Sure, everyone's looking for the next Prez, so we have sights on who's making the play to become the next VEEP, the ultimate #2! At vicepresidents.com it is about people in the shadow-the second string, the runners up... The Latest: Will Hillary Choose Evan Bayh? NH Voters Like Richardson for VEEP.
01/09 Will Hillary Choose Evan Bayh?
It's funny how you run into things sometimes. I was perusing myspace this morning when I came across this page, which appeared to be Senator Evan Bayh campaigning for Vice President! He's truly a man after our own hearts, who sees the value in the #2 position. Unfortunately, he removed himself from the campaign in November because he wanted to continue his focus in the senate and felt he wasn't high profile enough. It was originally thought that the Indiana senator would run for President in 2008, but he instead endorsed Hillary Clinton.
Bayh makes an obvious choice for Clinton. He's smart, seasoned, a Mid-Westerner (in other words, the ying to her yang) and he's certainly not a rookie. In terms of experience, he's been in the senate since 1999 and before that, he was Indiana Secretary of State and Governor of Indiana. He comes from a political family as well -- his father Birch Bayh was a senator from 1963 - 1981 and lost the 1976 presidential nomination to Jimmy Carter. He has a degree in Business Economics and Public Policy. A man like this can only go up from here.
Last January, Clinton and Bayh made a trip to Afghanistan together and co-wrote a report for the Special Armed Forces Committee. In September, Evan not only endorsed Senator Clinton, but became the National Co-Chairman of her campaign. Most recently, he was speaking with undecided voters in New Hampshire, where Hillary won first place.
Clinton says of Bayh, "In an increasingly rancorous political environment, Evan has consistently reached across the aisle to tackle our nation’s toughest challenges and get results. I’m honored to have his support as we bring our message of change across the country."
01/09 New Hampshire Likes Bill Richardson... for VEEP!
Polling results haven't been fully tabulated for the VP candidates yet, but exit polls suggest that New Hampshire voters like the idea of Bill Richardson as the #2.
Marie Lemay, a Clinton supporter from Goffstown, said, "I'm supporting him (Richardson) for vice president. I think that would be the strongest ticket in the whole world. I like what he's done. He's been ambassador in the U.N. He's done a lot for New Mexico. I think he would bring that experience into the vice presidency."
Another voter, William Langley, added, "You look at him on TV, he just doesn't really look like a president. He is not as articulate. He's a little heavier-looking. He just doesn't look the part you know."
As expected, Richardson dismissed any notion of campaigning for VP. He told Sean Hannity at Fox News on Tuesday:
"No, I'm going to be the nominee. If I don't make it, I'm going to go back being governor of New Mexico in a great beautiful state dealing with foreign policy, also. I don't need to be vice-president. I want to be president. This is a long haul. This is going to go all the way to the summer. I feel I'm going to get a good little bump here tomorrow, maybe be third, if not a strong fourth, and then head into the West. I've campaigned very hard. And I feel that eventually the field is going to narrow down. There are four of us now. And I feel excitement. I've got big crowds everywhere. There must be a reason."
01/08 Richard Burr Joins McCain in New Hampshire!
Last year, Senator John McCain dropped a few hints as to his VP short list, one of those being five-term former House of Representatives member / North Carolina Senator Richard Burr.
With primary season in full swing, Burr is stepping up his game: Last week, Burr stumped in Iowa and got on the phone with dozens of Iowa voters; Last night, he appeared at a New Hampshire rally, urging voter support.
Burr has the support of Big Business behind him, which could definitely help McCain's cash-strapped campaign. In his expensive bid for John Edwards' vacant senate seat, Burr raised $2.8 million to win it and received 72/100 PAC donations from the largest companies in America!
Here's a surprise fun-fact about Richard Burr: he's actually related to notorious former VP Aaron Burr, who's noted for killing rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel! It's surmised that many Americans have a natural stigma against the "Burr" name, which is why only two members of the Burr family have been elected to Congress since.
01/08 The Softer Side of Mitt: Jim DeMint!
South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, ranked the "most conservative senator" in 2007, isn't shy about professing his support for Governor Mitt Romney on the campaign trail. He recently stumped in Iowa and has a lot to say on FOX News. His public speeches come off as a nicer, friendlier version of Mitt. Romney has been predicting a "big win" in South Carolina... and he's likely to throw a bone DeMint's way if he gets it.
Over at the Mitt Romney blog, Jim DeMint came in second place for the "Who Should Be Mitt Romney's VP Running mate" poll (after Huckabee).
In fact, DeMint and Romney have far more in common than Romney and Huckabee, including ideas on: abortion, opposition to amnesty, support for the Bush administration, anti-pork bills and like Romney, he's also owned a business (the DeMint Group market research firm).
01/08 Obama Has Secret Service Security
Senator Barack Obama takes heavy security with him on the campaign trail. The Washington Times reports: "The Illinois senator's security now rivals that of President Bush, with a dozen Secret Service agents wearing dark suits and earpieces leading bomb-sniffing dogs through event venues, sweeping all equipment brought by journalists and flanking the candidate as he plunges into crowds of supporters."
The only other candidate with taxpayer-based security is Hillary, as she is a former first lady. The fear of assassination is always great when someone proposes "big change" and represents the very essence of "hope" as JFK, Martin Luther King or Benazir Bhutto has.
... AND you never know what a quack like Bill O'Reilly is going to do! He might push some of campaign staffers around, but then again, he may just say he likes you and wants you on his show!
01/08 Could We See an Unbeatable Bloomberg-Obama Ticket?
Those closest to NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg know he would make a great president, urging him to run as an Independent.
However, Bloomberg would like to continue his term as mayor for the next year. Also, Andrew McRae, a Bloomberg drafter, recently said: “Obama is trying to reach out to independent voters, and that clearly would be the constituency that Mike Bloomberg would go after. An Obama victory does not make it impossible, but it certainly makes it more difficult.”
Perfect solution? An Obama-Bloomberg Ticket! But would Michael Bloomberg accept a #2 position with someone who has less experience?
Less than two months ago, Obama and Bloomberg met for a mysterious "coffee date" that was allegedly scheduled because of their "mutual interest." March is rumored to be a big month for Independents to start making their push, but it's possible we'll hear of Bloomberg hopping onboard as a potential VEEP before that.
01/07 Obama Wins Endorsement From Ex-Pres Candidate Bill Bradley
"Maverick" New Jersey Senator (and ex-NBA star) Bill Bradley endorsed Obama.
In 2000, Bradley attracted the undecided Independent voters, although the other maverick -- John McCain -- won many of them over in the end. The race is early and anything can happen. If Obama were to win the Dem nomination and find himself pitted against McCain, Bradley might make a sensible choice for VEEP.
What does Bradley have this time that he didn't have last time? He voted against the war from day one, whereas McCain plans to continue feeling his way through. Another reason Bradley would make a great VEEP for Obama is that he has a reputation around Washington for being a "policy wonk," specializing in complex reform policy. He's noted with child support reform, the 1986 tax code reform under the Reagan admin and federal deficit / spending reforms.
01/07 David Nolan & Ron Paul: Libertarian Party 2008 Ticket
There are some things I did not know about Ron Paul... one being that his 1988 run for President on the Libertarian ticket ended in scandal and abysmal failure. On election day, Paul's campaign office was raided by lawyers and accountants who arrested Paul's campaign manager Nadia Hayes on charges of embezzlement. In 1992, Ron Paul was drafted to run again (as a Libertarian), but he dropped out at the request of long-time friend Pat Buchanan, who wanted to launch his own bid for the White House, which Paul 100% supported.
Would Paul consider Pat Buchanan for VEEP? Pat does have a Conservative and Religious fan base, despite his quirky bouts of craziness. Similarly, the man knows economics, which could be a great asset for the next administration. He's also tough on immigration, which is the #1 concern among Republican voters in states like New Hampshire, according to Fox News.
Now rumors are flying and high hopes are soaring that Paul will run as a Third Party candidate. On December 27, the Constitution Party officially endorsed Ron Paul. Constitution Party spokesperson Mary Ann Crum said, "We feel that Dr. Paul may be America's last hope to return this country to it's Constitution." (The Constitution Party nominating convention is April 22-27 in Kansas City, MO.) Additionally, Paul has been sponsored by the Libertarian Party with party founder David Nolan even pledging himself as VEEP! (The Libertarian Party National Convention will be held in Denver, May 22-26.)
When the Washington Post asked Ron Paul about a third party bid, he replied, "We'll see if the supporters keep sending the money. But right now, our focus is on February 5th."
01/07 Pat Buchanan Promoted McCain As VEEP in 2004!
In a 2004 column, Pat Buchanan commented on the furor of impeaching Cheney: "Dumping Cheney would be seen as an admission that Bush's enemies were right, that Cheney, who has been both devotedly loyal and the most influential vice president in history, had failed or was no longer up to the job and must be moved out of the line of succession." He added that this would only happen if Bush and Rove decided Cheney had too much baggage.
He ponders various successors and concludes that Cheney should stay, but not before mentioning:
"John McCain fits the bill philosophically, and, should Bush dump Cheney for McCain, he would, initially, get wonderful press. But for Bush to put McCain first in line to succeed him in 2008 would ignite an immediate succession battle, and a fight in front of the TV cameras in New York, if not right on the convention floor."
01/07 Art Fennell Reports on Potential VPs
Here's an interesting video about possible VPs: a Bill & Hillary Ticket? Or Romney & Schwarzenegger Ticket?
