# 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:** 2
**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, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/21 "2008-05-07T15:55:00Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] 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. [/QUOTE] She was elected in '06. So, if she left to be VP, wouldn’t Gov. Blunt (R) pick someone to fill the remaining 4 long years? Or would there be a special election? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/22 "2008-05-07T15:59:59Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] 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. [/QUOTE] I work in Kansas City for a whole bunch of conservative Republicans, and Claire gets a surprising amount of support from that group. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/23 "2008-05-07T16:19:20Z")
Some interesting comments on Richardson as a possible VP [here](http://governing.typepad.com/ballotbox/2008/04/bill-richardson.html). ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/24 "2008-05-07T16:26:39Z")
Richardson would still be my first choice (and I was pimping him for the veep spot before he even dropped out of the POTUS race). I think his experience, competence and temperment are even more valuable than his demographic metrics. He’s somebody who could actually step in and do the job (the _big_ job) if he had to. He would make me feel more comfortable than someone chosen purely for demographic calculations (which I think are overrated for VP choices anyway). ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/25 "2008-05-07T16:30:27Z")
Allow me to indulge with my own short list… **Senators** Clinton- No. Stop. Webb- No, need him in the senate. Feingold- ” McCaskill- ” Biden- ” Murtha- ” Any other sitting Senators- We need them where they are. **Reps** Kucinich or McDermott- Don’t know all the Reps that well but I’d be thrilled with either of these; never happen though. \*\* Military\*\* Clark-Nope to much with Clinton Hagel- No, but definetly should be Sec. Defense, and announced before November. Sestak- Too new, but should be an asset to the Democratic party. Good withdrawl plan. Powell- Really? No. Any other Military-Industrial connected candidates- No, too much anxiety of itchy fingers. **Others** Edwards- Nah, should be AG Gravel- Love it, but come on. Bloomberg- No thanks, maybe Sec. Treasury? Dashel- Meh, nah. Nunn- Meh, nah. Gore- Heh, sure why not? Any other “safe white guy” pick- No, for the same reason as the military candidates, sorry to say. **Govs-The key to victory.** Richardson- Sure, but I’d rather he were Sec. State Patrick- Might be too much too soon for some. Would be a pleasure to listen to though. Schweitzer- Decent pick, maybe a bit to new. Gregoire- My own Gov, but no, weak pick Napolitano- Great pick. Could even pull AZ out from under McCain. _Sebelius- WIN._ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/26 "2008-05-07T16:34:41Z")
Murtha is a Representative, not a Senator. And it’s a side issue but I still don’t get the love for Edwards as AG. His signature issue is supposed to be poverty, which he couldn’t address from that position, and I think he was a civil attorney and not a prosecutor. ---
**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, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/27 "2008-05-07T16:37:38Z")
I forgot to mention Ed Rendell. That would color PA as solid blue and he could get OH too. Obama puts MO, WI, and CO in his column and there’s a winning electoral map. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/28 "2008-05-07T16:41:37Z")
Evan Bayh ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/29 "2008-05-07T16:43:51Z")
Richardson would be his best bet. I think it would help to pull in at least some of the hispanic vote that he’ll be missing if he goes with someone else. -XT ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/30 "2008-05-07T16:52:14Z")
I suppose I should probably explain my reasoning for picking [Gov. Kathleen Sebelius(D-KS)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Sebelius) Aside from the obvious demographics break down-- an older, white woman from a red, but potential swing state, Kansas. Not only does she bridge the divide left by Hillary, but she brings all the positives and more, and with none of the negatives. She seems to be liked by all regardless of political ideology. She has campaigned all across the country for Obama. She was also picked to give the rebuttal to W’s '08 SotU, and if you tuned in to Faux after she spoke, you would have seen a gobsmacked Brit Hume, who looked scared and speechless. The tone and words she used-- she left them no openings for attack, but only to respect. Yes, Richardson does have great experience but so does Sebelius; an overwhelmingly victorious two term Governor as well as an 8 year State Rep. Oh and you want some one who will fight for you? From her Wiki, here you go… > [@](#): > > She was first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1986. In 1994 she left the House to run for state insurance commissioner and stunned political forecasters by winning — the first time a Democrat had won in more than 100 years. She is credited with bringing the agency out from under the influence of the insurance industry. She refused to take campaign contributions from insurers and blocked the proposed merger of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the state’s largest health insurer, with an Indiana-based company. The decision by Sebelius marked the first time the corporation had been rebuffed in its acquisition attempts."[ So, yeah, I’m a fan. Can you tell? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/31 "2008-05-07T16:59:41Z")
Explain to this non-American why Obama wouldn’t choose Clinton to be his running mate. She appears to have a lot of support among Democrats and some independents, and it could be a way to convince some of those who would rather vote for McCain than vote for Obama to go for Obama after all. It would help a lot if what the Democrats want is to show a united face in November. Is it that she wouldn’t want the job, prefering to hope for another presidential run in 2012? ---
**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, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/32 "2008-05-07T17:00:08Z")
[QUOTE=tds1273] Edwards- Nah, should be AG [/QUOTE] Better still **Ralph Nader** should be AG! You’d hear bowels opening from one end of Wall Street to the other! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/33 "2008-05-07T17:07:49Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Murtha is a Representative, not a Senator. And it’s a side issue but I still don’t get the love for Edwards as AG. His signature issue is supposed to be poverty, which he couldn’t address from that position, and I think he was a civil attorney and not a prosecutor. [/QUOTE] My mistake, for some reason I was thinking he was competing with Reid for Senate Majority Leader. Apparently IDRC, as it was Hoyer and the House. Consider it one step closer in the fight. Actually, of all the ‘big name’ people, Obama would probably make the best AG, but I’m pretty happy with the career path he is currently on. With Edwards, I realize it is not necessarily his field, but I think the love comes from just wanting a competent, fierce, ethical lawyer who we can trust to fight the good fight in that role. I will grant that there are probably better, lesser known picks or he might be more suited for a different cabinet role, but IMHO it seemed like the best fit. I want to see him be part of an Obama administration, just not VP(sebelius) Sec State(richardson). Maybe a SC Justice? -shrug- ---
**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, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/34 "2008-05-07T17:14:09Z")
[QUOTE=Hypnagogic Jerk] Explain to this non-American why Obama wouldn’t choose Clinton to be his running mate. She appears to have a lot of support among Democrats and some independents, and it could be a way to convince some of those who would rather vote for McCain than vote for Obama to go for Obama after all. It would help a lot if what the Democrats want is to show a united face in November. Is it that she wouldn’t want the job, prefering to hope for another presidential run in 2012? [/QUOTE] Two reasons, very quickly: 1. The Clintons are very forceful. I can’t imagine Obama wanting to have to work with them on a daily basis. 2. Pairing up with her goes against everything Obama has stumped for in this campaign, which is parting ways from the Old Ways of Washington. The Clintons, unlike in 1992, represent the OWoW. And so this (taking ehr as his running mate) would seem like Obama (to paraphrase another poster somewhere) would be admitting that a little bit of the OWoW aren’t so bad after all. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/35 "2008-05-07T17:31:39Z")
[QUOTE=tds1273] I suppose I should probably explain my reasoning for picking [Gov. Kathleen Sebelius(D-KS)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Sebelius) Aside from the obvious demographics break down-- an older, white woman from a red, but potential swing state, Kansas. Not only does she bridge the divide left by Hillary, but she brings all the positives and more, and with none of the negatives. She seems to be liked by all regardless of political ideology. She has campaigned all across the country for Obama. She was also picked to give the rebuttal to W’s '08 SotU, and if you tuned in to Faux after she spoke, you would have seen a gobsmacked Brit Hume, who looked scared and speechless. The tone and words she used-- she left them no openings for attack, but only to respect. Yes, Richardson does have great experience but so does Sebelius; an overwhelmingly victorious two term Governor as well as an 8 year State Rep. Oh and you want some one who will fight for you? From her Wiki, here you go… So, yeah, I’m a fan. Can you tell? [/QUOTE] I agree with every word of this. She’s also my first choice for his running mate. I think she’d appeal to a huge percentage of Hillary’s female voters, as well as a huge percentage of mid-West Independents and even conservatives. She’s actually got _governing_ experience, and she’s a fighter. Obama/Sebelius is my dream ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/36 "2008-05-07T17:39:50Z")
[QUOTE=tds1273] Actually, of all the ‘big name’ people, Obama would probably make the best AG, but I’m pretty happy with the career path he is currently on. [/quote] He has some constitutional law experience, so that may be true. > [@](#): > > With Edwards, I realize it is not necessarily his field, but I think the love comes from just wanting a competent, fierce, ethical lawyer who we can trust to fight the good fight in that role. I will grant that there are probably better, lesser known picks or he might be more suited for a different cabinet role, but IMHO it seemed like the best fit. I’m not picking on your for liking him, I’m just saying this is sort of an All-Star Team cabinet idea, and those usually lack cohesion. Politicians pretty much all want to be in the spotlight, and long-time think tank types and civil servants won’t compete with them, so you need those, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/37 "2008-05-07T17:40:18Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] Obama/Sebelius is my dream ticket. [/QUOTE] I agree, they would make a fantastic governing pair. Too bad “Obama Sebelius” sounds like a Harry Potter villain. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/38 "2008-05-07T17:40:57Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] And lose half their base? [/QUOTE] The Republicans don’t necessarily have a lot of convinced base voters on the immigration issue, since the biggest Republican in the land is openly and unapologetically against a hard line stance on immigration. As to the OP, it’ll be Bill Richardson. Sibelius is a neat choice but I don’t think even Obama has the guts to have NO old white guys on his ticket. Richardson also make victory in New Mexico a certainty - the only way Obama would lose it is if he threatened to nuke Albuquerque. Okay, it’s olnly 5 electoral votes, but it’s gonna be a close one, and I am not sure Sibelius can guarantee delivering Kansas, which in 2004 went Republican by a huge margin. Also, Sibelius’s middle name is Gilligan. Nobody named “Gilligan” can be taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/39 "2008-05-07T17:42:03Z")
[QUOTE=Hypnagogic Jerk] Explain to this non-American why Obama wouldn’t choose Clinton to be his running mate. She appears to have a lot of support among Democrats and some independents, and it could be a way to convince some of those who would rather vote for McCain than vote for Obama to go for Obama after all. [/QUOTE] Clinton on the ticket would motivate conservatives to appear in droves to vote against her. You also over estimate the support she has among independants and even dems. Much of the support Obama enjoys is actually support for “anybody but Hillary”. And much of the support she gets from non-dems in open primary states is “she’ll be easier than Obama for McCain to beat” Also, to be pragmatic, Obama is going to have to sell americans on electing the first ever black POTUS. To also have to sell them on the first ever female VPOTUS makes for an even more daunting task. Going with Richardson myself. For all the reasons mentioned above, plus he helps a lot with Obama’s experience issue. The guy has been a Congressman, Sec. of Energy, UN Embassidor, and a State Govorner, and done pretty well at all of those. (OK, not so great with the Win Ho Lee debacle). If he isn’t tapped for VP he should definatly get the Sec. State spot. And to hijack: Who wants to bet me McCain won’t name a female VP candidate to try to pick up some disappointed Hillary backers? ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420/40 "2008-05-07T17:47:29Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] I agree, they would make a fantastic governing pair. Too bad “Obama Sebelius” sounds like a Harry Potter villain. [/QUOTE] LOL! Also of import, she’s Catholic, which is a constituency that the pundits talked about quite a bit last night, that Clinton has done better with than Obama, so Sebelius pulls them in, too. _And_, she’s the daughter of a former **Ohio** Governor, even having been born there herself – hello, Ohio in the general election!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-vp-choice/448420.md?page=3)