What do you think about Webb as VP?

What are the pros and cons of this possibility?

He'll appeal to the lunchpail crowd that Clinton is now co-opting.

and getting rid of politics as usual, I don't see how that would make much sense.

And, I certainly don't see it working. Can you imagine Bill , a former president himself, taking a back seat as spouse of a VP.

Pros: Everything else about him.

;) ... the foregoing is a little brusque but HOLDS TRUE for those within the right wing of the party, i.e., their beloved base. :evilgrin:

No way would "bully boy" McCain select a woman to be his running mate.

We're trying to get the best team into the GP. If that is Webb, then he's ours. Having a woman Veep on McCain's ticket doesn't "un-lame" Republican policy.

Duke

All of the major frontrunners for the Republican V.P. position are male.

capabilities of Women in Combat from the 1970s. He has evolved not unlike my older brothers SLOWLY did from those bad ol' days of women's integration into the REGULAR military (1974).

Personally, as a woman and Army Veteran, I hold no resentments because Webb now recognizes the profound achievements of Women in the Armed Forces. :shrug:

All of the major frontrunners for the male V.P. position are men. McCain does not have the complete luxury of choosing whoever he wants since his conservative base is far from solidified right now.

Possible women on the ticket are: Sebelius and Napolitano, with a longshot of Barbara Boxer.

Didn't you say that McCain might choose a female V.P.? Which woman would McCain choose?

:patriot:

I donnt think he chooses either. I hope he chooses the Governor of Louisiana.

But I do think Webb would be a good choice too.

Obama-Hagel was the worst ticket among Obama-Rendell, Obama-Sebelius, and Obama-Edwards.

Nobody outside of those respective states knows Sebelius, Hagel, or Rendell. Like in PA, an Obama-Rendell ticket does very well, but in CA not so much. THey are unknowns and when matched against McCain and a known such as Huckabee or Romney, they will lose.


ALso no to Hagel

Obama needs someone who knows the ins and outs of how Congress works.

You always hear about how Governors would be good choices, and they hardly know the ins and outs of Congress. Not to mention, Webb has other very important experience including being Secretary of the Navy.

.......where the skeletons are buried and the various legal proceedures of Congress to help speed the reformations Obama hopes to achieve in the shortest possible time.

The greatest weapon McCain and the GOP have against Obama in the GE is the perception of inexperience.

And unlike our primaries where Obama beat Clinton trying that strategy, in the GE independents and the moderate Republicans place a greater degree of importance on that subject.

And I think to help with the inner workings of Congress, I think Daschle would make a great Chief of Staff.

....embracing Webb who was Republican up until he ran for the Senate?

Between the two (if I had to choose, and neither of them are my first choice) Hagel not only has more experience, but he seems to have a far better temperment as far as possibly saying the wrong thing during the heat of a campaign.

Look at his other positions and you will cringe. I'm up for Hagel as Sec of Defense however.

Pros: Lots of experience. Bull dog. Good cop/bad cop ticket. One of the very same Appalachia Whites Obama has trouble with. Much more of a maverick than Mccain. Nullifies Mccain's military experience. Might give Obama a small boost in VA. Extremely intelligent. Knows what he is talking about. Moderate.

Cons: Risk of being swift-boated (or "swift-booked" in this case). Accused by some of being a bit whiney and manipulative. Name recognition is lower than other choices so he risks being defined by the GOP. Risk of gaffe during campaigning/debating because he is a bit hot headed. Will be 70 in 2016 so might be too old to be a pres. candidate.

to ensure continuity. I like his military background and former GOP ties as it will show Obama reaching across the aisle.

I really think we need someone with military experience to counter McCain.

him as VP, but we need him in the most important position for his State...

I think he'd be perfect.

Especially after seeing him move back on his absolute denial, and reading that he is less conservative than I thought. I had thought he would be anti-choice and anti civil unions. I'm happy to find out I was wrong on both fronts.

I think he's perfectly in line with Obama's campaign meme of change.

but his fiction could get him raked across the coals - already has. Last night on Terry Gross he said he had no interest in VP. Said he was very happy being a citizen politician and enjoys being able to have time to pursue intellectual pursuits while still serving his country. (heavy paraphrasing)

not being WHITE.

Not that I actually have a say, of course.

My second choice is Mike Bloomberg, but New York is a given, anyway so it probably won't happen.

Former missionary. Catholic from Richmond.
Moderate to liberal on other social issues.
Considered liberal for Virginia because he opposes the death penalty.
Comes across as somewhat Dukakis-ish.

He is the term-linited Governor of VA (one term in office max).

candidates are avatars of the status quo.

Like Webb, Sebelius, Richardson (I know he was in the House, but him as governor and ambassador), Clark.

already vote for Obama-Whoever? She doesn't bring even one single electoral vote with her. I'd love to see her as a future presidential nominee, but as a potential VP she doesn't bring enough to the table (for my taste).

He went to Harvard Law after spending a year as a Catholic missionary in Honduras. Practiced law in Richmond, VA for 17 years, specializing in representing people who had been denied housing opportunities because of their race or disability. Taught legal ethics for 6 years at University of Richmond Law School. Richmond City Council for four years. Mayor of Richmond for four years. Lieutenant Governor for four years. Governor for two years.

lock Virginia, he also appeals to a demographic where Obama could use a boost.

He showed terrible judgment in the past, voting for Bush and Macaca.

He wrote an article called "Women Can't Fight" which became an issue during the 2006 race.

He wrote a book with the whole "penis in mouth" passage, which would create unnecessary controversy.

He would give angry female Hillary supporters all the reason they need to vote McCain or stay home.

He just got into the Senate.

He barely won his Virginia Senate seat. Like Edwards, there's no guarantee he'd help us with the state.

Who do you favor?

as a VP pick. But I agree, I'm afraid of the "Women can't Fight" article (even if it was from '79, of course it would be brought up, and we can't really afford to piss off female Hillary supporters on the sexism issue).

Lol. And of course the "penis in mouth" passage in the book would be brought up, which is ironic, because...John McCain offered this book review for him as part of the marketing for Webb's book!

“James Webb’s new novel paints a portrait of a modern Vietnam charged with hopes for the future but haunted by the ghosts of its war-torn past. It captures well the lingering scars of the war, and exposes the tension between the dynamism of a new generation and the invisible bondage of an older generation for whom wartime allegiances, and animosities, are rendered no less vivid by the passage of time. A novel of revenge and redemption that tells us much about both where Vietnam is headed and where it has been.”
— Senator John McCain

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780440240914&view=quotes

Think he is best where he is now. What about Zinni?

Two senators on a ticket is a long shot unless the senator has executive experience.

My gut is telling me Strickland or Schweitzer.

I just like his voice.

I guess I tend to discount the idea that the VP pick will actually help us all that much. I place more importance on who I would like to see running in 8 years. And because I think Webb has a reputation for being more centrist, I'd rather pass. However, if I'm comfortable with the idea of our VP pick taking over in 8 years, I'm all too happy to consider what states he/she may help Senator Obama win. That's why I've been a fan of Richardson... maybe Sebelius.

I think Obama should run with a woman on the ticket NOT HILLARY. Although she might not be happy with that (she could be otherwise 'rewarded' if Obama wins), my sense is that the overwhelming majority of those who support her (and would in Nov) but are reluctant to support Obama would be won over easily, especially by a good pick. My favorite is Sen Boxer, who has foreign policy background galore, strong on Greenhouse (for a pol), very appealing and charismatic, no serious baggage AFAIK, unifying, upbeat, likely to help considerably in FL and some other states, VOTED NO ON IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION (IWR), extremely knowledgeable about policy and capable. Stabenow, Sebelius and probably Napolitano (don't know a whole lot about any of these) would strike me as a better choice than any male.

Having a female running mate would be both good realpolitik at this point, AND it is high time the USA had a woman not only on a ticket (as in 84) but on a WINNING ticket, which is highly possible this year.

Hillary would, IMHO, actually probably COST Obama votes instead of boosting him -- too much baggage, too many negatives (not all of them fair), too divisive, and in her handling of the campaign, she is far from entirely innocent of the last problem. But the other women mentioned might in each case put Obama over the top. That may seem like crass reasoning to some, but we're talking about the possibility of President McCain, who still insists on "winning" (whatever that means) the war in Iraq.

On the other hand, as males go, Webb is one of the better ones. He opposed IWR back when, appeals to DLC crowd without necessarily being one of them, might help carry Ohio even if VA won't be brought (good chance) into Obama camp, etc. Other similarly strong candidates who are male (all less choice picks than the abovementioned women) are Schweitzer, possibly Richardson (more electorally than in terms of the presidency -- he's really another Clinton Democrat not new politics). Kaine is a possibility Webb is in this top tier of males.

Less preferable than Webb would be a turn to the DLC, whether Hillary Clinton or Clark or Strickland. I am less impressed with Edwards as VP (didn't exactly superboost Kerry) than many on DU