One by one they fall. In watching the VP media chatter, I've been struck by the number of people insisting that they don't want to be vice president.
The conventional wisdom on the subject suggests that this is just standard practice - say you don't want the job to be polite (if so, it's a stupid practice. Sorta like saying no thank you to food when you are in fact, hungry. Your host just might take you at your word...). But some politicians have really gone out of the way to be written off. The entire Virginia delegation seems to be quite content where they are, as is Gore and as is Edwards. In fact, I only remember 3 politicians going against this bit of conventional wisdom - Biden, Clinton, and Hagel.
This diary is really an open question. What the heck is going on? Are there reasons why someone would legitimately NOT want to serve as Vice President? I can think of a few. For instance, I don't think Hillary should want or accept the Vice Presidency. I think it undersells her talents. I can see Gore and Edwards not wanting the post - Edwards because he already ran as VP and might not want to do it again (and then the fact that his wife is fighting cancer - I can see him prioritizing home and family), Gore because - been there, done that, and he's bigger than the Vice Presidency at present. But the Virginia contingent actually worries me, as does the refusal of the role by travelling companion Jack Reed. Why don't they want the job?
Some cynical part of me thinks that Obama's promising choices are being paid (in money or favors) to sit out, so that someone else will have to be the next choice. Another part of me thinks that white men aren't going to do so well with having a black boss (in this, I appreciate Biden's honesty. He didn't frame it in terms of black and white - but he DID express an uncertainty about being able to work for ANYONE, having been his own boss for so many years). But thinking more positively - are there other good explanations for people to avoid being Obama's vp?
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