Obama WTF: Media pundits all over the map on Obama's VP choice; maybe Obama's personal INSECURITY is the problem

Speculation on vice presidential prospects is risky business. Not that there is much at stake in being wrong. No one is going to remember, unless by some miracle you guess right. In fact, the chances are very good that any guess will be wrong. Nonetheless, the temptation exists, especially when the only interesting American political news story in the dog days of summer is happening on foreign soil.

But it is the very fact that Barack Obama ’s world tour is so carefully choreographed that it invites speculation about who else has been selected to be on stage with him this week and how their auditions as surrogates or team mates are going. An even stranger thing to watch for is whether there turns out to be anything to Robert Novack’s blog post suggesting that Sen. John McCain might name a VP selection this very week just to nudge his way back into the news.

Sens. Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel are traveling with Obama. Or more accurately, Obama is in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the more senior Reed’s delegation. Both have been mentioned as VP possibilities. Both look good as foreign policy and national security stage props. Both are thoughtful, educated men with distinguished military service records and unquestionable commitments to the well-being of those in uniform and those they serve.

Meanwhile, back home it is Sen. Evan Bayh who seems to be doing most of the long-distance color commentary for the domestic audience on how well the Obama trip is going. Not that it is needed, since all three network anchors have been dispatched for their summer vacations with Obama.

At least some rules or basic principles for VP have become part of the conventional wisdom, and they are worth remembering before the inherent merits of any particular prospect carry us away into the realm of fantasy.

First of all, neither candidate can choose a running mate who is on the wrong side of his party’s official position on abortion. If a candidate strays on this issue in the selection of a vice-president, it shows that he might go wobbly when nominating a Supreme Court justice. That throws out Hagel on the Democratic side and all sorts of moderates on the Republican side, including Tom Ridge.

Second, given the delicate balance of power in the U.S. Senate it would be a serious error to pick a senator from a state where a replacement from the state is not likely to be from the same party. That means making sure you know who the governor is before go poaching senators who governors name to fill out the remainder of the term. And it means not grabbing up the only viable red state candidate in a blue state or vice versa. That principle makes Virginia Sen. Jim Webb a bad choice, even though by most lights he would fit the bill in every other way.Update Webb withdrew.

Just in case the election does turn out to be about the economy, Webb would offer a double bonus. Not only has he military and national security credentials, his brand of economic populism could be a plus.

The third principle is not to choose someone who outshines or embarrasses the candidate. In Obama’s case there is not much risk of being eclipsed. In McCain’s case, well, you know the story. But either candidate could pick someone who might say something off-script or speak infelicitously. In an election year rife with verbal gaffes, cell phone recordings, and a bolus of public apologies, this may well be one thing that really matters.

Of course, you have to vet the spouse for this one as well. He or she has to enroll in some sort of crash course “Stepford” program designed to make sure that absolutely nothing of interest or with a spark of humor or humanity comes out of his or her mouth. Besides, having to reject and repudiate people with long close personal histories is hard to do in a convincing manner. Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., however, has now given us reason to rethink the possibilities.

The fourth principle is that a VP candidate should add something to the ticket. This used to be virtually the sole consideration. This one is now optional. Principles 1-3 are mandatory. The first three principles point to things a presidential candidate must not do. They mirror the old adage “first do no harm.”

Burnishing the credentials of a candidate who lacks or is seen to lack bona fides in some area is a bonus. The choice of a VP based on what the VP adds to the ticket – think of Johnson for Kennedy – is no longer the main concern. The priority now is to think first of what evils must be avoided.

Once all the people who can’t pass muster on the “do no evil” test are eliminated the options dwindle. Hillary Rodham Clinton fails on several counts. She has the potential to outshine the candidate among some audiences, and the risk of embarrassment by her husband is considerable.
Bayh passes all of the negative tests. His abortion stance is acceptable for his party. He is replaceable in the Senate. He will neither embarrass nor outshine the candidate. He might even put another red state or two in play.

Reed passes all the tests except the one about not being from a state where a governor of a different party will pick his successor if he moves up to the Vice Presidency., He also brings considerable positive attributes. He burnishes the national security image and he is one of the least likely members of the Senate to cause embarrassment. In his case, he is a safe bet on this score, not because he has nothing to say, but because he does his homework and he possesses consistent good judgment. His public statements and Senate vote on the decision to go to war in Iraq are splendid examples of both traits. He won’t add a state of his own – Rhode Island is not at risk – but he can add at the margin in many places once more people see and hear him.

And then there is always Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware. He passes lots of tests most of the time and he would add much in the way of knowledge, experience and even badly needed humor to the ticket. One has to suppose that those who are vetting the prospects are asking themselves one question. Has he gotten over his chronic propensity to say things that require 48 hours of news cycle time to clarify?

Finally, there are always various governors from which to pick. The media never tires of telling us that we like governors. They remind us that we never vote for senators, except that this time we will. They have executive experience.

And then there is that vague notion of balance. That might have been the fifth principle on my list except that I no longer think it counts for much. In an era in which a political premium is placed on consistent messaging, the search for balance of the sort that the Kennedy-Johnson ticket represented no longer makes much sense.

Add to that the fact that a modern vice president is likely to have a heavy hand in governing, it is consistency, not balance, that will determine the choices of both candidates. That is about as far as I will go with predictions (except to say that Reed is Obama’s best choice, but I am counting on you not to remember that I said that).

Madison Powers is Senior Research Scholar, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University. His column appears each Wednesday in CQ Politics.
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2 Mark Davis: Potential running mates for Obama

08:27 AM CDT on Saturday, July 19, 2008
Mark Davis is heard weekdays from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on WBAP-AM, News/Talk 820. His e-mail address is mdavis@wbap.com
Before we begin to rank the best choices Barack Obama could make for a running mate, let's dispense with three names on the buzz list that stand a zero chance of being chosen.

First, Hillary Clinton. We have finally broken free of the absurd "dream ticket" talk. Mr. Obama knows an umbilical connection to the Clintons would be a curse that would oscillate between distraction and disaster.

Second, retired Gen. Wesley Clark. He was an attractive choice until he embarrassed himself and the candidate this month with a suggestion that John McCain's military service is not an indicator of presidential worthiness. He is actually correct about this – Gen. Clark is Exhibit A that you can have a stellar military career and still be an unworthy candidate – but after swooning in 2004 over John Kerry's dubious Vietnam record and tolerating slanders against his fellow soldiers upon his return, Gen. Clark needs to make up his mind whether military service bolsters a candidacy or not.

Third, Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. As hostile to the troops' mission as any war-hating Democrat, he offers Mr. Obama a chance to establish bipartisan credentials. One problem: there is no actual evidence that Mr. Obama is anything but the hard-left politician his votes reveal him to be, and there will be no room on the ticket for Mr. Hagel, who does still have a couple of conservative thoughts in his head.

So let's move to choices the likely Democratic nominee might actually consider. The wisdom of the moment is that he needs a running mate who is more moderate and more experienced. Talk about a target-rich environment. Since virtually anyone worthy of a mention meets those criteria, four names stand out as particularly deserving.

■ Joe Biden, U.S. senator from Delaware: foreign policy experience and the seasoning of 35 years in the Senate. Sixty-five but looks 10 years younger. He also appears to avoid much of the demonization of the opposition that fills most of the Democratic playbook.

■ Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico: How many résumés contain governor, congressman, U.N. ambassador and energy secretary? A half-minority in the Obama mold, he would make additional history with the help of Latino votes Mr. Obama sorely needs. Sixty years old but looks 10 years younger.

■ Evan Bayh, U.S. senator from Indiana: positively centrist against the radical liberal backdrop of the current party structure, two-term governor of his state, ten years in the Senate, and yes, 52 and looks 10 years younger.

■ Ed Rendell, governor of Pennsylvania: mayor of Philadelphia for most of the nineties and Democratic National Committee chairman for the 2000 election, which means he combines executive experience with some broad party appeal, which could soothe Hillary supporters, especially since he was one of the staunchest. The fountain of youth theme is broken – he's 64 and looks every bit of it.

Other names abound, but most are problematic:

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is out, as is anyone mentioned as a potential running mate for both Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain (although in my favorite political joke of this wacky year, some suggest Mr. McCain deliver the acceptance speech at both conventions).

U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia is out, even though he shares war-hating veteran credentials with Gen. Clark. Even less elected office experience than Mr. Obama. Bluntness can be a plus if combined with likability, which he completely lacks.

Gov. Kathleen Sibelius of Kansas is out. The Democratic nominee does not need a third straight running mate unable to deliver a home state.

In late January, Caroline Kennedy, now on Mr. Obama's VP selection team, wrote an op-ed piece supporting him. It was called "A President Like My Father."

Not likely. Mr. Obama will never embody the economic and foreign policy moderation of JFK, and he will also exhibit another difference – he will not choose to run with a bitter ex-rival.

**********************************************************************************
3 CBS News VP Hot Sheet: Democrats

Last Updated: July 18

Read VP Candidate Bios

2The following list reflects who's hot and who's not in the search for Barack Obama's vice presidential running mate. It is compiled by CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs and the rest of the CBSNews.com political team and reflects media speculation, buzz, reporting and a lot of guesswork. This list will be updated as conditions warrant.

1 Kathleen Sebelius | Bio
The buzz around the Kansas governor is only growing. In a recent local TV interview, Obama offered some strong praise for her, saying, "I love Kathleen Sebelius. I think she is as talented a public official as there is right now." Sebelius wouldn't confirm that she's being vetted, but Congressional Quarterly points out she is no longer denying it either.

2 Evan Bayh | Bio
Although Obama's recent trip to Indiana included an appearance with two potential running mates, it was Bayh, rather than former Senator Sam Nunn, who dominated the press conference that followed the event. Bayh's youthful look, substantial political experience and heartland ties could make him a very appealing choice.

3 Chuck Hagel | Bio
When Hagel accepted Obama's invitation to tag along on his upcoming trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, it no longer seemed so improbable that the Democratic nominee might choose a Republican running mate. The stage is set for what could turn out to be powerful images of a bipartisan trip, as Obama, Hagel and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed (another potential Obama VP choice) assess the situation in the two war zones.

4 Bill Richardson | Bio
The best choice if winning New Mexico and courting the Latino vote are paramount concerns. He may also have the best overall resume of anyone Obama will look at -- but his chances might be better if he had not run himself and turned in a puzzling performance.

5 Hillary Clinton | Bio
Former President Clinton recently said he'd stump for Obama "whenever he asks," but he hasn't been publicly touting the "dream ticket," as of late. While we can't rule out the possibility of an Obama/Clinton ticket, there haven't been any indications that Hillary Clinton is being vetted or is at the top of Obama's short list.

6 Joe Biden | Bio
The Delaware senator was on the outside looking in when the VP vetting process began, but the Biden chatter has grown over the last couple of weeks. He would bring a wealth of foreign policy experience to the Democratic ticket and is well-known in some of the heavily populated areas Pennsylvania, a state that may prove critical to Obama.

7 Tom Daschle | Bio
An early and eager supporter for Obama, who appears to have forged a close relationship with the former Majority Leader. A consummate insider helps soothe concerns of inexperience but also brings a lot of insider baggage. And what happened to Obama in South Dakota?

8 Chris Dodd | Bio
The Connecticut senator admitted he has been asked for information from the campaign. "There's been some inquiries, yeah," he told the AP. "They ask for a lot of stuff. I'll leave it there." After more than 30 years on the Hill, Dodd would fit an "elder statesman" role and he raised his profile among the party's rank-and-file during his long-shot presidential bid. But was it enough to propel him to a number 2 slot?

9 Michael Bloomberg | Bio
His call to the Jewish community to denounce false rumors that Obama is secretly a Muslim generated a lot of attention last week. And the fact that Bloomberg traveled to Florida to deliver his speech is a reminder of how the Republican turned independent could help sooth some of the Democratic nominee's problems with Jewish voters in the critical swing state.

10 John Edwards | Bio
After initially dismissing the idea of running for vice president a second time, Obama's other former rival now says he'd "seriously consider" an offer for the VP slot. Edwards has plenty of campaign trail experience and has already been vetted by the media (twice). Adding him to the ticket could enhance Obama's strategy to fight hard in the south.

*********************************************************
4 ABC 13 in Virginia

Washington insiders say Governor Kaine remains on Senator Barack Obama (web|news|bio) 's short list for potential running mates.

Governor Kaine and Barack Obama are long time friends and could soon be running mates.

Josh Kraushaar, The Politico - "He doesn't want to make a mistake with his running mate pick. He wants to pick someone who's experienced, not apt to make a mistake on the campaign trail, a fairly safe pick is the way I think Obama is going to be going."

Josh Kraushaar with our Washington political unit, the Politico, says Kaine is that safe pick - and a smart one. Virginia's Democratic Party chair, Dick Cranwell, agrees saying Kaine's popularity and track record could help Obama win over the nation and the Old Dominion, a state that has not voted for a democratic presidential candidate in 44 years.

Dick Cranwell, Virginia's Democratic Party Chair - "I think the American people are interested in people now who are willing to say, 'Look, we have some serious problems in this country. We've got to put petty partisan politics aside and focus on getting this country on the right track."

A message analysts say Kaine can deliver without Washington experience, one disadvantage he brings to the table.

But when Obama will make that pick is anyone's guess. Kraushaar says McCain could steal Obama's thunder by making his VP choice public following the Democratic National Convention in late August.

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Michelle is fast becoming the Cruella Da Ville of politics

No! No! No!

No experience

in executive leadership role, military service; business,or implementing major change, resulting in unsound political policies

No judgment

resulting in his keeping company in Chicago with crooks, bombers, racists, sexists and anti-semites; divisive rhetoric, narcissism, overbearing arrogance and cronyism

No integrity

leads to broken promises, hypocrisy, under-hand political tactics, flip flops and Obama's list of 99 Documented LIES

Barack Obama, the very junior Senator from Chicago, lacks the most basic of experience needed to be President; he is easily influenced and doesn't have the judgment to know what he doesn't know; even worse he lacks the integrity to learn from his mistakes preferring to use gifted oratory to deflect criticism and blame others. Thats why millions of life-long Democrats, and other moderate Americans just say no deal.

Its easy to laugh about gas prices, when you fly in luxury

Obama with supporter Rev Jesse Jackson sr, whose son is National Chairman of Obama's campaign. Jackson Sr's daughter Santita and Michelle Obama grew up together and are "tight friends." She is the godmother to one of the Obama kids. During Jesse Jackson sr's failed 1984 run for the White House, Jackson Sr also had a Pastor Disaster when Jackson Sr refused to condemn his Minister Farrakhan's anti-semitic remarks. (Also pictured is another Obama supporter Illinois's Governor Blagojovich. The nervous governor is at the center of the recent Rezko convictions on 16 counts of corruption.)

Obama zealot Rev Lee: Payback time for Jews

Obama asked to meet PRIVATELY with Imam Hassan Qazwini.

Imam Hassan Qazwini (right) meets with Hezbollah Spiritual Leader Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah. Iman Qazwini is a sponsor of Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. He is currently the leader of the largest mosque in the USA. His private meeting with Obama, shown in the inset, took place on May 14 2008, minutes after Obama told a reporter at an auto plant "Not now Sweetie." According to the Mosque related website the Imam gave Obama a copy of his latest book, Crescent America (see directly below). Hezballah: Photo source Debbie Schussel. Inset Source Detroit Free Press

For 22 years, Obama has been an enabler of racial intolerence

After 22 years listening to Pastor Wright's mesmerizing sermons based on Black Liberation Theory, how much has Senator Obama been influenced by its hateful rhetoric about "white supremacy" in the United States? Fundamental questions remain about Obama's lack of judgment in that he never once over a span of 800 weeks of Church attendance challenged his friend the pastor, even in private, about the pastor's ludicrous condemnation of the US Government for crimes including inventing HIV to kill African-Africans. Nor did he challenge his pastor when he allowed an article to be published in the Church Bulletin suggesting Jews invented a bomb with the astonishing powers to kill only Blacks and Arabs. Despite the hateful, and untruthful allegations about white Americans, the US Government and Jewish people, that Obama's pastor spread throughout the 8500 strong Chicago-based congregation, Obama, as recently as mid-2007, introduced his pastor to several thousand conference attendees as a friend and great leader.Obama's not only NOT a uniter, but also for 22 years he's been an enabler of racial intolerance. It wasn't until March 18 2008, after ABC's March 13 2008 broadcast of this news story threatened to undermine his primary race, that he condemned some of his Pastor's most offensive statements. Even then, Obama could not bring himself to break with the Pastor who he describes as councilor, the man who brought Obama to the Lord, officiated at Obama's wedding, baptized both Obama kids, and blessed his new $2 million Hyde Park mansion. It was not until two months after the Pastor repeated the same lies in at least two major speeches seen live on cable news that Obama announced Wright was no longer his pastor.

1		Kathleen Sebelius \| Bio The buzz around the Kansas governor is only growing. In a recent local TV interview, Obama offered some strong praise for her, saying, "I love Kathleen Sebelius. I think she is as talented a public official as there is right now." Sebelius wouldn't confirm that she's being vetted, but Congressional Quarterly points out she is no longer denying it either.

2		Evan Bayh \| Bio Although Obama's recent trip to Indiana included an appearance with two potential running mates, it was Bayh, rather than former Senator Sam Nunn, who dominated the press conference that followed the event. Bayh's youthful look, substantial political experience and heartland ties could make him a very appealing choice.

3		Chuck Hagel \| Bio When Hagel accepted Obama's invitation to tag along on his upcoming trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, it no longer seemed so improbable that the Democratic nominee might choose a Republican running mate. The stage is set for what could turn out to be powerful images of a bipartisan trip, as Obama, Hagel and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed (another potential Obama VP choice) assess the situation in the two war zones.

4		Bill Richardson \| Bio The best choice if winning New Mexico and courting the Latino vote are paramount concerns. He may also have the best overall resume of anyone Obama will look at -- but his chances might be better if he had not run himself and turned in a puzzling performance.

5		Hillary Clinton \| Bio Former President Clinton recently said he'd stump for Obama "whenever he asks," but he hasn't been publicly touting the "dream ticket," as of late. While we can't rule out the possibility of an Obama/Clinton ticket, there haven't been any indications that Hillary Clinton is being vetted or is at the top of Obama's short list.

6		Joe Biden \| Bio The Delaware senator was on the outside looking in when the VP vetting process began, but the Biden chatter has grown over the last couple of weeks. He would bring a wealth of foreign policy experience to the Democratic ticket and is well-known in some of the heavily populated areas Pennsylvania, a state that may prove critical to Obama.

7		Tom Daschle \| Bio An early and eager supporter for Obama, who appears to have forged a close relationship with the former Majority Leader. A consummate insider helps soothe concerns of inexperience but also brings a lot of insider baggage. And what happened to Obama in South Dakota?

8		Chris Dodd \| Bio The Connecticut senator admitted he has been asked for information from the campaign. "There's been some inquiries, yeah," he told the AP. "They ask for a lot of stuff. I'll leave it there." After more than 30 years on the Hill, Dodd would fit an "elder statesman" role and he raised his profile among the party's rank-and-file during his long-shot presidential bid. But was it enough to propel him to a number 2 slot?

9		Michael Bloomberg \| Bio His call to the Jewish community to denounce false rumors that Obama is secretly a Muslim generated a lot of attention last week. And the fact that Bloomberg traveled to Florida to deliver his speech is a reminder of how the Republican turned independent could help sooth some of the Democratic nominee's problems with Jewish voters in the critical swing state.

10		John Edwards \| Bio After initially dismissing the idea of running for vice president a second time, Obama's other former rival now says he'd "seriously consider" an offer for the VP slot. Edwards has plenty of campaign trail experience and has already been vetted by the media (twice). Adding him to the ticket could enhance Obama's strategy to fight hard in the south.

Obama WTF

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Media pundits all over the map on Obama's VP choice; maybe Obama's personal INSECURITY is the problem

Ticking the "Catholic" box by picking Biden was typical Obama arrogance based on hope not reality; Bishops fire back

For Joe Biden charity begins at home; 10 years of tax returns reveal little giving

1 Four Principles for Selecting a Vice President

2 Mark Davis: Potential running mates for Obama

08:27 AM CDT on Saturday, July 19, 2008

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