List Your VP Potentials and Why

[Bullet1987]

In no particular order (because I'm lazy lol). It would be nice if you add negatives too.

1. Joe Biden - strong foreign policy credibility. Fairly well known, respected in the Senate. Likely would help with White voters. Has a fiery personality (will be needed when the GOP race-baits).

- Negatives: Another senator just like Obama. No executive experience. Known to get ticked off easily and put his foot in his mouth.

2. Kathleen Sebelius - two-term red state Govenor. Crossover appeal. Would help with women and Indies. Conservative Democrat.

- Negatives: May make Obama's problem worse in certain parts of the country.

3. John Edwards: - Very well known and liked. Populist appeal. Also has a no B.S. approach to politics a little like Biden.

- Negatives: Been there, done that (ran with Kerry in 2004). Doesn't have any real regional advantages. Not a lot of executive or foreign policy experience.

[Eagle_Eye]

1. Barack Obama

Barack Obama needs to gain some experience before he runs for President

[Just-plain-Kathy]

2. Hillary is that you?

[Eagle_Eye]

4. No

[Just-plain-Kathy]

3. Hillary is that you?

[Eagle_Eye]

5. No

[NYCGirl]

6. Pssssst....

He's running and he's winning.

[Eagle_Eye]

8. Some of us don't think Obama is the best choice

Just because he is winning doesn't make him the best candidate to beat the Republicans in the General Election.

[NYCGirl]

10. I understand your pain. But it's over. And he will beat the GOP handily. NT

[mmonk]

7. Kathleen Sebelius (executive experience and hard for republicans to attack)

Zinni (Foreign policy with military experience and overview), Richardson (diplomacy in line with Obama ideals), Graham (national security and intelligence experience), and Hagel (national security and unity themes).

[JPZenger]

9. He has to take 3 shots of whisky and ask Hillary

At this point, I think Obama must ask Hillary to be VP for the following reasons:

- It will widely be considered to be sexist if he does not ask her.
- She has too many voters in too many swing states where he is weak.
- She is well known among Latinos.
- She has too many dedicated donors.
- She has received almost as many votes as he has in the whole scheme of things, which deserves consideration.
- She has proven to be a strong and tireless campaigner.
- There is no perfect VP candidate. Most have major weaknesses and/or don't offer widespread experience on national security/foreign policy, which is the greatest need for a VP this year.
- Some other VP candidates (such as Hagel and Bloomburg) are not lifelong Democrats, and can't be trusted to always do the right thing on domestic issues.
- Bill Clinton is more likely to campaign hard if his wife is on the ticket.

My personal favorite for VP is Richardson, but for the sake of winning in November, it has to be Hillary.

[mystieus]

11. Kathleen Sebelius - has a lot of experience, someone who Obama seems to personally respect, and

Is in line with Obama's main political themes of working with opponents.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. How about

Wes Clark - foreign policy experience and administrative experience. A Southerner.

-Negatives-no experience in elective office, would not be able to help with bringing round members of Congress to support proposed legislation (and even with a Democratic majority, this task will be important)

Bill Richardson - foreign policy experience and administrative experience. Hispanic.

-Negatives-some would say that a minority ticket would not be wise--but I say that anyone who wouldn't vote for the ticket because of ethnicity isn't gonna vote Dem anyway.

[LucyParsons]

13. Webb

White, Southerner, populist (but not "liberal"), long military background, great speaker, can handle VP nominee "attack dog" role with relish

Will bring in Reagan Dems, Dixiecrats, white Southerners in general, Appalachians in particular.

I would prefer President Kucinich, but speaking pragmatically and a bit cynically, I think Webb is our best shot. We would need to have a very, very strong Dem running to fill his vacant seat in VA, though.

[Barack_America]

14. Tim Kaine

1. First national figure to endorse Barack Obama

2. He and Barack's mothers were from El Dorado, Kansas

3. Governor of Virginia, a Southern swing-state

4. Is a former missionary and is pro-life (which I'm not personally crazy about but certainly puts the Republican/Democrat social-conservatives in play)

5. Grew up and went to school in Missouri, another key swing state

6. Has been a strong surrogate for Obama

7. He and Barack clearly have a strong rapport


Cons:
1. The pro-life thing
2. His term doesn't expire until Jan. 2009, so the Republican Lt. Governor would take over for a year.