Reply #20: Nope. Meet your new VP candidate (I'd put money on it): [View All]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Napolitano
Summarized:

Napolitano was born in New York City. Dad was the Dean of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

She has partial Italian heritage on her father's side and was raised a Methodist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her early professional career was as a Phoenix-area prosecuting attorney and as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona.

In 1991, while a partner with the private Phoenix law firm Lewis and Roca LLP, Napolitano served as attorney for Anita Hill. Anita Hill testified in the U.S. Senate that then U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas had addressed her inappropriately ten years earlier when she was his subordinate at the federal EEOC.

As U.S. attorney, she was involved in the investigation of Michael Fortier of Kingman, Arizona, in connection to the Oklahoma City bombing. She ran for and won the position of state attorney general in 1998. Her tenure focused on consumer protection issues and improving general law enforcement.

She won the gubernatorial election of 2002 with 46 percent of the vote. In November 2006, Napolitano won the gubernatorial election of 2006, defeating the Republican challenger, Len Munsil, by a nearly 2-1 ratio.

In the 2010 Elections, Napolitano is term-limited, so some say she is considering challenging John McCain for his U.S. Senate seat or running for the open seat should McCain retire or be elected President in 2008. She has also been seen as a possible Vice-Presidential candidate for 2008.<3>

Policies

Advocates education and immigration reform. As a governor, sought funding for the public education system, health care programs, teachers pay, state government workers pay, and prison employees pay. Signed legislation that offered voluntary full day kindergarten throughout Arizona.

Opened the nation’s first state counter-terrorism center, signed legislation for a prescription drug card for seniors and signed into law property and income tax cuts, which were proposed by the Republican legislature.

In her first year as governor, the state's budget improved from a billion-dollar deficit in the year after the September 11, 2001 attacks to a billion-dollar surplus, without a tax increase. Every budget Napolitano has signed has been balanced.

Defends education spending as "investing in what matters", citing the benefits of academic achievement and economic growth.

Says illegal immigration is urgent and needed to be solved through comprehensive federal reform.<11> She was the first governor to call for the US National Guard to be placed at the U.S.-Mexico border at federal expense and succeed. In July 2007, she signed state legislation designed to penalize employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. Previously, when Arizona's voters passed Proposition 200, which would not allow illegal immigrants to collect welfare benefits, Napolitano opposed the measure.

***

Tough on law and order but respects the constitution, leader in counter terrorism. Pro education, healthcare, immigration reform. Can work with conservative Republicans, into cutting taxes AND balanced budgets AND increasing spending on 'what matters'. Great speaker, really down to earth and easy to like. Looks like Mom. Female and 100% self-made woman. Outstanding electoral performer. Knows McCain like the back of her hand. Presidential material, no question.

I say she is the best VP pick by a mile.