Where are the women? Napolitano? Sebelius? McCaskill? All better than these guys.
I vote Sebelius.
Richardson? McCaskill?
What's really interesting bout obama's vp select is the way he's announcing it - by text to supporters, if you haven't already heard.
What a way to get people's cell numbers. Effin Genius. Text messaging has proven the most cost effective way to get new voters, or any voters, to the polls. Once again, Obama's comms and tech team amazes me.
Almost as genius as getting everyone in line in Denver to make campaign calls for him next week while they're waiting to get into the speech. 
I like those women, Erik, just relaying what the all-powerful punditry is saying lately. Notice this is not a post about who my choice for VP would be. I'm not even sure who that'd be myself.
Dark horses, Colin Powell or Chuck Hagel. There's a line in a press release from the DNC today that describes Obama's foreign policy as neither R or D, and the theme of the night is SECURITY. Lots of military overtones, undertones and right out front tones.
Well, calls from the line are cool, no doubt. But texts on election day are what's getting people to the polls.
How funny, Barb... I actually had a dream the other night that it was Colin Powell! And Trevor's immediate comment after seeing that post was regarding Hagel.
Man Colon Powell would be great - it would totally preempt McCain pretending to be bipartisan by choosing Lieberman. I had lost all respect for Powell for misleading the UN back in 2003 but it has since turned out that he was mislead himself, and fought as hard as he could for better verification of the intelligence he was given. The only thing I'm really disappointed in him for was failing to denounce the Bush administration afterwards.
I really hope he doesn't pick Bayh. There's no reason for Obama to give anything to the DLC (even if he completely marginalizes his VP ala Hoynes on the West Wing.) Nothing would make me happier than the final removal of the DLC from the national stage and the death of the entire "we'll just be Republicans but more loveable" mindset behind it.
Biden probably deserves it the most, but Kaine seems more likely to me.
I agree with you about Powell and Bayh. To me, Bayh would be a huge step backwards.
Erik, are you hearing new murmurs about that great group of women you mentioned? Sebelius was certainly being talked about quite a bit some months ago. Any thoughts as to why her candidacy seems to have died down, outside of the notion that Obama's safest choice would be a white guy?
Or the notion that Obama can't really pick any woman other than Clinton? I noticed that Erik didn't include Hillary in his list of women. ?
There has been some speculation that picking a woman other than Hillary will piss off Hillary supporters. It seems kind of unlikely though - it seems to me anyone that petty has already decided not to vote for Obama anyway.
Personally I think its just more DLC maneuvering to put themselves back in the spotlight.
I would actually prefer Napolitano but the cynical side of me says that Sebelius is better looking and that that's important in a VP. 
Interesting to note that Richardson's name has started bubbling back up all day today.
I really think that Richardson would be a disastrous choice. On paper he looks good but he is an awful debater and not a terribly good campaigner, and his closet is so full of skeletons that he's had to start storing them in the garage.
I don't think there's anyone at all active in political circles who hasn't seen Richardson misbehaving in public, whether it be drunken jocularity or... drunkenly pawing young women. For anyone who hasn't and is skeptical, all I can say is that I've seen it with my own eyes three times, once directed at my my date at a completely public occasion (Happy Hour at the Hilton)
Well, I ain't touchin' that one!
Funnily enough, I was at the Richardson crib tonight for a private filmmaker party, and it really struck me how interesting a man he is while he was talking. He was super loose and extremely funny at times. Probably due to a crowd of filmmaker weirdos.
Watching, there was a part of me saying, "I could see this," and the NYT roundup of veep potentials today (under the story of Obama to announce Wednesday) make this all the more interesting.
Who knows honestly. I could also see Rendell as a long shot, Biden for sure, Bayh, and on and on.
I think the betting money that it'll be someone relatively 'safe" and not a game changer as they say, makes sense.
Strategically, I prefer Kaine. I'm not a fan of the whole concept of picking a VP who shores up your weaknesses. That hasn't worked for Democrats since LBJ. One could argue it worked for Bush, but aping Bush isn't really my preference.
Instead, IMO Obama should pick someone who reemphasizes his advantages - Kaine. This is what Bill Clinton did by picking Al Gore.
I could be happy with Kaine, too. Trevor and I had a conversation last night where we both agreed we really don't have a "fantasy" VP pick, but the closest thing to a strategic knock-out choice in our minds would be Colin Powell. And I still like Chris Dodd a lot, although I suppose the mortgage stuff ruled him out last month. But Kaine... yeah, I can see that. I'm steeling myself for Biden, though, unfortunately. (I'll let Trevor discuss the weird assassination turn that VP convo took, btw . )
I've heard other people suggest that Obama might do well picking a Republican, but I really disagree. I don't think the Democrats should pick an R, and I don't think the Republicans should pick a D. That might be a deal breaker for me, in fact. Regardless of the degree to which a VP might be involved in the actual work of the administration--which historically isn't much--the fundamental reason its an elected position is that the person could become president if something happens. For those who have structural perspectives, the party has a lot to do with their vote, and they shouldn't have their choice further diluted by splitting the ticket in an already limited field of choices.
Sebulius coming back out of the woodwork!
Talk certainly seems to be centering on Biden today, though. That said, in order to be positive, the bright sides of Biden are: his resume, obviously, particularly related to defense/national security; gruff personality = greatness when attacking Republicans; and, as Erik mentioned in comments on Alterdestiny, his age means he'd open the door for continued younger blood after an Obama presidency.
And r.e. Republicans, Marjorie... for everyone except Powell, I agree with you.
Hmmmm, Biden says it's not him?!
Speculation is finally getting fun for me. A big hint on Political Wire, where breaking news consists of pronoun slips.
Did Obama Slip?
Sen. Barack Obama "is almost always diligent about saying 'he or she' when discussing his potential running mate," Jake Tapper notes.
"But at a lively town hall meeting in the Tarheel State Tuesday evening, the senator -- who is expected to announce his vice presidential pick at the end of this week -- used a decidedly male pronoun."
I was looking at pollster last night and specifically some of the battleground states. I think this one:
http://www.pollster.com/polls/va...pres-ge-
mvo.php
pretty much insures that Obama *has* to take Kaine. If he wins VA, the election is over.
I agree that much of the night will center on results in Virginia, but I don't necessarily agree that that means he'll go with Kaine. I don't think a state strategy with VPs makes much sense anymore... it hasn't worked in a long time.
Funny bit yesterday on one of the XM shows, when the moderator asked someone from the Washington Post, "what about Richardson and Rendell?"
Dude pauses, and then, "well, neither one vets well. Let's just leave it there."
That's awesome. 
From the PLEASE DEMS NO! headlines... Bayh is my least-favorite candidate, all old politics and adding nothing, in my opinion.
http://politicalwire.com/
archive...to_indiana.html
"The Nashville Post "has learned that senior campaign officials from the Barack Obama Presidential campaign are being dispatched from various locations around the country and are converging in Indianapolis for a 'major event' to take place on Saturday."
"Saturday is the same day that Obama is expected to make his first public appearance with his yet to be announced vice presidential running mate. Indiana is the home state of Democratic Senator Evan Bayh, widely considered to be on the short list of Democratic vice presidential contenders."
Of course, Obama plans a tour of battleground states with his running mate and Indiana may simply be a stop on that tour."
I hate to say it, but I'd rather have Powell than Bayh. Bayh is a wimp poisoned by the DLC, and the main reason he's in politics is because of his father's name and rep. I'd rather have Birch Bayh on the ticket than Evan, and Birch is long dead.
I have a hunch Obama's campaign is just playing games with the media. I don't think they'd tip their hand this blantantly with the info release on Indianapolis. Or would they?
yesyesYES on Powell/Bayh. Barb, were you spying on a certain IM conversation I had today?!
and games? no question.
i would like to see him pick sam nunn though i know he will not.he could prehaps bring in some of the southern states, i might even vote for him but don't hold me to it right now. right now my plan is to go fishing that day before the polls open and not come in until they close.
This is brilliant - thanks, Bethany
http://wonkette.com/402054/freak...ke-obama-vp-
txt
And.... Bayh/Indiana rumor shot down!
"Update: An Obama aide tells the Washington Post "unequivocally that the report of a planned Indiana trip is untrue.""
makes me wish i had verizon
casting names out there...no one's really hooking the voters.
If m-pyre is thinking about a pool, mark me down as Hillary for VP choice.
I know, I know.
But the Zogby polling with McCain up (and not just national, but some key state by state numbers) has me really wondering the possibilities...
Yes Maggie, I can spy on EVERYONE'S IM conversations and believe me, many of them are NOT pretty....
So glad Bayh is getting the boot. Or is he? I'm now hoping it's some smashingly exciting choice nobody has mentioned.
PS Zogby polling is very unreliable and is not respected in polling circles. However, Obama's campaign should be somewhat concerned about the polls. Still early though. Let's wait till after the convention for some meaningful numbers.
Yeah, the polls yesterday were outright depressing.
And Gene... crazier things have happened. I'm hoping for a surprise pick, too.
No offense Barb, but I just won a bet with myself that you...and I love ya...would fire back with this exact wording about Zogby.
I deal with polling people (meaning those who devlop and track polling) constantly and there is no way in hell they are considered like you say in "polling circles."
The fact that they are the part of the de facto polling guests on the NewsHour says everything.
Now, if want to bring up how they missed it in NH, fine. Nearly everyone else did as well. But I'll tell you what, they have been on the nose in every place since.
Zogby aside, the numbers from nearly everyone have been trending like this for a while. The question is why.
Crap! I sent above from another computer and forgot to fill in "Gene Zogby" in the name. I don't want Trevor on my ass...
Funny Gene! I know Zogby from my days in NY state and he is very well respected, in Republican circles. When you talk to Dems in NY State, you hear alot of grumbling about his polling methods.
But here is my issue with polling in general during this season. I think traditional polling is becoming more and more unreliable. How do you measure an entire generation where the majority only has cell phones as their main form of communication? Or, where people are not home at the traditional hours when polling occurs. Many firms have started doing e-mail based polling but it is still a very new medium to use and brings up some class issues. There is no perfect method but for many reasons this election season seems to be highlighting ways that the electorate and our political processes are evolving.
As for Veep, I’d love to see Kaine and I would live with Biden . Wouldn’t it be cool though if Michael Moore’s suggestion of Caroline Kennedy became a reality. Check out his letter here, http://www.michaelmoore.com if you haven’t seen it.
Been waiting for someone to note The Letter. I'm at KNME right now and we were discussing this an hour ago.
We were laughing at how, since Kennedy is heading the Veep search team for Obama, she comes out with, "well, since I was leading this thing, my conclusion is they all suck. Therefore, I am your best choice."
All kidding aside, it's a kinda cool idea...
Zogby does those awful internet polls too. Maybe you're familiar with a different bunch of poll analyzers than I am. There is pretty strong and convincing criticism of his methodology.
The new Rasmussen for NM shows Obama with a 7 point lead, even after McCain spent twice what Obama did on ads. A bright note.
i like exit polls.
Gene, the funny thing about the Caroline Kennedy scenario is that it would mirror how Cheney got picked by W. "Hey Jr, this is uncle Dick, I've reviewed all the potential VP candidates and I've determined that I'm the best one."
Commenting by HaloScan
