Guess the running mate?

[Anonymous]

McCain has to have a woman if he wants a prayer, and Carly isn't going to cut it. Condy Rice wants to be the next NFL Commissioner, so pretty sure she's out, but Meg Whitman - if he chooses her, that will really hurt the Obama/Biden ticket. McCain will be able to say, "look, Obama had the choice of the most qualified running mate, who was a woman, and he didn't go for her, but us Republicans know and respect women and want to see them take their rightful place in government - OH SNAP!".

I don't think his campaign is smart enough to do it though. They are not showing that they have the balls to win it.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:How about McCain and Alan Keyes ticket?

...that would diffuse the "historic" moment that the Dems/media keeping going on and on about.

Oh please, please, please, let this happen. I had been thinking that Lieberman was the best I could hope for. But, Keyes? Please, please, please....

[Anonymous]

McCain will pick Romney or Lieberman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McCain has to have a woman if he wants a prayer, and Carly isn't going to cut it. Condy Rice wants to be the next NFL Commissioner, so pretty sure she's out, but Meg Whitman - if he chooses her, that will really hurt the Obama/Biden ticket. McCain will be able to say, "look, Obama had the choice of the most qualified running mate, who was a woman, and he didn't go for her, but us Republicans know and respect women and want to see them take their rightful place in government - OH SNAP!".

I don't think his campaign is smart enough to do it though. They are not showing that they have the balls to win it.

According to the Post, the dark horse isn't Meg Whitman but Christie Todd Whitman (former EPA administrator).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McCain:
- Meg Whitman, if he wants a potential game changer of a running mate
- Lieberman or a pro-choice Republican if he wants to tick off the far right and emphasize his credentials as a free thinker
- Romney if he wants to tweak Huckabee and stress his openmindedness on religion, and he can get past his lack of chemistry with Romney
- Bobby Jindal if he wants to give up slamming Obama on lack of experience, which he doesn't
- Tim Pawlenty or Lindsey Graham if he wants a safe pick

Obama:
- Joe Biden if he's feeling less confident than he was two months ago (though Biden undercuts the change message more than Hillary would)
- Evan Bayh if, again, he's feeling less confident (but today's well-timed oppo hit on Bayh may knock him out of the running)
- Jack Reed if he wants military and national security experience without a lot of baggage (but with no excitement)
- Tim Kaine if he's feeling cocky
- Kathleen Sebelius if he's feeling really cocky
- Hillary Clinton if he really wants to win and his ego allows it, which it won't

I think it will be Biden for Obama. McCain will be able to factor in Obama's choice in making his own, so I'll hold off on guessing McCain's running mate until Obama makes his choice public.

OK, time for your McCain prediction. Let's hear it! (Love your post BTW.)

Okay! Just got back to town and I will do my best. I think Obama's pick of Biden gave McCain an opening but also gave him some challenges. There was lots of buzz at the convention about different possibilities, but here's what I think:

- Not Pawlenty.
- Not Romney.
- Not Huckabee.
- Not Lieberman, though I think McCain would love to pick him.

Best guess? A woman. Not Carly Fiorina, because of the HP baggage. Not Meg Whitman, because she wants to be governor of CA. (I live there half time and I think she has a great shot at it.) I always think Kay Bailey Hutchison would be a great VP option for the GOP, but I don't think she wants it. So, best guess, total dark horse:

- Sarah Palin
- Christie Whitman

He may yet go completely conventional, but I think he's going to exploit the opening Obama left by going with Biden, and I think he'll pick a woman.

PS - Rich, I realize the rumors hurt Lindsey Graham to an extent, but they also apply to Crist and they didn't seem to hurt Chet Edwards. The Dems wouldn't dare exploit it; but I imagine LG also doesn't want to open himself up to the possibility of investigation. McCain would probably love to choose him, though.

[Anonymous]

There are unofficial reports that McCain picked - Sarah Palin. He's holding an event at noon today from Ohio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are unofficial reports that McCain picked - Sarah Palin. He's holding an event at noon today from Ohio.

Me again. Seriously? If I'm two for two on Biden and Palin, my spouse owes me an expensive dinner, sans child. The sans child part may be a problem, though. . . . More seriously, if McCain really goes with Palin it's a bold move.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
Me again. Seriously? If I'm two for two on Biden and Palin, my spouse owes me an expensive dinner, sans child. The sans child part may be a problem, though. . . . More seriously, if McCain really goes with Palin it's a bold move.

If its Palin, and increasingly it looks like it is, we are going to have the mother of all WM vs SAHM debates. She has an infant child at home. How are all of those who feel its absolutely necessary for mom to be home with the baby going to reconcile that belief with the travel requirements of a VP candidate (let alone one from Alaska)?

[Anonymous]

It's Palin.

[Anonymous]

All I can say is, if I had four kids at home, one of whom is an infant with Down Syndrome, I wouldn't be applying for 20-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week jobs. And for equality's sake, I wouldn't want my husband to, either.

But questionable family values aside, I don't see how being two years removed from small-town mayor makes one qualified to be the next president. And with a candidate as old as McCain, it's even more important that his VP be ready to take the controls. She might be a good pick, but I think her time has not yet come.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Me again. Seriously? If I'm two for two on Biden and Palin, my spouse owes me an expensive dinner, sans child. The sans child part may be a problem, though. . . . More seriously, if McCain really goes with Palin it's a bold move.

If its Palin, and increasingly it looks like it is, we are going to have the mother of all WM vs SAHM debates. She has an infant child at home. How are all of those who feel its absolutely necessary for mom to be home with the baby going to reconcile that belief with the travel requirements of a VP candidate (let alone one from Alaska)?

Me one more time. The mommy wars aren't going to be a big problem for the GOP ticket, IMO. Palin is a major rising star in the GOP and very popular among Dems and Independents in Alaska as well. And one might not expect this, but increasingly it's more liberal women who want and plan to stay home, not just conservative women. But few women make either choice without some mixed feelings and some ongoing concern about whether they're doing the right thing. I suspect Governor Palin will be able to talk about that very articulately, and in a way that will really resonate with women voters.

I'm a Democrat, but I think this is a brilliant pick on McCain's part. A tough, young, wildly popular female reform governor from the wildest state in the union. Mother of five who is pro-life but walks the walk -- she and her husband knew their fifth child would be born with Down Syndrome -- I am generally pro-choice but truly respect pro-lifers who really practice what they preach. She has a dynamic, charismatic personality and will really galvanize the right wing while pulling in new voters. Obama and Biden surrogates will say she has no national security experience, but they have to tread lightly with that because of Obama's own weaknesses in that area. McCain will come back at them by saying the national security experience is at the top his ticket, where it belongs. (Not saying I agree, but that will be the message.) Palin will be able to stand up to Biden in a debate and her selection may really throw him off balance a bit. Most Democrats at the convention seemed to strongly believe McCain would choose Romney.

I have to give McCain credit: I really do think it's a brilliant choice. Interesting campaign coming up!

[jsteele]

McCain's talking points: Obama is an inexperienced celebrity.

McCain's VP:



She has one and a half years experience as a governor, but within that short time, managed to get embroiled in an ethics conflict. I guess you can say that McCain is persistent. He couldn't get Cindy to enter the Miss Buffalo Chip contest, but his VP pick is a former Ms Alaska contestant.

Does anyone think Governor Palin is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency? Seems like an act of desperation to me.

[Anonymous]

Let's be clear about the ethics conflict- I believe it involved firing her sister's violently abusive boyfriend/husband. Anyone know the details? Only seems to reinforce her family values to me. She has 80% approval rate in her state.

[Anonymous]

Found this:

On July 11, 2008, Governor Palin dismissed Walter Monegan as Commissioner of Public Safety and instead offered him a position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he subsequently turned down.[44][45] Monegan alleged shortly after his dismissal that it may have been partly due to his reluctance to fire an Alaska State Trooper, Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin's sister, Molly McCann.[46]
In 2006, before Palin was governor, Wooten was briefly suspended for ten days for threatening to kill McCann's (and Palin's) father, tasering his 11-year-old stepson, and violating game laws. After a union

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Step right up ladies and gentlemen...cast your votes for the McCain and Obama running mates, respectively.

McCain with Condy Rice (but that would never happen)...but more realistically - Sara Palin

Obama with Biden (perfect pair because they both say stupid things)


Any takers...

I'm taking myself to Vegas as I obviously can guess things correctly.

-OP