VP Short Lists

[Mr. Morden]

Going completely by memory:

In 1992, Clinton had a short list with five names.  Gore, Bob Kerrey, Lee Hamilton, and two others.  Don't remember who the two others were anymore, but I think they were both senators.  Actually, I think one of them was from Pennsylvania.  PA did have one Dem senator at that time, didn't it?  <...trying to remember the guy's name....>

In 1996, there were about 7-8 names being floated as potential Dole VP, and I vividly remember that then-WI Gov. Tommy Thompson was one of them, as I was living in WI at the time, and it was getting a lot of coverage.  But then there were suddenly only about 6 names being floated, and Thompson wasn't one of them.  IIRC, the list included Carroll Campbell, John Engler, Frank Keating, Connie Mack, and John McCain.  I don't even know if Kemp was on the list.  IIRC, his selection was very last minute and took everyone completely by surprise.

Gore's 2000 list: At one point there were about 6 or 7 names, which, IIRC, included Bob Graham and Jeanne Shaheen, but I don't believe either of them survived to the "final four", which, if memory serves, was Lieberman, Bayh, Edwards, and Kerry.

Bush's 2000 list: I don't remember if there was ever an official short list leaked, but I seem to recall there being some rumors about Kasich, Frist, Hagel, and Fred Thompson.  John Danforth was the big name that was added to the mix in the closing days before Cheney was announced, with rumors suggesting that it was down to Cheney and Danforth.

I don't know about pre-1992.  I was just a kid back then, and not following politics.