Who will be McCain's running mate?

[Doc]

Who do you think will be McCain's running mate?
Somehow I don't see Romney or Huckabee as a big plus for McCain in the Nov. Election.

I wonder if Condi Rice is being considered ....or if she would accept if the VP position were offered?

 

[thcri]

I don't think we will know until the Dem's have figured out who is going to be running for President. I think it could change based on who?



murph

 

[Melensdad]

Who do you think the likely VP will be?


Charley Crist - popular moderate governor of swing state florida, closeted gay?
Condoleezza Rice - black female plays off clinton and obama; too tied to bush & war?
Elizabeth Dole - female, and... well, not much else
Fred Thompson - conservatives and christians supposed to like him; looks the part when awake
George Voinovich - ohio is swing state and he's the only repuglican left
J C Watt - black male, christian moderate & honest, sports hero, high energy/charismatic speaker, would play well off Obama
John Cornyn - loved by right
Kay Bailey Hutchinson - female, gun owner
Mark Sanford - favorite of both christian right and tax cutting crowd
Mel Martinez - latino senator from swing state florida
Mike Huckabee - loved by christian base if not all of old time leadership, deal may already be cut to keep him out despite the fact that he holds delegates and is still running
Newt Gingrich - because
Rudolph Giuliani - security dad, still america's mayor, domestic security, appeal to cross-over moderates, ethnic catholic but campaign suggests he is damaged goods among voters
Tim Pawlenty - being talked about; governor, possible swing state, fresh face acceptable to all factions
Tom Ridge - appeals to moderate, swing state, cross-over, domestic security


So what are your thoughts? Did I miss any likely choices? Actually I think the odds of Fred Thompson are about 0% for VP but it is very likely he could be Attorney General.

Did I miss anyone?

 

[Dargo]

I know this here is an old article, but some radio talk shows have mentioned his name lately.

 

[Gatorboy]

I'm hoping he picks me.

 

[Melensdad]

Dargo, I doubt if Joe Liberman would be the VP choice, but I would not be surprised if he was named as a cabinet choice for an influential position.

 

[BigAl]

Good Question !
I think whoever is choosen is going to need to bring the GOP back to common ground and attempt to reunite the party into one strong party again ..If they can't do that we can go ahead and turn the keys to the Whitehouse over on the Dem's now . We are a very much divided party . I think that a lot of who is choosen as the GOP VP is going to depend on who the Dem's place in the VP seat .

 

[Dargo]

Dargo, I doubt if Joe Liberman would be the VP choice, but I would not be surprised if he was named as a cabinet choice for an influential position.

Agreed, but I've heard his name mentioned a few times on talk radio.

 

[Melensdad]

Didn't Liberman, who is known to be a friend of McCain, say that he would not cross party lines? While Liberman is no longer technically a Democrat and identifies himself as an Independent, I don't think he will cross over.

Not sure if it is playing the "race card" or negating the "race card" but I'd have to wonder if Obama wins the Democrat's primary if it would not make it MORE LIKELY to see John McCain pick J.C. Watts? Watts would negate some of the natural racial attraction to Obama. Watts also would shore up the Evangelical wing of the party and take away an argument for bringing Huckabee onto the ticket because in many ways Huckabee and Watts play to many of the same constituents. Watts may play to a wider group than Huckabee, as well as the obvious and aforementioned fact that he is a black man.

Someone I left off the list is Jeb Bush. He comes from a swing state (Florida) and is actually respected by many as a politician despite his name. Overall, I think his name is a handicap because he will obviously be linked to his brother the President and that is not a positive.

 

[Dargo]

I think Watts would be a good choice for McCain actually. Let's face it, a huge percentage of black people are going to vote for Obama simply because he is black. I know that is extremely racist, and a poor way to choose a president, but it is a fact. Watts would throw a monkey wrench in Obama being able to count on about 90% of the black vote.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

I will bet a GAZILLION dollars it will be Condi Rice.

 

[Melensdad]

I will bet a GAZILLION dollars it will be Condi Rice.

Last time I spoke with her she said she didn't want the job, nor did she want to be President. I included her on my above list because I think a lot of people would like to see her named for VP. Personally I think she is damaged by Bush and his unpopularity would be carried about on her like a stink.

 

[AndyM]

Who do you think will be McCain's running mate?

Do we yet know whether McCain will be free enough of scandal to be the Republican nominee?

I'm not convinced he will win the nomination. Something will happen between now and the convention that will make things interesting... I don't know exactly what yet, but mark my words today that we will be discussing this later.

 

[BigAl]

Do we yet know whether McCain will be free enough of scandal to be the Republican nominee?

I'm not convinced he will win the nomination. Something will happen between now and the convention that will make things interesting... I don't know exactly what yet, but mark my words today that we will be discussing this later.

I agree . If they can , the media is going to play this for all its worth . There is a lot of time between now and the GOP convention .

I know when I talked with McCain this morning he felt it was nothing to worry about .

Gotta go .... I am late for my debriefing on Latin American Free Trade Agreements and then its off to testify as a expert Fat Guy Witness to the Investigating Senate Panel on the new propose NAFTA super Highway .

 

[Deadly Sushi]

Last time I spoke with her she said she didn't want the job, nor did she want to be President.

Thats what they all say. The woman I met on the plane comming back from DC (who has lunch with Bush 41 bi weekly) said that they are begging her. Thats not a yes, but I think its very possible.
And when have you spoken to Condi Rice?

 

[fogtender]

We are a very much divided party . I think that a lot of who is choosen as the GOP VP is going to depend on who the Dem's place in the VP seat .

You think the GOP is divided, wait 'til Hilary loses the delegate and popular vote and then the "Super Delegate" voters pick her and then she gets a bunch of Obama's delegates to switch sides and she wins...

You haven't seen anything yet!

 

[Av8r3400]

You think the GOP is divided, wait 'til Hilary loses the delegate and popular vote and then the "Super Delegate" voters pick her and then she gets a bunch of Obama's delegates to switch sides and she wins...

This is a very highly likely scenario. The democRat party is not ready for a minority candidate regardless of what they say in their rhetoric. Their power base is keeping minorities under ignorance and welfare control.

She is in a bad place right now, look at how the debate went. She needs to play the party for these Super Delegates.



When she does this (not if, mind you) her power hungry nature will be very evident and will about guarantee the McCain win. All things considered, this is our only option for the continuation of America as a non-self-imploding socialist state.

So, Go HILLARY!

 

[Dargo]

You know Av, I don't disagree with you, but I just cannot force myself to ever say "go Hillary". I just can't do it. Also, I'm sorry, but I also find myself looking at anyone who supports Hillary with total dismay; wondering how I could have possibly thought that that person had any intelligence before now. I know that's wrong, but I honestly can't see how anyone in their right mind can support Hillary. She is as shallow, fake, and condescending as any politician I've ever heard. She single handedly changed the entire world's perception of the majority of people in New York to be a lot of mindless bumbling fools.

 

[BoneheadNW]

You know Av, I don't disagree with you, but I just cannot force myself to ever say "go Hillary". I just can't do it. Also, I'm sorry, but I also find myself looking at anyone who supports Hillary with total dismay; wondering how I could have possibly thought that that person had any intelligence before now. I know that's wrong, but I honestly can't see how anyone in their right mind can support Hillary. She is as shallow, fake, and condescending as any politician I've ever heard. She single handedly changed the entire world's perception of the majority of people in New York to be a lot of mindless bumbling fools.

Substitute the name "Bush" for "Hillary" in your post and that is exactly how I felt in 2000 and 2008.

With respect to McCain, if he choses Gatorboy as a running mate, he would be sure to lock in those voters who are concerned about punctuation errors.
Bonehead

 

[Melensdad]

And when have you spoken to Condi Rice?

Last time was the fall of 2006. In my previous career (prior to my retirement) I was able to have access to several key officials, of both parties. I still sit on the national board of directors of a couple fairly influential organizations and still have running contracts with lobbyists for 2 industries.

I think Condi would be a great choice to represent many people but I don't think she will appeal to as many as JC Watt. JMO

By the way, I don't see McCain picking a very conservative VP choice. I think the conservatives in the GOP are being told to go to hell. The small government libertarians are also being left out. McCain is as close to a democrat as the GOP has, and I think he will pick a similar minded VP to run with him. Our nation is running toward socialism and any of the 3 current leaders (Obama, McCain, Clinton) will lead us there, perhaps just at slightly different speeds.

 

[Dargo]

Substitute the name "Bush" for "Hillary" in your post and that is exactly how I felt in 2000 and 2008.

Oh Dude! I don't know if it's because of some threads I previously read or if I was just reading too fast, but I was just sure you were talking about Hillary's bush. I'm no longer hungry today...or likely tomorrow for that matter.

 

[fogtender]

This is a very highly likely scenario. The democRat party is not ready for a minority candidate regardless of what they say in their rhetoric. Their power base is keeping minorities under ignorance and welfare control.

Well when keeping people in a Welfare system to ensure a voter base, it is going to backfire on the Democrats if Obama was to be elected big time.

First he will give the a reason to feel that they can rise above the system and be successful (which is what they should be doing on their own in the first place).

Second, it would wake them up to realize that they have been cannon fodder for the Democrats the whole time. Like taking care of a pet dog verses an equal in life. They have been played/lied to and made to feel that the Democrats where their only salvation, and when they see that they are being kept down, not helped, the backlash may be pretty strong.

But when the rubber hits the road, I doubt that most Americans (those that go out and vote) really feel that they will elect a Black. There is too much racism still below the surface and most people won't talk about it, they just smile and say it don't matter either way.

We will see what they are like when they pull the curtain and vote.

I don't like Obama (Hilary or McCain for that matter) on a personal level, he says lots of fluffy stuff, but there is no meat in anything he says, just "Feel Good" talk and grand visions. Those are the same reasons that Hitler came to power, everyone felt good about his speaches and "Feel Good" talk and backed him for a positive "change" after WWI had laid Germany to waste and debt. Seems the "Change" was short lived and cost some 30,000,000 lives, give or take a few million. History repeats itself over and over again and nobody pays any attention.

 

[BoneheadNW]

Here's your answer.
Bone

 

[Av8r3400]

You are so right, Bone. Those two are like two peas in a pod. Think about it:

McCain-Feingold - First amendment stomping, garbage: Signed by Bush, 3-27-02

McCain - Kennedy - Amnesty for illeagals: Supported by Bush, would have signed it but for the huge up-swell started by Michael Savage and eventually followed by other semi-brainless talk radio and conservative pundits.

I'm no McCain fan, but considering the options, here are my thoughts again.