I remain puzzled by the support Kathleen Sebelius has. While she has recently vigorously fought a proposed coal-fired electric plant in the southwest part of the state (that mainly would benefit folks in other states), I’m hard pressed to think of anything else of significance she has done.
Would she deliver Kansas for Obama? C’mon. Kansas hasn’t voted Democratic since we preferred Landslide Lyndon over Barry “He Might” Goldwater in '64. The only other time I know of is 1936 when we chose FDR over Alf Landon, our own governor (meaning, I suppose, that you all can have our governors when you can pry them from our cold, dead hands).
And do keep in mind we have just six electoral votes. Hardly worth fighting over.
Anyway. If you must, at least let us Kansans figure out who the Lt. Guv is and see if he’s still sentient.
Aside: since others in this thread have mentioned staffing of the Obama Administration, this is the place to throw out a thought I had the other day: the perfect job for Al Gore would be - head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Wouldn’t that be fun?
I hope not. He is just someone who, after a life of wealth and priveledge based on oil money, decided that Environmental issues was his way to gain fame. There are some true environmentalists who live their beliefs in environmentalism without being the “Lets kill the humans to save the scum-sucking moths while we live in houses made of yak-shit” types. Let’s get someone who is worthy of the post.
The idea of nominating Sebelius isn’t winning Kansas, it’s putting Republican-leaning states in the West and Midwest in play. Same as the Schweitzer idea, for example.
I don’t know enough about her to say. But maybe I should have said it’s more about how that pick would symbolize his efforts to put those states in play.
You need a lot of those west/midwest states to add up to the electoral votes of Ohio, Pennsylvania or any other of the big eastern swing states. It’s not really clear to me that they’re worth pursuing unless there’s a very good reason to think that they’ll be easy to pick up.
Competing in those states forces McCain to defend them, which reduces his time and funds to go after other states, including the swing states. And nominating someone from the West or Midwest isn’t a sacrifice of Ohio or Pennsylvania.
That’s not what he was saying. He was saying Gore picked up the environmental issue to get famous - although I don’t think that makes a lot of sense, since that issue didn’t come into vogue until many years after Gore got into it.
First off the idea is to pick a VP that complements his narrative. A Democratic governor of a Red state does that - it embodies reaching across the aisle. It also signal the 50 state strategy is for real. As to chasing those states, winning two or three of them opens up extra pathways to win without depending on Florida or Ohio, although you still of course want to win them as well.
Mind you, she isn’t my first choice, but that’s the logic.
If Jay Nixon weren’t running for Missouri governor (& likely to win in a walk, people trust him here & that’s not always the case) I’d suggest him for AG. Edwards seems like a good fit for HHS or maybe HUD. I guess HRC might want HHS, tho’.
Any one know how much a solid show from “the Jewish vote” could bring in percentage in Florida?
I ask as several of the names floated (albeit the unlikely names: Rendell, Rubin, Bloomberg, etc.) have belonged to individuals of that heritage. And if that identity could possibly make the critical difference in a tight Florida race then it makes the downside of those for whom a Black and a Jew would be a step too far worth it. And Florida seems to at least be tightening up. (The larger recent polls have Obama in the lead but the polls do vary significantly depending on who is doing the asking.) And I know that Lieberman wasn’t enough to deliver Florida for Gore … or was he?
Now, Rendell has pretty much taken himself off the list, and it doesn’t currently look like Obama needs him on the ticket to pull off Pennsylvania, nor does he really complement the overall narrative other than a bone to the Clinton forces (for whom it will either not be needed or not enough - only Hillary herself would be enough).
Rubin is a way way long shot although I was impressed by the analysis in the article I linked to a bit upthread.
But Bloomberg - who I have dissed as a choice before - does complement the reaching across the aisle narrative, brings some support from fiscal conservatives while staying true to the socially liberal mindset compatible with Obama’s POV, and brings with him the ability to self-fund to whatever amount is deemed necessary.
So I am staying with:
Zinni if the choice is to go with both for Obamacans and shore up on security. Maybe Jones there, not Clark. Not Hagel - too conservative.
Bloomberg or Rubin would either bring some economic gravitas and maybe some critical votes in Florida if it is real close there. Rubin might be a throw to the Clinton-nostalgic wing as well, and Bloomberg to the Obamacan side.
Sebilius to send a message about the 50 state strategy and Dems leading across party lines. Also a throw to the Western region in general.
What message does he want to send and what can actually help him either with a state a region or deliver the message?
Are you referring to the high Muslim population in your area?
Cynically they are not too likely to go for McCain. And a Jew on the ticket would clear up the sleeper Islamic operative meme pretty quick for those that cognitively challenged. Might even offset their antisemitic leanings some.
While Bloomberg won’t get rid of the Muslim votes, he won’t help in shedding Obama’s elitist image, nor will he help him appeal to the heartland.
Bloomberg would get my vote even if he were running against Obama, but I don’t see him being useful as a VP. He’s better at running a government than he is playing politics. A national political role, with little power over policy, wouldn’t capitalize on his strongest abilities.
Heh. Yeh, if ol’ Ralphie had any relevance at all, we’d be steamed. As it is, he’s just a pathetic little has-been flailing about desperately to get some attention.
Ah, Mr. Nader, you’re a very important person in our nation’s history. You’ve done a lot of great things. You’re even the first Arab-American presidential candidate.
Now stop talking, please.