John McCain’s VP - Who’s your pick?
- Posted by Beth on March 14th, 2008 filed in 2008 election, Candidates, Cool link of the day, General, John McCain, Politics vice president
Via Blogs for John McCain’s Victory, the Boston Globe has a DIY Vice-Presidential scorecard with which you can find your “ideal” VP candidate.
On the following 20 criteria, rate possible vice presidential candidates from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Add those 20 numbers and - presto! - you’ll have your top-scoring finalists.
My score lined up with former Representative and current SEC chair Chris Cox, and I’m not really surprised. Quin Hilyer sold me on him a while back, although he’s certainly not a must-pick for me. More on Chris Cox here, too, if you’re interested. Really, I’d be happy with any of the ones listed at the scorecard–just some more than others.
If you do it, tell me who you got!
Gus says:
Well Beth, I didn’t go down the whole list, but Barack Obama (once he loses the Democratic nomination) would probably score rather well on the list. He’s black, would cover several swing states, is an awesome orator, would be following through on his declarations of “crossing the aisle”, both McCain and Obama are buddy buddy with Kennedy, etc.
I know it sounds ludicrous, but it would pretty much guarantee a republican victory. If it happened Republicans might get the “black vote” for more than just one election. It would be an entire paradigm shift for both “status quo” parties.
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To be honest I am having a horribly hard time stomaching this whole thing. We’ve been railing against McCain for the last few years as a RINO, but who do we bring to the table? The RINO. We may as well make it officially ridiculous.
Lord Bitememan says:
I tried the thing and I kinda gave up after a while. I’m amazed that they had my pick on the list at all, but I’ve always felt Haley Barbour would make a great pick for VP. He balances the ticket, he unifies the party, he’s a governor, and he has a name from his years as party chairman. All this speculating will probably get turned on its head in the end, though. After all, the speculation about Bush’s pick floated around to Ridge, Keating of Oklahoma, even Engler of Michigan, and in the end it was the suprise pick of Dick Cheney. It’s difficult to say that just because someone sounds like a good lineup for McCain that the he will go with him.
And Gus, since when did the definition of RINO shift to anyone to the left of Mussolini? If you want to talk about a real RINO, talk about Lincoln Chaffee. Of course, without Chaffee we’re the minority party, so I guess we all really wish we had the RINO back don’t we?
PaulW says:
The Dick Cheney pick wasn’t much of a surprise for Dick Cheney, okay? Guy in charge of Dubya’s veep selection chooses himself?!?! That’s like putting Bill Clinton in charge of the cigar and whiskey cabinet at the Playboy Mansion and then wondering why the cigars, whiskey and Miss October 1988 are all gone. Next time, people, new rule: guy running the committee cannot vote for himself.
To be honest, you have to think past certain persons:
1) Colin Powell may look good on paper, but remember he’s more moderate on social issues than the far right would like. Also, he’s almost as old as McCain is.
2) It’s not going to be any of his primary opponents: Giuliani fared worse than Ron Paul did in some of the contests, Romney never wowed anybody outside of the media elites, and Thompson also has the age issue. Huckabee would make the most sense among the opponents (from the south region, won key conservative states), and it could be said his potential time serving as VP would boost his weak spot of poor foreign policy know-how when he gets his turn to run for the Oval Office. Problem is, there are better southern governors on the short list.
3) It’s not going to be Condi Rice. Despite all the talk about her balancing the ticket as a woman and African-American, Rice has never run for office before. And from all I know, she’s not interested in running.
4) Odds are strong it will be a governor from a southern state: governors have executive experience, and the party has to be looking for someone to follow McCain be he a 1-term or even 2-term President. And most Republican governors are currently in the South, some of whom are stuck with term limits coming up, so running for VP gives them something to look forward to. Florida’s Crist comes up as his support won McCain Florida, however his state’s hitting a budget crisis so it might not look too good if he bolts for a national campaign. Georgia’s Purdue is dealing with a drought crisis big enough to bring out the Rain Dance crews. Alabama’s Riley has a term limit in 2010, and has a solid record especially with good job growth, but his attempts at tax reform cheesed off the Club for Greed uh Growth crowd. South Carolina’s Sanford looks good on paper, has served as a legislator in Congress, and has a record of voting against pork barrel stuff, even projects that would have benefited his district. He also kept his word about limiting his time in office, serving only three terms. As governor he actively fought budget battles… against his own party! Of the four, Sanford would be the smart play, with Riley as a questionable but acceptable backup.
Lord Bitememan says:
Ha! You’ve got a good point on that Cheney pick.
I’m suprised in your analysis you left out Barbour, are you thinking the age issue?
PaulW says:
Actually, no. Barbour worked as a pharmaceutical and tobacco lobbyist. If there’s one group of people hated in this country worse than Berkeley hippies, it’s lobbyists. Especially if you’re like McCain trying to run as a reformer-type. So that’s why I didn’t consider him.
I also didn’t think of Gov. Perry from Texas. He’s been re-elected to office but his terms have been… well contentious.
There’d been buzz about the governor from Alaska, Palin, but cmon it’s Alaska. That’s 3 electorals. There is also talk about Pawlenty of Minnesota, since the GOP convention is held there and he is a no-tax hardliner: problem with him is the public perception of Minnesota as a state with broken bridges.
If McCain has to look outside of the governorships, he shouldn’t look to a fellow senator: it will reek of ole-boy favoritism. He may look at someone once in the party, now ‘retired’ but still active, that might still have name recognition. If only Jack Kemp were 20 years younger… J.C. Watts from Oklahoma is a strong possibility of retired Republicans, he’s young enough, has a solid voting record with no blemishes. Except for that youthful indiscretion of him playing CANADIAN FOOTBALL OMG NO he’s clean.
Scott Allan says:
Hi Beth,
I ended up with Charlie Crist. I was a Mitt supporter and was surprised he was ranked lower than Giuliani in the article.
William Teach says:
I’d like to see Dole, Hutchinson, or Barbour. Think that would mostly go over well.
Or, on a less serious not, Dick Cheney, just to see what Helen Thomas would do ;)
its vintage duh says:
I’m thinking Gov. Sarah Palin right now.
TC says:
Gotta go with Gov Sanford of South Carolina. Best bet to bring in the McCain critics on the hard right and also best bet to keep a Republican as POTUS post McCain.