Who Should be McCain’s VP?
Over at The American Spectator is an article speculating on who could be John McCain’s VP.
The Nation’s Pulse
McCain-Somebody ‘08
By John Tabin
Published 3/5/2008 2:46:25 AMWith last night’s victories, John McCain crossed the 1191-delegate line, winning the nomination. Now he has the luxury of standing back, letting Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama beat each other up and raising money for the Fall race.
And what about that running mate? The question for McCain is what function his pick should serve. McCain certainly doesn’t need to ballast his ticket with age and gravitas, as George W. Bush did when he selected Dick Cheney. McCain will be 72 when the next president takes the oath of office, and might want to go with a relatively young running mate who can carry the torch into the 2016 election. That would rule out Fred Thompson, who will be 66 on inauguration day.
As much as I hate to say this, It is true about Fred’s age. Unfortunately, this is his only hindrance. He was a thee true conservative over all of those who had run in the ‘08 POTUS race.
Since McCain will be running against a Democratic candidate who is either black or female, some have suggested he practice a bit of tokenism in his selection. Colin Powell is too old (70) and too unpopular with conservatives. Condoleezza Rice seems uninterested in electoral politics, and in any case would muddy McCain’s foreign policy message, which has emphasized his track record of criticizing the Bush administration from the right on the management of the Iraq occupation. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is 64, which may be too old.
Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor of Maryland, would be high on the shortlist if he’d won his 2004 Senate race, but he didn’t. Other names in this category that get tossed around include congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, former congressman J.C. Watts, and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.
I am willing to admit there is some case to this. But at the same point I would like to think the Republican Party should be above “identity” politics. Some of the people mentioned above would be great, such as Condi Rice, Michael Steele or J.C. Watts. The others, I agree on the age thing or I don’t know too much about them. But I do believe that if they are the running mate, they should be chosen based solely on merit.
The article goes on to mention geography balance.
Less abrasive southern Governors Sonny Perdue of Georgia, Haley Barbour of Mississippi, and especially Mark Sanford of South Carolina might be able to satisfy southerners and social conservatives without angering other factions of the party.
Now, I really like Haley Barbour.
McCain might follow this logic and select his friend Rudy Giuliani. It would dismay social conservatives, who are already slightly skittish about McCain, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do it if he decides he wants to. [Read all the possible choices here]
Mitt Romney is left out of the “equation.” If it can’t be Fred, I would like it to be Romney. I think he needs to have a running mate who would be good for the economy. Thoughts?
Also posted on Michigan Redneck II.
Tags: American Spectator, Barack Obama, Condoleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, Fred Thompson, George W. Bush, Haley Barbour, Hillary Clinton, J.C. Watts, John McCain, Michael Steele, Mitt Romney