I've heard a couple of interviews with him. He's from Montana, so pro-gun is no surprise, but other than that, he's always sounded pretty reasonable. Not heard that he's pro Big Ag, but have read that he's firmly against Real ID (a very bad Spanish football team, I should add).
Not sure if he's compelling enough for VP, but he doesn't strike me as offensive.
Just my tuppence.
He's ok, but I'd like him to stay in Montana and help us solidify the gains we've made there. I know he isn't as progressive as the folks here would like, but he is sane and his work in Montana can help us solidify our 2 senators from a fairly unfriendly state. Again, I know Tester and Baucus aren't great, but they are much better then the Repubs from there would be.
Well, I was born in Montana (I can't tell you the number of times people have asked me "Is that in the United States?"), so I found myself interested in Schweitzer - I mean, a DEM? Governor of MONTANA? Land of the right wing militia folk? 'kay...
I have always felt that he is being subtly groomed for *something* in the future - he is just so quirky, but in a way that the Beltway pretends to love. I don't think it is quite the time, yet, though. I would, however, be surprised if MT Governor is his LAST political appointment.
I'm not sure about how good a thing that will be, but from what I have seen, he is remarkably progressive given his constituents. He's on the wrong side on some stuff, for sure; but he is a valuable bridge to some conservative-ish folk who are otherwise best served by the Dems (on the rare occasion they show some f-ing spine OMG don't get me started). I don't see him in as VP yet, though. Not well enough known, yet.
Don't know that much about Schweitzer. But if you're looking for unknown western governors then I think the best choice would be John Kitzhaber, former governor of Oregon. Small town rural doctor turned legislator, 2-term governor, and now health care policy guru. Could win any elected office he ever decided to run for in Oregon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joh.../
John_Kitzhaber
i likes me some western dems. dems like bruce babbit and the udalls, not wimpy western dems like harry (what ever you want bushiekins) reid, but get up stand up dems.
i'm not very familiar with this guy but just what's here shows a lot to like. my filthy rich republican uncle just bought a place in montana so i'll ask him what his impressions are.
if he's pissing off the right folks he might be worth a long look.
montana isn't much of a battleground. they'll pretty much vote for folks with an 'r' after their names and a chinese enamel flag in their lapels. still there's not much more vigorous populism than country populism.
He has made a lot of news being against gun control AND being a very outspoken critic of the REAL ID legislation.
In the more libertarian, and gun toting Mountain West and South West (areas Barack is going to need to cut into), these are both pluses.
One big downside is that his science degrees and irrigation work could be a good thing, BUT I suspect he is more a big-ag-monsanto type rather than a al-gore-save-the-planet type...
I think you need to dig a little deeper.
He ran on an environmental platform to win office. Even cleverly tying some of it to hunting and fishing rights on public lands to peel off some of the sportsmen vote.
I think he'd be a fantastic Veep candidate.
Really doesn't matter....Obama is toast.
I like him. I like his Real ID fight. And I think Idaho has it all over Montana for right wing extremists.
Anyway, I think he's going to pick Caroline Kennedy. 
And that's okay with me!
What I remember from a year or two ago was hearing an interview with NPR in which he disclosed that he used to charter buses to take seniors to Canada to buy prescriptions. I pretty much thought that rocked.
he had David Sirotta as his campaign chief and later as chief of staff, so I'd say he's prolly got some serious progressive cred.
jumping in here.
1. tlg, you heard it here first. the vp will be gov. sebelius of kansas. (this gets tin foil hattish but she just attended bildeberger confer. in va. they have a track record on this stuff. bill clinton, tony blair.)
2. wrt, schweitzer.
a. heard him in npr interview. 4.00mins. nat'l id act. i was so f*cking impressed. just laid out the bushie position. almost passed out in shock that a dem. could talk the way i feel. normally, i feel like i have to take a shower after listening to some dem. this dude made me feel proud.
b. i know a big time ceo who has dealt w/ the gov. speaks very highly of him.
i was also disappointed to see jim webb pull out. not sure what's up with that. webb may be underwhelmed w obama. don't know.
i have read 90% of webb's new book, a time to fight. an issue here and there, but overall, this guy is very impressive. very.
recommend the book to y'all.
When I first saw a pic of Gov. Sebelius with Obama, something in my head went ping!
And the echo was the grand "Finlandia." I've always wondered if she is related to the composer.
I'd never heard of Kitzhaber, and I lived in WA state during his years as OR governor. What a great look! Nick Nolte meets Andrew Jackson. Would love to see that hairdo on C-SPAN. He should at least be involved in the health care policymaking alongside Elizabeth Edwards. How about Surgeon General for Kitzhaber?
IIRC, Schweitzer has actually run a successful organic farming operation. Which means his food cred is Pretty Damned Good.
My only problem is: Obama really, really, really needs somebody who knows DC cold, who's been around a long time and knows who to call and how the sausage gets made and where the bodies are buried. He hasn't been in the Senate long enough to know this stuff for himself. Carter didn't know it, and he got rolled. (His VP, Mondale, was a DC insider, but evidently not much help when it mattered.)
This spec pretty much lets out governors altogether, regardless of their progressive cred. If it was going to be a governor, though, Schweitzer would be a brilliant choice.
Clark would have fit that bill nicely, but I think the fiasco about McCain's service (which should have never been a fiasco in the first place, and Obama never should have repudiated) probably took him off the list. Please, God, let it be Richardson. Or Dodd.
I'd love to see Dodd, except for
1. Senior Senator ShortBus and
b. CT has a repug guv, so likely be a repug replacement
I like Schweitzer's positions and he's another progressive Dem who knows how to win in red states, but I don't see what he brings to the ticket that Obama doesn't already have.
I want to see Schweitzer take over for Max Baucus when he retires. Until then, I'd like to see him continue building the Democratic organization in the mountain west.
Mrs. Robinson:
This spec pretty much lets out governors altogether, regardless of their progressive cred. If it was going to be a governor, though, Schweitzer would be a brilliant choice.
Actually, Tim Kaine from Virginia probably has a pretty good handle on DC. I suspect it's something that a governor in Virginia would naturally gain more of in the course of his duties than a governor in, say, Oregon.
Schweitzer seems to be old school progressive and that's a good thing. I think though that I'd like to see him stay Montana gov to show the way how to be a progressive in a "red" state. Here's some more info:
http://brianschweitzer.com/newsroom
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