# Who will/should Obama pick as running mate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 4, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752 "2008-06-04T13:50:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/441 "2008-08-20T17:29:35Z")
[QUOTE=xanthous] From [this article today](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/20/candidates.vp/index.html): Is this just smoke to get the media away from his house, or truth? [/QUOTE] This was mentioned upthread. But it sounds like he’s singing a slightly different tune now: CNN quotes him as saying, “I promise you, I don’t know anything.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnnieEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@JohnnieEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnieEnigma)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/442 "2008-08-20T17:31:41Z")
Caroline Kennedy would make a good vice pres. I would be pleased with that… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/443 "2008-08-20T17:35:48Z")
I’d like to revise my prediction a little bit. I now think that when Obama makes his pick, it’ll be around one o’clock _somewhere_. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/444 "2008-08-20T17:38:28Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] This was mentioned upthread. But it sounds like he’s singing a slightly different tune now: CNN quotes him as saying, “I promise you, I don’t know anything.” [/QUOTE] Oof- I skimmed to make sure I wasn’t posting old news, but I obviously didn’t look closely enough :smack: ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/445 "2008-08-20T17:54:07Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] This was mentioned upthread. But it sounds like he’s singing a slightly different tune now: CNN quotes him as saying, “I promise you, I don’t know anything.” [/QUOTE] If he doesn’t know anything yet, he’s not the pick. He could just be throwing smoke in the press’s eyes, but if he’s being honest he isn’t the pick. The person in question will have known for a couple of days at this point, I’m sure…they’re just keeping it quiet until the official announcement. Just because we don’t know who Obama picked doesn’t mean that Obama hasn’t picked already. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/446 "2008-08-20T18:00:51Z")
I’m sure The Chosen has been informed, but we don’t know if Biden was telling the truth either time. Just to be really cautious about it. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/447 "2008-08-20T18:23:12Z")
[QUOTE=xanthous] From [this article today](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/20/candidates.vp/index.html): Is this just smoke to get the media away from his house, or truth? [/QUOTE] It means if it’s him, he didn’t yet know it then (don’t know if he knows more now). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/448 "2008-08-20T19:15:34Z")
[QUOTE=JohnnieEnigma] Caroline Kennedy would make a good vice pres. I would be pleased with that… [/QUOTE] I’ve heard this from others, too. I like her very much and think she’s a wonderful human being, a great mom and a talented writer. Her dad would be proud of her. But other than her last name, I just don’t know why she would be qualified to be Vice President of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/449 "2008-08-20T19:22:21Z")
A friend who is highly active in the Dem Party machine said that another guy he knows said it’s Richardson… guess we’ll know in a little while. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/450 "2008-08-20T19:26:54Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] A friend who is highly active in the Dem Party machine said that another guy he knows said it’s Richardson… guess we’ll know in a little while. [/QUOTE] I just told my wife that a guy on a message board whose username I’m familiar with has a friend who says he knows a guy who says it’s gonna be Richardson. She gave me a look like I just crapped on the Thanksgiving turkey. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/451 "2008-08-20T19:45:55Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] If he doesn’t know anything yet, he’s not the pick. He could just be throwing smoke in the press’s eyes, but if he’s being honest he isn’t the pick. The person in question will have known for a couple of days at this point, I’m sure…they’re just keeping it quiet until the official announcement. Just because we don’t know who Obama picked doesn’t mean that Obama hasn’t picked already. [/QUOTE] I don’t know that that’s true. MSNBC was speculating last night that the pick may be notified immediately before the news goes out to the public, so that a lid is kept on it until the very last minute. You know the Obama campaign - _very_ tight discipline. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/452 "2008-08-20T19:50:48Z")
[QUOTE=Oy!] I don’t know that that’s true. MSNBC was speculating last night that the pick may be notified immediately before the news goes out to the public, so that a lid is kept on it until the very last minute. You know the Obama campaign - _very_ tight discipline. [/QUOTE] I’d hope that the presidential candidate that was choosing me for vice-president would have the respect for me that would be evident in at least giving me a little time to actually internalize the idea. Not to mention enough respect for me that he’d trust me not to leak the news. There’s going to be a lot of stuff Obama would have to trust his vp candidate not to leak during his administration, unless the vice-presidential role goes back to the pre-Mondale bucket of warm spit. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/453 "2008-08-20T20:01:25Z")
Just saying what MSNBC was saying. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/454 "2008-08-20T20:23:02Z")
[QUOTE=Oy!] I don’t know that that’s true. MSNBC was speculating last night that the pick may be notified immediately before the news goes out to the public, so that a lid is kept on it until the very last minute. You know the Obama campaign - _very_ tight discipline. [/QUOTE] I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t give the pick a little more heads up than that. They should at least make sure whoever they pick wants the job, shouldn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/455 "2008-08-20T20:24:30Z")
I would assume at this point that they’ve already established that with anyone they’re seriously considering. It would be silly to go to the expense and trouble of vetting someone without making sure s/he was willing to serve first. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/456 "2008-08-20T20:29:20Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t give the pick a little more heads up than that. They should at least make sure whoever they pick wants the job, shouldn’t they? [/QUOTE] What if they notified the VP selection by text message, at the same time they notified everyone else? No possibility of a leak then. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/457 "2008-08-20T20:31:25Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t give the pick a little more heads up than that. They should at least make sure whoever they pick wants the job, shouldn’t they? [/QUOTE] You don’t think the months of interviews and background checks and conversations with the potential noms would give them some sort of idea if the person wants the job or not? ---
**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:** [August 20, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/458 "2008-08-20T20:34:44Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] What if they notified the VP selection by text message, at the same time they notified everyone else? No possibility of a leak then. [/QUOTE] I have to think the VP choice would feel a little put off by that. Basic ettiquette requires a formal request and acceptance before any announcement is made. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/459 "2008-08-20T20:37:26Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] You don’t think the months of interviews and background checks and conversations with the potential noms would give them some sort of idea if the person wants the job or not? [/QUOTE] People can change their minds or get cold feet. It’s only proper to make a formal request even if you know the answer. I’ve applied for jobs, done interviews and gone through background checks and then still been _asked_ if I wanted the job. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/460 "2008-08-20T20:40:37Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] I just told my wife that a guy on a message board whose username I’m familiar with has a friend who says he knows a guy who says it’s gonna be Richardson. She gave me a look like I just crapped on the Thanksgiving turkey. [/QUOTE] Well, duh. Everyone knows you can only believe it if it’s **Hippy Hollow** ’s friend’s hairdresser’s cousin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752.md?page=24)