Barack Obama/National Security International Policy Expert Joe Circincione?

[Lincoln Republican]

What about a ticket of Barack Obama and national security and international policy expert Joe Circincione?

Circincione has an extremely impressive resume in these fields.

He is Senior Vice President for National Security and International Policy of The Center for American Progress.

Prior to joining the Center, he was Director for Non-Proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington D.C.  He is one of America's best known weapons experts, a frequent commentator on these issues in the media, and a teacher at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

He worked for nine years in the U.S. House of Representatives on the professional staff of the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Government Operations, and served as staff director of the Military Reform Caucus.  He is the author of numerous articles on nuclear weapons issues, the author of Repairing the Regime, the publisher and editor of the Internet Site ProliferationNews.org, and producer of two DVDs on proliferation.  He has held positions at the Henry L. Stimson Center, the U.S. Information Agency, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

His books include Bomb Scare:  The History, Theory and Future of Nuclear Weapons, Deadly Arsenals:  Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Threats, and, as co-author, Universal Compliance:  A Strategy for Nuclear Security.

He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.  He is an honors graduate of Boston College and holds a Masters of Science with highest honors from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service.

No one could accuse Obama of having a running mate lacking national security and foreign policy credentials.  In fact, his running mate would be one of the nation's foremost authorities in these fields.

The Circincione pick would as well show that Obama is doing politics differently, looking beyond the traditional politician type for a running mate.

Thoughts?

Please discuss.

[Lunar]

My one fear is such a pick would draw more contrast to Obama's own inexperience and would be covered in the media as such.  I mean, everyone would cover it as shallow attempt to cover his own weaknesses in that area, right?

[Lincoln Republican]

You raise an excellent point. 

Many are saying that Obama needs someone on the ticket who has national security credentials.  Some like a Joe Biden pick.

I rather suspect that someone of Circincione's background may not want to become embroiled in the rough and tumble of a tough campaign, but could possibly be tapped for National Security Advisor. 

The point I am trying to make is that a Vice Presidential nominee with solid national security and foreign policy credentials would be an asset to the Obama ticket.

Agree?  Disagree?

[J. J.]

Not to mention that he's never contested an election.

[Lincoln Republican]

Not to mention that he's never contested an election.

True, but this should not necessarily preclude someone if they are otherwise qualified for the office they are running for.