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May 09, 2008
More Veep Talk
Posted By Bob Cesca
This guy says that Senator Webb would be the best choice.
I'm not so sure I agree. Senator Webb is brand new to the Senate as of a year ago and despite his prior experience, he defeated George Allen by a very slim margin. I feel like we need Senator Webb in the Senate. Virginia is slowly turning blue, and Senator Webb is a big part of it.
The more I think about it, the more I believe Senator Obama needs to choose someone who is more liberal than he is. I hate to sound morbid, but he needs an insurance policy. Someone who makes the uber-loony wingnuts think twice about acting upon their Manchurian paranoia bullshit.
So if he can find a tough-talking populist anti-corporate liberal, he'll be better off. I'm actually thinking that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to pick John Edwards for the job. Sure he ran for the job four years ago, but so what?
May 9, 2008 12:49 PM | DIGG THIS
Comments
I could not agree more. I think Edwards would be a fantastic veep in a (hopefully) two-term Obama presidency. Then maybe, finally, he would be able to succeed Obama as president. It's going to take that long to correct our nation's course as it is considering all the deep damage Bush and Co. and have done.
Go, Barack, GO!
Posted by: jmrunning3
at May 9, 2008 01:17 PM
This is going to sound so racist, but why not Bill Richardson... Those same uber-loony wingnuts would fear a Mexican president would open the borders.
Posted by: Alaska
at May 9, 2008 01:29 PM
I agree with the Edwards assessment and had said as much soon after Edwards dropped out of the race.
As far as Richardson goes, I don't feel it would be as strong a ticket, and at the risk of sounding racist, it's going to be hard enough for "Joe White Midwest Average" to pull the lever for a black man, now he has to pull the lever for a darkie and a spic?! (I use that word kiddingly as I am a spic myself.) ;)
Posted by: Broadway Carl
at May 9, 2008 01:43 PM
It's not racist to be realistically concerned about possibilities. Racism is still very much alive and well in this country, and all it takes is one sufficiently bigoted asshole with an automatic rifle to negate the election.
Having someone even more scary to the rednecks and racists, who is poised to take over "in the event", is just good policy and good sense. That's the main reason why I've never dismisssed the idea of Hillary as an option for the #2 spot.
Posted by: bajasteve
at May 9, 2008 01:48 PM
Think about that for a minute...if you put HRC literally a breath away from the Presidency...do you honestly believe she would wait her turn? There are plenty of dark forces at work on both sides of the political spectrum, folks.
Webb has emerged over the last year as one of the few Democrats that will stand on principle. He's also well connected to the military backbone, which is going to be a vital connection given the amount of malignancy that has metastasized within the Pentagon in recent years.
As I've said before, Obama cannot select any VP with even a shoestring of a connection to partisanship, because those forces will set to work immediately to compromise that individual in any way necessary to preserve their own power base. Obama's going to have a massive assault coming at him from the establishment forces...giving them a back-channel into the White House would all but assure a coo.
Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie08
at May 9, 2008 02:13 PM
Wesley Clark....although if you want to go more liberal than Obama, which I doubt the Obama campaign will do as "liberal" is a dirty word (why??), there are many, many good people. My sentimental favorite is Jerry Brown - but there ain't a chance in hell of that happening.
Posted by: ceu
at May 9, 2008 02:41 PM
I agree, I think Edwards is the best choice. I like Edwards. I'm glad we have Webb here in VA, but he supported FISA, WTF?
Posted by: natashacrk
at May 9, 2008 03:27 PM
If Dems want to wage a big fight for the presidency -- and by big I mean major big guns blazing on both sides, the likes of which we have never before seen -- then Obama should do as Bob suggests and select a veep even more liberal than he is. Putting Bill Richardson or Edwards on the ticket is a sure signal to the right wingnuts that we're ready to play their game. Obama is all about changing the game rather than slugging it out the same old way. A Wesley Clark, who's been essentially out of the spotlight but enjoys a lot of respect all over the place, is progressive enough yet establishment enough to subdue the GOP attack dogs. People, we need to get our candidates focused on talking about the issues, like how to get out of Iraq, how to protect Israel while creating peace in the Middle East, how to strengthen the dollar, how to provide adequate health care for all while getting distrustful Americans to start thinking about more than just themselves, how to educate the kids so that they don't turn out as monumentally stupid as their parents, and how to install adequate controls on a financial system that in fact works best when market forces are allowed as much freedom as possible. It's not just the war, the economy, and our education, but it's DEFINITELY not just the gays, the guns, and God either.
Posted by: yeah right
at May 9, 2008 04:11 PM
carl: yes they will pull the lever for a darkie and spic because how long do you think the wingnuts would be able to restrain their racist ways?
Edwards is a nice choice but he's not exactly on Obama's side. Any other darkies out there?
Not Wesley Clark: he's a war criminal. Not Webb: VA needs him. Not Schweitzer because Western States are already going to vote Obama, even the repubs because they HATE McCain, especially here in Colorado.
Posted by: FrictionSoul
at May 9, 2008 05:19 PM
In terms of an insurance policy...how do you think the right wing nutjobs would react to the prospects of another President Kennedy?
Imagine Ted Kennedy as VP. That would be a pretty powerful, and somehow poetically just ticket.
Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie08
at May 9, 2008 06:06 PM
Oh, lord, LiveFree...can you imagine having to deal with the whole Mary Jo Kopechni tragedy agin? 'Cause have no doubt, it would be front and center in McCain's campaign.
Posted by: ceu
at May 9, 2008 07:30 PM
Wow you guys are stupid.
Edwards is a terrible choice. fop. seriously.
and I love John Edwards and Elizabeth, but, c'mon.
Barack needs a veep he can trust.. hmm.. someone to succeed after 2 terms.. maybe a woman.. hmm.. Michelle Obama!! I can hear the screeching already.
That would be bold. The guy has a sense of humor, ya know.
Posted by: MelodyMaker
at May 10, 2008 04:26 AM
but seriously, it has to be a white guy. I say it's Hagel. Or McCain. seriously, ha!, Sebelius. Almost as weird a name as Obama. and btw, wtf is up with Kansas? Still?
Posted by: MelodyMaker
at May 10, 2008 04:37 AM
I think he probably needs someone like Dodd or Biden to balance out the ticket. Either of them is equal to McCain in the "experience" department and have strong foreign policy credentials. I dont think Edwards ego would allow him to accept it for a 2nd time.
Posted by: cminri
at May 10, 2008 08:44 AM
I think he probably needs someone like Dodd or Biden to balance out the ticket. Either of them is equal to McCain in the "experience" department and have strong foreign policy credentials. I dont think Edwards ego would allow him to accept it for a 2nd time.
Posted by: cminri
at May 10, 2008 08:45 AM
Although my heart believes Richardson would be an awesome Veep, I agree that the racism rearing its ugly head here in the US is too chancy.
As far as Webb, let's let him work his magic in the Senate for awhile - we NEED him there.
My vote is for Wesley Clark - if for no other reason than to take the steam out of Mr. I-was-a-Pow which qualifies me to be President's current campaign.
McCain's marbles are out of his bag - he's WAY too old (and that's not ageist, it's based on what I see and hear him doing) - he's a very sick man (malignant melanoma may metastasize and he's had FOUR surgeries). I don't think he's even sane at this point.
Wesley Clark would take the wind out of his sails.
Posted by: basheert
at May 10, 2008 11:28 AM
So the logic is that it's more important to protect a Senate seat than the Presidency? Really?
This is a once in a lifetime shot for we the people to take back our government. This VP pick is essentially a mini-election, because if it's done right we're setting the course of the country for the next 16-24 years. There'll be plenty of opportunities to fill Senate seats. Let's keep our eyes on the big picture, eh?
Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie08
at May 10, 2008 12:33 PM
Let's go in a completely different direction on this for a moment...
Bob Graham would carry Florida for Obama, and fits the whole post-partisan profile. He also knows where a ton of skeletons are buried if we'd like to hand him a shovel. After Obama's 1st term Graham retires, leaving open the VP slot to be filled by some new face that we will all be buzzing about 2-3 years from now.
So, we cover the current hand-wringing over balancing the ticket, and still get a solid path to extending the influence of the party beyond the Obama Administration.
Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie08
at May 10, 2008 12:58 PM
My vote is for Webb, with Edwards as attorney general...although I would definitely accept what LiveFree suggests about Bob Graham one term, then Webb, after he has had time in the senate.
Posted by: midad
at May 10, 2008 01:24 PM
I like Bob Graham.
Posted by: ceu
at May 10, 2008 03:26 PM
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