Kerry was a shitty candidate, and offering the VP to McCain was just plain stupid. If you’re a democrat, you don’t put a conservative republican first in line in succession. Nor do you give him a launching pad for his own presidency.
Democrats liked McCain back then. They’ve always had a soft spot for Republicans who oppose their party on key issues. Obama staffed his administration with some of those types of choices, although with the exception of Huntsman I imagine he’s regretting that about now. James Comey is handling the Clinton email investigation.
Rhetoric aside, McCain is not and has never been terribly conservative. More so than most Democrats? Yes. But he has always been an “aisle crosser.”
Yeah, on one metric she is literally right in the middle (well on 49/100, so one point towards the Democrats, the perils of dividing an even number). The most atypical Republican Senator is Susan Collins, followed by Murkowski, then McCain (with no intervening Democrats; he’s 57/100 with Democrats or 43/100 with Republicans).
I’m just saying:
[QUOTE=Washington Post]
Julián Castro could be VP next year — or out of a job. He’s ready either way.
http://wapo.st/1QCoJYf
[/QUOTE]
I would not at all be surprised if Hillary picks one of the Castro brothers.
I would. And why “one of the Castro brothers?” One is clearly more qualified than the other, although both are not really qualified. If the media floats that Joaquin has a shot it basically just says that the face is what matters, not the substance.
Besides, given that the African-American vote is far more critical to her chances than the Latino vote, if she’s picking with that in mind, Deval Patrick or Cory Booker make far more sense. and are both MUCH more qualified to be President than the Castro brothers.
The face is what matters, in the last few decades, at least for most older and experienced Presidential candidates. I think there’s some minimum bar of experience (for VPs to be paired with experienced Prez nominees), that usually amounts to something like this: At least a half term as a Senator or Governor, or some national visibility paired with 10-15 years at local/state level politics. And among the VP possibilities that meet that bar, the nominee will pick the one they think helps them most in the general election.
The African-American vote is far more important to her now, when Sanders – who got arrested for opposing segregation before he endorsed Jesse Jackson – is busily meeting with Al Sharpton and getting vociferous support from Spike Lee and so on.
But if she gets the nomination, and Obama is out there telling people to vote for her, and she’s maybe up against a Republican who happens to be Latino?
It might depend on her confidence level. If she thinks the general election race will be very tough, and she’s not facing someone with a good chance at Hispanic appeal (so, maybe Kasich), then she might pick Booker. If she thinks she’s probably going to win pretty easily (perhaps Trump or Cruz), then picking Castro might be the best long-term political play in trying to consolidate Hispanic voters (and get out their vote) in the medium and long term. And if she faces Rubio, I think she pretty much has to pick a Hispanic VP candidate, since there could be a danger of losing the current advantage with Hispanic voters.
What if her biggest worry is getting dejected Sanders voters to the polls? That’s where Liz Warren could come in, or even someone like Howard Dean or Sherrod Brown.
She should pick them both and let them work together, like the Property Brothers.
Well, then I guess she’d pick Sanders.
I don’t think that’s practical. Plus I think Warren or Dean actually bring in more voters than sanders. Sanders is the face of a movement, but I don’t think he matters to it all that much. It’s not a cult of personality. Any sufficiently left wing VP nominee should signal to Sanders supporters that Clinton is willing to do what it takes to win their support. Heck, Warren probably brings in a LOT more voters than Sanders if she’s on the ticket.
Sherrod Brown has been talked about with good reason, because he excites liberal voters and probably also delivers Ohio, which makes the Republicans’ electoral vote map very difficult. Rubio would pretty much HAVE to pick Kasich to neutralize that threat, assuming Rubio manages to pull this out.
I think that’s unlikely, but in that case she might pick one of those, or Russ Feingold, or some younger prominent Sanders endorser.
Yeah, you know, Cory Booker, the one guy who’s been in the Senate shorter than Cruz and Rubio.
Sure, but he has plenty of additional experience, including executive experience, before being elected to the Senate.
He started in politics as a city councilman in 1998 and was the mayor of Newark for seven years.
For Hillary, I’m liking Deval Patrick the more I read about him. Executive experience, private sector experience, east coaster, African American, mature but not old, and wouldn’t cause any dangerous vacancies.
Julian Castro, the more I think about it just doesn’t do anything for me. He looks like a 15 year old. Regardless of how smart or well-spoken he is, I’m afraid people would see him as another Dan Quayle or Sarah Palin-- chosen for demographics (and maybe even looks). Give him another 8 or more years, and he’ll be a bit more seasoned and ready to roll in the big show.
Yup, good analysis.
Definitely not Dean, please. Warren is an interesting idea, sort of doing like Clinton and Gore. But wow, two women on the ticket? Hmm. I definitely like Brown for all kinds of reasons. I’m torn between him and a Latino.