Obama VP Open Thread: Because It's Fun to Be on the Record

by: Syrith

Fri Aug 22, 2008 at 11:08


Alright folks -

In the next 24 hours (maybe less) Barack will decide that he's ridden McMansionGate long enough and that it's time to push the button on his cell phone and send a VP announcement text message to millions of Americans.  

In the meantime, way too many of us in the Netroots are sitting around refresh-refresh-refreshing our browsers and hoping Mark Helperin or Howard Fineman will drop some crumb of insight that salves our fears and reassures us that it's not Dick Lugar (or, you know, whoever - stay calm, stay calm).  

Since even the monkeys at the Washington Post are apt to accidentally type a few lines of Hamlet once in a while, I'm opting to take Howard Kurtz' advice:

Why wait for the actual event? Whip out that keyboard and tell everyone what you think about Obama's VP choice right now.

Consider this an open thread for you to expound, in your infinite wisdom, on your Final Predictions for the the Obama Veepstakes.

Syrith :: Obama VP Open Thread: Because It's Fun to Be on the Record
This is your final opportunity!  Earn the instant (if highly-temporary) respect of your blogospheric peers!  Firm up that smug, knowing smirk!  Make up a great story tomorrow about your insider leak on the campaign!  

Here are the rules.  You get to list 6 names -
-  2 conventional-wisdom picks that you think are most likely to be picked
-  2 unconventional picks that you think have a real shot
-  2 wishful picks - the people you would select, if you were the O-man

I'll start us off.

Conventional -
Biden.  Sebelius.

Unconventional -
Gore.  Clinton.

Wishful -
Schweitzer.  Clark.  

Have at it, and have fun!


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My Speculation (0.00 / 0)
Conventional - Biden

Unconventional - Bayh

Wishful - Clinton

Laugh hard. Its a long ways to the bank.  


Jerry, what do you think is unconventional... (0.00 / 0)
about Bayh?  :)

[ Parent ]
Because everybody here hates him (4.00 / 1)
And he seems to be discounted in the MSM as of late.

I used to think he was a good choice since I think Obama needs to be the one to carry the ticket and Bayh is super safe and could quietly wrangle in support from the middle of the road voters.

BUT

I've come to realize that Obama's support within the party is diminishing and I believe a Clinton nod or a netroots phenom like Clark is what he truly needs to get back to the 90%+ support from within the party.

Obama's shift to the middle has made him lose support from within his own party and a Bayh pick would exasperate that, so again an unconvetional choice since Bayh wouldn't gain more swing voters to offset the true Dems that Obama pissed away by choosing him as VP.  

Laugh hard. Its a long ways to the bank.  


[ Parent ]
QT's Picks (0.00 / 0)
CW: Biden, Kaine

UCW: Clinton, Sebelius

WL: Clark, Powell

QT

Visit the Obama Project


WindOnWater.net




A clue in Obama's own words (4.00 / 2)
I think there may be a clue to Obama's choice in his own words. First, he said he wanted someone "independent." That doesn't help. It could be said of any of the contenders--Bayh, Kaine, Biden, Clinton, Clark, Sibelius, Chet Edwards, even, God help us, Hagel. Then he said he wanted someone who could challenge his pre-conceived notions. This is a little strange. Was it a dig at the Bush-Cheney White House? But then came the phrase that seems out of place. He wants someone who would engage in "robust debate" with him. Why would he want a debater in the White House? Why would he choose an antagonist instead of a team member? "Debate" is an odd term in this context.

Once someone uses an odd term, you have to suspect that there is psychological importance to it. There's some reason it's there, but not necessarily a logical reason. It may be an emotional reason. What was the most emotionally intense event for Obama in the campaign thus far--the one in which he felt challenged, perhaps even a little frightened? It had to have been the debates, particularly the first couple of them. Therefore, it is possible that this term bubbled up from Obama's unconscious when thinking of the person he has chosen. That is, the person is someone who participated in the debates. That would make it Biden or Hillary--and given the other evidence, probably Biden.

Is this close reading of Obama's words a valid insight or only a useless mistake? We'll all know in a couple of hours.


Hoping it's relly outside of the box (0.00 / 0)
Inside the box (CW):           Kaine, Sebilius
Outside the box (UCW):         Gore, Daschle
Really Outside the box (UUCW): Hart, Bradley

One more prediction (0.00 / 0)
The pick won't be named until the convention. Seems like the McMansion thing has legs, at least enough to get through the weekend.

[ Parent ]
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