Thirteen names on McCain's running mate list...

[12th Doctor]

I saw this list a few days ago and have had some time to ponder it:


North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr - ibid... the only thing I can think of is he helps out in North Carolina and Virginia, but if we are seriously contesting them then we have bigger worries.  Plus, Burr's voting record is pretty moderate, if out goal is to reassure the base, then there will be blood.

Burr, moderate??  What???  If a guy who claims that president Bush is right 96% of the time and has a lifetime rating from the ACU of 91 isn't conservative enough for the GOP base, well.....   If Burr's pick hurts McCain in any way it won't be with the conservatives it will be with moderates and Independents as it will give the Dems even more ammo to nail McCain on that he is no longer the independent minded maverick he once was by picking such an arch conservative as his running mate.  the idea that Burr is moderate is laughable

Sorry.  I was going just by the stats for two years since that was all I had on hand at the time. .. and even then, I was going by clean Liberal-Conservative percentages and not ACU ratings.  You prove yourself to be a master of the stats.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour
North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist
Former Arkansas Gov. and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.
Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Former Ohio Rep. and former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Rob Portman
Former Massachusetts Gov. and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford
FedEx CEO Frederick Smith
GOPAC Chair Michael Steele [/s]

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/04/04/mccains-potential-vice-presidential-candidates.html

[minionofmidas]

I saw this list a few days ago and have had some time to ponder it:


North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr - ibid... the only thing I can think of is he helps out in North Carolina and Virginia, but if we are seriously contesting them then we have bigger worries.  Plus, Burr's voting record is pretty moderate, if out goal is to reassure the base, then there will be blood.

Burr, moderate??  What???  If a guy who claims that president Bush is right 96% of the time and has a lifetime rating from the ACU of 91 isn't conservative enough for the GOP base, well.....   If Burr's pick hurts McCain in any way it won't be with the conservatives it will be with moderates and Independents as it will give the Dems even more ammo to nail McCain on that he is no longer the independent minded maverick he once was by picking such an arch conservative as his running mate.  the idea that Burr is moderate is laughable

Sorry.  I was going just by the stats for two years since that was all I had on hand at the time. .. and even then, I was going by clean Liberal-Conservative percentages and not ACU ratings.  You prove yourself to be a master of the stats.

Burr's moderate reputation is due in part to voting to impeach Bill Clinton on only two of the original four counts. I suppose he also doesn't come across as a foaming-at-the-mouth hillbilly.
The problem is that "moderate" is frequently sort of undefined. If it's taken to include "non-extremist; intra-party centre ground" he belongs in... but then so do most Congressional Republicans.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I wonder who the other seven are on that list.

The question is meaningless since there's no reason to believe these 13 names are actually on some hypothetical "20 person shortlist".

And if this is real and Steele is actually on it then McCain is even dumber than originally thought.

[Brittain33]

And if this is real and Steele is actually on it then McCain is even dumber than originally thought.

He needs to make the list look diverse even if some candidates aren't seriously in consideration.

Gore had Jeanne Shaheen on his leaked short list because he needed a woman and someone not from Washington, but no one thought that was going to happen.

[7,052,770]

Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour

Wait, did Eaves win and somehow I not get the message?

[Lincoln Republican]

In particular, given McCain's age, the most important criteria for McCain's running mate is that the one he picks for Vice President must be the individual most qualified to take over the Presidency if required to do so.

Given this necessity, with all due respect to the others on the list, all of whom have considerable capabilities and records of accomplishment, really the only one of these individuals who has the capacity to step into the Presidency and to carry out the awesome responsibilities of the office as requied, is Mitt Romney.

In order to meet this fundamental, critical, and essential requirement, John McCain really has one choice, and one choice only, Mitt Romney, outstanding scholar, brilliant business executive, accomplished and experienced campaigner, political leader and Governor, and multi talented individual.

The choice is clear.

[AltWorlder]

Isn't J.C. Watts marginally better than Steele?

[politicaltipster]

I think this is just to get the Conservatives of his back until the convention:

The fact that Lieberman, Rice & Giuliani don't even get a mention proves that this is not the real list.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

FedEx CEO Frederick Smith  [/b]

Hell yeah!!!

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I think this is just to get the Conservatives of his back until the convention:

The fact that Lieberman, Rice & Giuliani don't even get a mention proves that this is not the real list.

The only one of those I can see having even a remote chance of being on the list is Giuliani, and emphasis on remote.