# 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:** 29
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/561 "2008-08-22T16:59:47Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] And how exactly has Rezko been connected to Obama’s house? [/QUOTE] I’ll assume for the moment that you really don’t know. > [@](#): > > In sharp contrast to his tough talk about ethics reform in government, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., approached a well-known Illinois political fixer under active federal investigation, Antoin “Tony” Rezko, for “advice” as he sought to find a way to buy a house shortly after being elected to the United States Senate. > > The parcel included an adjacent lot which Obama told the Chicago Tribune he could not afford because “it was already a stretch to buy the house.” > > On the same day Obama closed on his house, Rezko’s wife bought the adjacent empty lot, meeting the condition of the seller who wanted to sell both properties at the same time. > > Rezko had been widely reported to be under investigation by the U.S. attorney and the FBI at the time Obama contacted him and has since been indicted on corruption charges by a federal grand jury in a case that prosecutors say involves bribes, kickbacks and “efforts to illegally obtain millions of dollars.” > > This week, a federal judge in Chicago ordered the Rezko trial to begin Feb. 25. > > Obama maintains his relationship with Rezko was “above board and legal” but has admitted bad judgment, calling his decision to involve Rezko “a bone-headed mistake.” [Cite.](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4111483) And, of course, St. Obama was somewhat less than effusive on the details for a year or so - > [@](#): > > Watchdog groups are questioning why it took Sen. Barack Obama more than a year to disclose additional details of his dealings with indicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko. > > While Rezko was known to be under federal investigation, Obama toured a Chicago-area home with him to get his opinion of the property, Obama’s campaign revealed to Bloomberg News for a story published Monday. The politician later bought the home, with Rezko’s help, who bought the adjoining lot in what was effectively a package deal…The new revelations appear to indicate Obama had involved Rezko at an earlier stage of his home buying process than was previously known, and left many wondering why he had not shared the information sooner. [Cite.](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4315880) Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/562 "2008-08-22T17:06:18Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] But where’s the relevance? You never answered my question with why it matters that he was in Hawaii visiting his grandmother? How that makes him at fault for something or “elite?” [/QUOTE] [Couldn’t have put it better myself](http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/): > [@](#): > > Just so we are clear: visiting your grandmother while vacationing in Hawaii, the state where you were you were born - elitist. > > Meeting the millionaire heiress daughter (who you will soon begin an affair with and divorce your first wife and then go on and buy a ton of houses) in Hawaii and then going on and honeymooning in Hawaii – not elitist. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/563 "2008-08-22T17:06:46Z")
This Rezko stuff is the political equivalent of a constipated man squeezing out a shit. My god, do they strain and strain, red faced and sweaty. They tremble and the porcelain rattles against the drywall, and there is much grunting and squinting. And then, when you look down in the bowl, you have but a pebble. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/564 "2008-08-22T17:25:42Z")
Last time I checked, Hawaii was a fairly middlebrow vacation destination. A couple can easily spend a week on Maui for under $3000, including airfare from the East Coast, or at least they could before the recent fuel price increases. It’s easy to blow almost that much on a trip to Disney World. ---
**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:** [August 22, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/565 "2008-08-22T18:56:48Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Curses - foiled again! [/QUOTE] It wasn’t a response, it was a translation. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/566 "2008-08-22T20:23:08Z")
> [@](#): > > And, of course, St. Obama was somewhat less than effusive on the details for a year or so And then he sat down with about three dozen Chicago reporters and spent an hour answering every question they could throw at him about it. To those who think Obama shouldn’t play up McCain’s house gaffe because they can hit back with Rezco–do you really, truly think McCain isn’t going to go there anyway? This election is close, and it’s going to get ugly. Obama can sit back and wait to get bitchslapped and then play half-assed defense, or he can come out slapping. It’s just like the endgame in tournament poker–aggression is key. You can’t sit back and wait for a monster hand, and you can’t let the other guy set the tone. Obama is smart to come out and hit hard on this, even if it’s a silly little flap. ---
**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 22, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/567 "2008-08-22T20:33:45Z")
[QUOTE=DoctorJ] And then he sat down with about three dozen Chicago reporters and spent an hour answering every question they could throw at him about it. To those who think Obama shouldn’t play up McCain’s house gaffe because they can hit back with Rezco–do you really, truly think McCain isn’t going to go there anyway? This election is close, and it’s going to get ugly. Obama can sit back and wait to get bitchslapped and then play half-assed defense, or he can come out slapping. It’s just like the endgame in tournament poker–aggression is key. You can’t sit back and wait for a monster hand, and you can’t let the other guy set the tone. Obama is smart to come out and hit hard on this, even if it’s a silly little flap. [/QUOTE] And it’s a lot less silly than ragging on Obama for eating a certain vegetable. ---
**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 22, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/568 "2008-08-22T20:43:29Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] And it’s a lot less silly than ragging on Obama for eating a certain vegetable. [/QUOTE] Especially when the actual thing that happened wasn’t even about him eating the arugula. I can’t keep straight where I’ve posted this, but the “arugula” soundbite happened when Obama was talking to Iowa farmers. Who do the Republicans think grows arugula? Is it smuggled into the country in condoms inserted into Italian arugala-mules’ rectums? No…it’s grown. By farmers. In IOWA. And sold in farmers’ markets throughout that state. So, no, there are no Whole Foods in Iowa, but there certainly are arugula growers, sellers, buyers, and consumers there. The Republican view of that incident paints Iowa farmers (and farmers in general) as Dogpatchian rubes who ain’t never seen a fancy green like that. Iowa farmers know what arugula is. They know how it grows. And I’ll bet they even have computers that connect to the internet so they can use their subscriptions to market analysis websites to check the commodities prices on it. ---
**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 22, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/569 "2008-08-22T20:44:25Z")
So **Shodan’s** own cite fails to demonstrate any connection. Here’s what happened. The sellers asked for a price that was well above market value. Obama made a counter-offer that was lower than the asking price and still above market value. The seller got no better offers and sold Obama the house. In an unrelated deal, Rezko’s wife bought the property next door. Later on, Obama bought part of that property at its appraised market value. The end. Rezko did nothing for Obama. Obnama got no special deals or discounts on any properties. Obama did nothing for Rezko. This whole house deal thing is complete smoke. Not that the right wing propaganda machine ever needs facts. Just make an insunuation and use a word like “shady,” and that’s all they need to do. Try to pin them down on exactly what Obama did that was either illegal or unethical and they have no answer. Those who investigated and prosecuted Rezko have said flat out they never found a hint that Barack Obama ever had any illegal or unethical dealings with Rezko.The problem with liberals is that they’re just too decent to ever use the same tactics. You have to completely divest yourself of any moral conscience You have to be able to knowingly spout pure lies and slander with no sense of guilt. Liberals are utterly unable to do that. We can talk about what’s TRUE, though. How about we start with the Keating Five? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/570 "2008-08-22T21:09:38Z")
[QUOTE=DoctorJ] To those who think Obama shouldn’t play up McCain’s house gaffe because they can hit back with Rezco–do you really, truly think McCain isn’t going to go there anyway? [/QUOTE] That was my thought. Anyone who thought that McCain was going to play a gentleman’s game and _not_ lay on the innuendos about Rezko et al is someone I need to sell my swampland to. If nothing else, this forced Camp McCain to play their Rezko cards earlier than they would have liked for maximum advantage. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/571 "2008-08-22T21:24:20Z")
[QUOTE=Jophiel] That was my thought. Anyone who thought that McCain was going to play a gentleman’s game and _not_ lay on the innuendos about Rezko et al is someone I need to sell my swampland to. If nothing else, this forced Camp McCain to play their Rezko cards earlier than they would have liked for maximum advantage. [/QUOTE] But..but…but…he was just [defending his wife’s honor!](http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/08/mccain_prepares_rezko_ad_wrigh.php): > [@](#): > > Though McCain is widely perceived to to drawn first blood by attacking Obama’s character, the official said that the difference between Obama’s mocking McCain for his wealth and his shaky answer on the number of homes he owns was that McCain’s charge “reflects an existential reality,” where Obama’s charges “attack Cindy. She owns the homes. I thought he said the wives were off-limits.” > > McCain strategists hope that Obama’s brass knuckles punch doesn’t work. “Americans don’t like this class warfare stuff,” the official said. They aspire to be rich, the official said. They don’t aspire to eat arugala or hang out with celebrities. Really? Americans don’t aspire to hang out with celebrities? What country do they think they’re campaigning in again? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/572 "2008-08-22T21:36:31Z")
How many movies has John McCain been in again? How many appearances on SNL? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/573 "2008-08-22T22:31:06Z")
[QUOTE=Oy!] How many movies has John McCain been in again? How many appearances on SNL? [/QUOTE] Does the President count as a celebrity? And on an utter hijack I find it blackly humorous that many war veterans are reportedly turning to liquor when they come back from their tour, while the candidate running on his military record married a beer heiress. I’m not suggesting or implying any connection, it’s just a horrible coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/574 "2008-08-22T23:14:06Z")
> [@](#): > > McCain strategists hope that Obama’s brass knuckles punch doesn’t work. “Americans don’t like this class warfare stuff,” the official said. They aspire to be rich, the official said. **They don’t aspire to eat arugala** or hang out with celebrities. Obviously. That’s poor people food. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/575 "2008-08-23T02:24:03Z")
CNN’s now reporting confirmation that Bayh and Kaine are out of the running for VP. I have a weeeeeeeird feeling it’s going to be Hillary. ---
**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:** [August 23, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/576 "2008-08-23T02:25:09Z")
Please, please, please let it be Hagel, pleeeeeeeease. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/577 "2008-08-23T02:25:48Z")
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia] CNN’s now reporting confirmation that Bayh and Kaine are out of the running for VP. I have a weeeeeeeird feeling it’s going to be Hillary. [/QUOTE] So do I. That description he gave yesterday is just too eerie and sounds too much like he’s preparing us for something we – and he – won’t. “Will challenge me to be better” and “I’m going to want somebody with independence, who’s willing to tell me where he thinks or she thinks I’m wrong,” my ass. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/578 "2008-08-23T03:03:23Z")
Can somebody catch me up? Who are now considered to be the likely candidate? -Kris ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/579 "2008-08-23T03:15:04Z")
He has apparently used the word feisty to describe his pick. This is not a word typically used to describe a man. **Frylock** , what we can tell you is that apparently it’s neither Bayh nor Kaine, because both claim to have been told they are no longer in the running. Biden, Sibellius, and Clinton are all considered still in the running, as well as the ever possible ? However, Clinton has absolutely not been vetted by the Obama campaign, so if they go with her, they must be assuming that her skeletons have pretty much been exposed. The conventional wisdom at this point is Biden, but the CW at this point is pretty useless. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752/580 "2008-08-23T03:15:32Z")
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia] CNN’s now reporting confirmation that Bayh and Kaine are out of the running for VP. I have a weeeeeeeird feeling it’s going to be Hillary. [/QUOTE] _A senior Democratic official who had spoken with Clinton told CNN late Friday that the Obama campaign has communicated to her through private channels that she will not be Obama’s vice presidential pick._ Also from CNN. Unless they’re pulling a fake-out, Bayh, Kaine and Clinton have all been told no. Which probably points towards Biden. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-should-obama-pick-as-running-mate/451752.md?page=30)