.

    Reply
  9. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    Both parties might want to strengthen their brand by picking someone with executive experience who’s young enough to run in 4 or 8 years. Two people who meet those standards are Mark Warner and Mark Sanford.

    Reply
  10. rikyrah Avatar
    rikyrah

    ObamaClinton? HELL NOWebb – I really like this possibility. Richardson -I’ve had so many electoral political fantasies about what an Obama/Richardson ticket could do. But, I don’t think large parts of America is ready for a Black AND Brown ticket…but, a girl can dream, can’t she? McCaskill – I switch between her and Sebelius, and I choose McCaskill because she’s been a stronger and more vocal ally of Obama’s. Bayh -1. I don’t want him to choose anyone who endorsed Hillpatine. 2. I’m still pissed over him trying to pimp Obama as an ‘elitist’. This spoiled, rich, ‘born on third base and thinks he hit a triple’ weenie who got EVERYTHING he’s ever had because of WHO HIS DADDY IS. Blech. The Governor of Montana – because he shows up on a lot of the Progressive blogs. The dude knows Arabic…I just think that’s cool. Um, nobody that ACTIVELY participated in racebaiting against Obama should remotely get consideration, so that would exclude Rendell of Pennsylvania, and knock out Strickland of Ohio, who stood behind Hillpatine like a dope as she went on her ‘ Shame on you, Barack Obama’ rant.

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  11. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    rikyrah,Kathleen Sebelius campaigned for Senator Obama in <A HREF="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/sebelius_obama_will_guide_economy“ REL=”nofollow”>North Carolina and <A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-03-09-mississippi_N.htm“ REL=”nofollow”>Mississippi and Ohio and Pennsylvania. What leads you to believe that Senator McCaskill has been a stronger supporter?

    Reply
  12. Ted Avatar
    Ted

    Here’s an important piece of advice: If it looks like it’s going to be McCain/Palin anyway (and that should be a “no brainer” for Team McCain), McCain should announce NOW or VERY SOON, rather than later towards the convention. There’s currently a growing chorus for Obama/Hillary (as VP) ticket (in fact the Dems are likely aware of the Palin phenomenon). If the GOP waits while movement for Hillary as VP grows — even worse until after it is solidified that Hillary will/could be VP pick — selecting Palin will be portrayed by Dems/liberal media more as a reaction by GOP selecting its own female (overshawdoing Palin’s own remarkable assets), rather than McCain taking the lead on this. Selecting Palin now or early (contrary to the punditocracy) will mean McCain will be seen as driving the course of this campaign overwhelmingly, and the DEMS will be seen as merely reacting. And, there’s absoultely no down-side to this because even if Hillary is a no-go as VP for Obama, the GOP gains by acting early. McCain the maverick. Palin the maverick. Do it now! There’s no reason, and actually substantial negative, in McCain waiting to see what the Dems do first insofar as his picking Palin as VP, because, no matter who Obama picks, Palin is by far (and I mean far) the best pick for McCain and the GOP, especially in this time of GOP woes. The GOP can be seen as the party of real ‘change’ (albeit I hate that mantra, change, change, bla bla), while not really having to change from GOP core conservative values, which Palin more than represents.In light of the current oil/energy situation, as well as the disaffected female Hillary voters situation, and growing focus on McCain’s age and health, Palin is more than perfect — now.(Perhaps Team McCain is already on to this.)

    Reply
  13. rikyrah Avatar
    rikyrah

    Palin is only 44 Years old. You can’t point to Obama’s youth as ‘lack of experience’ if you’re running with someone YOUNGER than Obama. She has 4 small children, one of whom has a handicap. Nope.Palin’s out.

    Reply

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