# Obama's VP choice **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 7, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420 "2008-05-07T12:45:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/1 "2008-05-07T12:45:04Z")
The manner that Hillary leaves is still to be decided and can be discussed elsewhere but clearly the time for serious speculation about Obama’s VP choice is upon us. Does he take someone from the Hillary side of the party as a show of unity? Wes Clark? A Strickland or a Rendell even who can help deliver a key state? Maybe better yet Indiana’s Bayh? Does he take a Rocky Mountain person? Female like Sebelius or Napalitano? A Southern White man, like Bredesen? Does he go with foreign policy expertise, like Lee Hamilton? Or economic gravitas like Dodd? Go for a soft Republican? But I doubt Bloomberg. Speculate away! ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/2 "2008-05-07T13:01:45Z")
My short list of people who share Obama’s aura of change, and who opposed the war from the get-go: Jim Webb - Senator from Virginia -fits the white guy 60-something, bi-partisan, war opposition frame. Brian Schweitzer - Montana Governor - fit’s the bill for bi-partisan, non-Washington insider. Sherrod Brown - Senator from Ohio would help Obama carry that state in November and is right up there with a Kathleen Sebelius with her strong bi-partisan schtick. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/3 "2008-05-07T13:02:49Z")
He’s got to go for Bill Richardson. Obama hasn’t done well with Hispanic voters. This is one group the Dems \*\*can’t \*\* ignore. The Republicans could eventually get smart and drop immigration as their hot button issue. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/4 "2008-05-07T13:05:23Z")
Bill Richardson to shore up support among Hispanics and to begin to bridge the black-brown divide. Wesley Clark to reassure the security moms. Claire McCaskill to make inroads with women and with the plains states. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/5 "2008-05-07T13:08:02Z")
Al Gore. Also, I would like a pony. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/6 "2008-05-07T14:44:04Z")
I been expecting it to be Bill Richardson. The reasons have already been mentioned. - He helps with the Hispanic Voters - He has Foreign Policy Cred - He has some Green Cred - He is from the West My hope has been the long shot of Michael Bloomberg, but that is extremely unlikely, especially in a convention that will be close. If Obama has a larger lead going in, I would believe it might be possible, but he will need to appease the superdelagates with a choice acceptable to them. I think Richardson will fill that requirement also. Jim ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/7 "2008-05-07T14:46:38Z")
Richardson, no question. Too many plusses, not many minuses. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/8 "2008-05-07T14:53:06Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] Brian Schweitzer - Montana Governor - fit’s the bill for bi-partisan, non-Washington insider. [/QUOTE] As much as I would like to see this, someone who just a few weeks ago on NPR said that Washington DC can “go to hell” is probably not going to get any sort of mainstream political nod. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/9 "2008-05-07T14:53:54Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] The Republicans could eventually get smart and drop immigration as their hot button issue. [/QUOTE] And lose half their base? ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/10 "2008-05-07T15:01:35Z")
Yeah, I’d like to see either Sebelius or Richardson. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/11 "2008-05-07T15:02:58Z")
Richardson. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/12 "2008-05-07T15:05:14Z")
I’m pretty sure that it’s Richardson too, but I’d love to see Russ Feingold. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/13 "2008-05-07T15:12:02Z")
Claire McCaskill Jim Webb Bill Richardson …in that order. Clark is not even on my list, nor are any of the nudniks who are surrogates for Clinton’s disastrous campaign. Bayh? Oh, please. Rendell? There aren’t enough rolleyes. Of course I’d really love it to be Russ Feingold, but that’d absolutely doom Obama’s chances ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/14 "2008-05-07T15:15:58Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] He’s got to go for Bill Richardson. Obama hasn’t done well with Hispanic voters. This is one group the Dems \*\*can’t \*\* ignore. The Republicans could eventually get smart and drop immigration as their hot button issue. [/QUOTE] I dunno about the Republican Party but [McCain sure seems ready to make that trade off.](http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/05/05/politics/horserace/entry4072810.shtml) Even though I like Bloomberg, it seems Richardson would be a better balancing act. Plus, Bloomberg is a former Republican/ independant. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/15 "2008-05-07T15:22:50Z")
Just curious why Claire McCaskill is getting mentioned. I know next to nothing about her, except that she was a well-regarded State Auditor when I lived in Missouri. What, potentially, does she bring to the ticket? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/16 "2008-05-07T15:25:40Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] And lose half their base? [/QUOTE] They also don’t want to kiss off Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and make Texas potentially competitive. The demographics point to huge Hispanic populations in the Western states. The Dems would be smart to pick Richardson to try to lock in the Hispanic vote. The Republicans are playing a dangerous game by beating the immigration drum, but that is a seperate debate. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/17 "2008-05-07T15:32:45Z")
[QUOTE=Bayard] Just curious why Claire McCaskill is getting mentioned. I know next to nothing about her, except that she was a well-regarded State Auditor when I lived in Missouri. What, potentially, does she bring to the ticket? [/QUOTE] Ovaries. Other than that, I see nothing. IMO, she’s loser. She lost the governor’s race to a retarded chimp a few years ago. Then she won the senate seat on name recognition. Here’s my short list: 1. Phil Bredesen 2. Bill Richardson 3. Sherrod Brown ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/18 "2008-05-07T15:35:24Z")
[QUOTE=Bayard] Just curious why Claire McCaskill is getting mentioned. I know next to nothing about her, except that she was a well-regarded State Auditor when I lived in Missouri. What, potentially, does she bring to the ticket? [/QUOTE] Her girly parts. j/k …kinda ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/19 "2008-05-07T15:40:40Z")
I’m hoping for Richardson. I’ll join many in this thread and assert that this seems to be by far the most competitive choice. Obviously Clinton as VP is very unlikely. I’d rather see her retain some dignity and continue to work on being an effective senator. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/20 "2008-05-07T15:47:48Z")
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia] Her girly parts. j/k …kinda [/QUOTE] She’s been used increasingly as a campaign spokesperson. She’s concise, stays on message, and apparently people respond well to her comments. I’m leery of Obama’s choosing a Senator who’s in a seat we could lose, since the day the Dems get to 60 Senators is the day we can start dealing with climate change, health care, and all the other big issues. But I think McCaskill would be a good running mate, and MO’s historically been competitive at the state level, so we might could hold onto her seat once she was veep. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420.md?page=2)