The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

I'm all for these two simply flipping a coin and going with it to kick McCave's butt, and then the VP can have his/her shot at the Oval Office in 2016.

Instead of all this current silliness of dragging each other down, they both should come out everyday with a coordinated 'Today's look at 8 years of Bush/Cheney, and the dangers of a McCave presidency', and having that be the day's talking points in all of thier speeches, leaving nothing but these topics for the loser media to focus on. The Republicans super dirty laundry list is a million miles long and continuing every day, as we speak.
It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel, but instead they just take pot shots at each other. Stupid.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

I'm all for these two simply flipping a coin and going with it to kick McCave's butt, and then the VP can have his/her shot at the Oval Office in 2016.

Instead of all this current silliness of dragging each other down, they both should come out everyday with a coordinated 'Today's look at 8 years of Bush/Cheney, and the dangers of a McCave presidency', and having that be the day's talking points in all of thier speeches, leaving nothing but these topics for the loser media to focus on. The Republicans super dirty laundry list is a million miles long and continuing every day, as we speak.
It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel, but instead they just take pot shots at each other. Stupid.

Ron is it necessary to resort to namecalling? McCain does have a name just like you. As a politician you can criticize all you want on his abilities as a senator, but when you resort to personal attacks on a person's name, that is a crude and rude gesture.

And don't start on Rush Limbaugh. Yes he does resort to the same low tactics, why should you or anyone else?

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Hillary Clinton brings too many negatives. I'm not sure if I'd even vote for Obama if Hillary is anywhere on that ticket.

Currently, my top 2 picks for VP under Obama:

Kathleen Sebelius -- Governor of Kansas, she is the one with the experience, plus she was there for Barack before Super Tuesday. She has executive experience, plus her experience as an elected official goes back to 1986 (no, not First Lady).

Bill Richardson -- Governor of New Mexico, holding US Secretary of Energy and US Ambassador to the UN. So he has executive experience plus international relations. I think Richardson should be somewhere prominently in the cabinet if he doesn't make VP.

I wonder if Howard Dean would consider being on the VP ticket? He was my pick in 2004.

Seeing as how Howard Dean would be involved in trying to seat the Michigan and Florida delegations for the Democratic Convention in his position as DNC chairman, I don't think he would be a VP prospect. Wouldn't sit well with the Clinton supporters for Dean to have a part in sorting out that mess,.... and then conveniently sliding into a ticket alongside Obama.

You may be on the right track with speculating on prominent Democratic governors. But the bottom line is that Obama needs to pick someone who appeals to the demographics that he's weak in (white blue collar workers, non-college grads, older voters) but without carrying negative baggage. Preferably, it should be someone from the Clinton camp who can do his/her part to re-unite the party. And if that person has roots from the South, all the better.

Going off the beaten path of governors and congressional members, one person who would meet the criteria that I specified above would be retired General Wesley Clark. He is a Vietnam war hero, was raised in Arkansas, and will likely appeal to the Reagan Democrats that Obama will need to win over if he is to be victorious in the general election.

For sure, Obama needs to steer clear of East Coast liberal types like John Kerry or Michael Dukakis.

[Vanguard]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

oing off the beaten path of governors and congressional members, one person who would meet the criteria that I specified above would be retired General Wesley Clark. He is a Vietnam war hero, was raised in Arkansas, and will likely appeal to the Reagan Democrats that Obama will need to win over if he is to be victorious in the general election.

I agree with these points. This ticket will work well, providing that nobody in the mainstream media brings up Clark's talk about UFO's and his own "temper". McCain's temper will no doubt be brought up, and if Wesley Clark is on the VP slot, the republicans will most likely say "Oh yeah? Well what about the time when Wesley Clark almost started World War III?"

They're probably also considering Jim Webb, for his military credits.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Mazie Hirono and 6 other superdelegates have declared for Obama today. That leaves Dan Akaka as the only remaining member of Hawaii's congressional delegation who remains uncommitted to either candidate. (Abercrombie was an early supporter of Obama and ditto Inouye for Clinton.)

It's difficult for me to imagine Clinton being able to keep her campaign up and running all the way to the convention in Denver in August when it becomes apparent that Obama will soon carry a lead in superdelegates in addition to the insurmountable lead that he has in pledged delegates. How will she continue to raise money for what is now clearly a hopeless cause? Only way to carry on with even a token campaigning effort would be for her to "loan" her campaign with even more of her family's fortune. As it is, she and Bill have already poured in more than $11 million dollars of their wealth into the campaign. I don't care how rich they are. $11 million is a significant "ouch" for them and the longer they keep up with this presidential campaign, the deeper into the hole they'll get. Hillary really has to ask herself if it is really worth burying herself in this much debt just to carry on to the convention.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ap...LOCALNEWSFRONT

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Hillary really has to ask herself if it is really worth burying herself in this much debt just to carry on to the convention.

Some Clinton-supporting journalists are suggesting she give it up as well.

[oceanpacific]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

OTOH, one wag noted that even if Hillary lends her campaign another $5M, that would drop the Clinton's net worth to "only" $100M or so. OUCH!

[Vanguard]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

It's difficult for me to imagine Clinton being able to keep her campaign up and running all the way to the convention in Denver in August when it becomes apparent that Obama will soon carry a lead in superdelegates in addition to the insurmountable lead that he has in pledged delegates.

It's high stakes gambling for the US Presidency; everyone knows she's going to easily take West Virginia. She's figuratively holding her breath for this outcome to turn into momentum, giving her the same numbers in all the remaining races. Either that, or she has some unseen plan involving publicly undeclared superdelegates and Florida and Michigan.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

It's high stakes gambling for the US Presidency; everyone knows she's going to easily take West Virginia.

There's only six remaining primaries left (including the one in Puerto Rico). Clinton is so far behind in pledged delegates that it's mathematically impossible for her to catch up at this point. In fact, there's more uncommitted superdelegates remaining than pledged delegates in those upcoming 6 primaries. Even if you were going to be overly generous and say that Hillary wins each of those contests with 70% of the vote (which is not going to happen), she will still be about a hundred pledged delegates behind.

She's figuratively holding her breath for this outcome to turn into momentum, giving her the same numbers in all the remaining races. Either that, or she has some unseen plan involving publicly undeclared superdelegates and Florida and Michigan.

I think if she had something up her sleeve to foist against Obama, she would have used it yesterday, if you catch my drift. As you say, it's a high stakes game. Whatever ammunition she has to capture the Presidency this year, she's not going to hold back.

I think that the only way for her to sway the superdelegates to her side at this point is for some terrible scandal to topple Obama. And maybe that's the reason why she's not giving up. She's waiting to see if something happens that will implode Obama's campaign. If so, I think she'll be waiting in vain.

You know what this situation reminds me of? Bill Clinton in '92. Everyone was waiting for the scandal that would knock him out. Jennifer Flowers. Smoking (but not inhaling) pot. Avoiding the draft. One after the other, they came out and none of it would sink his candidacy. Seems like Obama has the same "teflon" like quality that Bill had.

[Vanguard]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Obama rises from political obscurity to verge of history

The Five Mistakes Clinton made

[Vanguard]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Senator Akaka endorses Barack Obama

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

OTOH, one wag noted that even if Hillary lends her campaign another $5M, that would drop the Clinton's net worth to "only" $100M or so. OUCH!

The following link gives a more detailed analysis of the ramifications that Clinton faces with her $11 million "loan" to her faultering presidential campaign. And with six more primaries to finance, that $11 million figure will grow as her fundraising revenue dries up.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...ky8&refer=home

Now, nobody's talking about Hillary and Bill missing any meals, even in the worst case scenario. But still, if their personal worth is $100 million as you say, a 10-20% dent in the wallet is signficant for anyone, no matter where they are on the socio-economic ladder. As much as Hillary wants to be President, you can also bet that she doesn't want to "eat" that loan, either.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Evan Bayh, Bill Richardson, Mark Warner and Al Gore should be considered as VP candidates. I'd go with John Edwards on this list too but I do not think the Dem's would allow the same person to be on the ticket in two general election cycles.
Sadly he won no southern states for Kerry.

Aj

[Frankie's Market]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Evan Bayh, Bill Richardson, Mark Warner and Al Gore should be considered as VP candidates. I'd go with John Edwards on this list too but I do not think the Dem's would allow the same person to be on the ticket in two general election cycles.

It's been said that Edwards was so unhappy with his 2004 experience running for VP that he doesn't want a repeat of it. I would think that if Edwards had a serious desire to get onto either Clinton or Obama's ticket, he would have made an endorsement for one of them before North Carolina's primary.

But looking at the bigger picture, many of the Democratic bigwigs will probably not want Edwards to appear on a presidential ticket again. Unlike the Republicans, the Democrats rarely give second chances to unsuccessful presidential or vice-presidential candidates. Think about it. Guys like Kerry, Gore, Dukakis, and McGovern never were able to mount a serious bid for the Democratic nomination after failing their party the first time. All of them (fairly or unfairly) got saddled with a "loser" label that they were never able to shake off. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1956 to find a Democratic nominee (Adlai Stevenson) who got a second chance to represent the party after losing an earlier Presidential bid.

In regards to Evan Bayh; The Indiana Senator would be a solid running mate for Obama. But,.... if he does become the VP, he would then have to resign from the Senate, leaving his seat vulnerable to Republican challengers in what has traditionally been a red state. And with the Democrats' status as the Senate's majority party hanging by a thread, they can ill-afford to lose Bayh's seat.

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: The 2008 Presidential Elections - Chapter 2

Of all the names being currently tossed about, by far the best is Virginia Senator, Jim Webb.
Former Secretary of the Navy, Ass. Secretary of Defense, his son has/is serving in Bushes war, and tells it like it is, with no skeletons.