Obama now needs to pick a Veep who will appeal to HRC's voters.

I don't think HRC wants the job, or that she would help that way. Forget the dream ticket (it would be a nightmare).

But Obama may have to pick someone his supporters find, oh, sort of distasteful.

Old politics. White. Sort of rough-around-the-edges. Not McDreamy with the visions and common purpose. Someone his wife won't be comfortable with. Or his pastor.

Someone who talks bread-and-butter. Who doesn't mind the flag pin. Someone with a weird regional accent. Who eats carbs. Maybe owns a gun. And uses it.

That's how FDR and JFK did it.

So Obamatons, prepare yourself for a Veep that will keep you awake at night.

And don't start saying O has sold out or is pandering.

It's the only way Mr. O. can win the swing.

And that would not be pandering? I agree that who he picks for VP will very likely completely contradict everything he says that he stands for.

I cannot wait to see how that plays out.

Jim Webb.

As much a war hero as McCain, Southerner, anti-Bush street cred, somewhat conservative.

What better storyline - a black man and a southerner running together for president of the united states?

Contrary to what Richmond says, Donald Duck could be McCain this year. It's a no-brainer. The Republicans aren't even holding on to their seats in Congress. People are mad, Dems, Republicans, and Independents. The Republicans had eight years, and see what we got. ANYONE could beat McCain this year.

Colin Powell.

I like Webb too, I also like Biden. He is crusty, but would appeal to many.

Bill Richardson. Dems would sweep the Mountain West and capture the Hispanic vote. He's got loads of experience, especially in the foreign policy realm. I'll admit, not much of an olive branch for HRC supporters though...

I agree, his veep pick (if he does indeed get the nomination) will most likely be someone his hardcore supporters find "distasteful." In fact...

IMO, unless he offers HRC the VP (and if she doesn't want it she publicly turns it down) there will be problems bridging the large chasm between the far left and moderate wings of the party.

Polls came out today that nearly 60% of dems think HRC should be VP, 37% against. That 37% better not raise a stink if he does offer it to her, the majority believe she more than deserves it.

With HRC and BO on the ticket, the dems get 100% of their base.

I don't think it would be smart of him to minimize the historic nature HRC becoming first female VP (she after all will have gotten 50% of the dem votes for all intensive purposes) and slap half the party in the face by offering it to a balding-moderate leaning-gun toting-white man who wears flag pins.

We already have one of those in the race: John McCain.

I doubt many BO supporters are NOT going to vote for him because she's on the ticket. Most of her supporters (hopefully) will begrudgingly be satisfied that she will add strength and experience where he needs it and she'll be in a strong position to run again in 8 years.

If Obama really is about "uniting" he will offer it to her and tell his hardcore followers to deal with it. If he doesn't, there will be a lot more Independents come November - including myself.

"For all intensive purposes???" LOL!

closetodemfection:

I don't think it would be smart of him to minimize the historic nature HRC becoming first female VP (she after all will have gotten 50% of the dem votes for all intensive purposes) and slap half the party in the face by offering it to a balding-moderate leaning-gun toting-white man who wears flag pins.

We already have one of those in the race: John McCain.

I just don't see her taking VP. I hope he offers it, I think she'll decline it. I don't think he'll pick any of the other candidates no one voted for in the early primaries.

Since I don't think there is another viable female candidate, he'll have to pick a man.

Since I don't think America is "ready" for an all-minority ticket, it'll have to be a white man.

Since Obama is being painted as an unpatriotic, liberal elitist, someone like Webb is a perfect fit. Especially someone who can pick up Virginia's 13 electoral votes.

What if Hillary is cleaning her gun at the White House and accidently puts a bullet in Obama? Cheney did it but then he only shot an old guy in the head with buck shot.

Obama (and bullet proof vest) 08

Hillary (without gun permit) for VP 08

Angstrom:

"For all intensive purposes???" LOL!

I guess I stand corrected. Sort of.

"A reintepration of the earlier phrase "for all intents and purposes", the phrase means "virtually" or "for all practical purposes".

For all intensive purposes the phrase "for all intensive purposes" is identical to "for all intents and purposes", and anyone who continues to make the distinction is a soulless pedant."

I do not think that Hillary would publicly refuse the VP position. Behind closed doors she might but Obama would be an ass to disclose that he chose her and she refused. Doing that would push even more of her supporters to McCain.

I do not see him picking her but I do believe that it would cut down the number of Hillary supporters who would migrate to McCain. Regardless of how Obama supporters say that this defection will me minimal, I think it will be large enough that it will be a problem for him.

The polls show that both he and Hillary have the same lead over McCain in a GE runoff but I have seen some coverage where on a state by state basis there are some key states where the Obama lead is inside the margin of error where as Hillary's is not. A few states here or there could make the difference when their lead at this point exists but is not so substantial that Obama could stay home and still win.

My personal choices would be 1) Bill Richardson, 2) John Edwards and 3) Hillary. Kind of a tough call.

Richardson would help with the hispanic vote in mountain states, Texas and Florida. But a Dem win in Texas and Florida may be a lost cause just like any other rep stronghold (WV, IN...). Plus the racists would have a field day with a complete ethnic minority ticket.

Hillary supporters might swing to Obama if she is the VP but that might backfire in the red states we are trying to swing blue.

I think Edwards might be the best bet....smart, experienced, white, male, southern, pretty popular, not much of a perceived threat to the republicans.

Just my thoughts.

Sam Nunn.