TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

VP Balancing Act Starts In Earnest

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: June 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - Finding a running mate tops the summer to-do lists of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, and each needs to decide what he wants as much as who he wants.

Are they out to offset their own perceived weaknesses, or reinforce an area of strength? Are they looking for someone from a particular region or demographic niche? How much should personal chemistry count in the equation?

It's all about achieving balance.

The end of the Democratic primary season last week touched off considerable debate about the relative merits of an Obama-Clinton "dream ticket."

Obama could decide to pick vanquished rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on the strength of her campaigning skills, or steer clear of the political baggage she and her husband would bring.

He could view adding her to the ticket as a way to reach out to women and unify the party, or see her as a divisive figure who might turn away voters.

A similar balancing act will play out on the Republican side. McCain, 71, could try to use his running mate to bulk up the ticket's economic credentials, for example, or to inject some youthful vigor.

There are names afloat for just about any scenario, and Clinton's is surely one of the most buoyant.

"She is hardworking; she is tough; she is very smart," Obama said recently. "So I think she'd be on anybody's short list of the vice presidential candidates, but beyond that, I don't want to offer an opinion."

Tough Choice Faces Obama

If Obama wants to amplify the Democratic ticket's sense of history by adding a woman, Clinton is not the only choice. Also on the list of potential candidates are Govs. Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Obama could pick a Clinton backer, such as Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio or Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, to attract her supporters. These governors offer another advantage; they know how to connect with people in the industrial Midwest, where Obama has struggled to address the economic anxieties of white, working-class voters.

People are also worried about the Iraq war and national security matters, and if Obama wants to add that kind of experience to his ticket, he might pick former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, a longtime Armed Services Committee chairman, or one of his former presidential rivals, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former U.N. ambassador, or Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware or Chris Dodd of Connecticut.

Obama might seek an unconventional running mate, such as New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent, or Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, a critic of the Iraq war. Both flirted with presidential bids last year.

Governors have an edge over other contenders; they have actually run governments, while Obama and McCain, both senators, lack executive experience. A governor also can be viewed as an outsider to a senator's Washington insider.

"It's a very complex balancing act, kind of a Rubik's Cube, trying to find that combination that's going to get you to the White House," said Paul Light, a government professor at New York University.

Obama recently began looking in earnest, asking Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy; former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, and Jim Johnson, the former Fannie Mae CEO, to start the vice presidential vetting along with a tight circle of advisers.

Smaller Pool For McCain

For McCain, there are fewer Republican governors and fewer GOP lawmakers in Congress to include in the mix. Reagan administration hand A.B. Culvahouse is advising McCain on the process, according to Republicans close to the campaign.

McCain spent the Memorial Day weekend vacationing in Arizona with four potential contenders: Charlie Crist, governor of Florida, a crucial state in November; one-time rival Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback.

In addition to Crist and Jindal, governors who might be considered include Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty, South Carolina's Mark Sanford and Alaska's Sarah Palin, or former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.

Pawlenty, Sanford, and South Dakota Sen. John Thune all are well-liked by a range of party conservatives, a factor that McCain may give weight to given his sometimes rocky history with this core segment of the GOP base. Former presidential rival Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, is a favorite of Christian conservatives, as is Brownback.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT