Obama's VP List

Obama’s VP vetters, including the embattled Jim Johnson, have been up on Capitol Hill talking about possible picks. First Read reports that the names discussed include Jim Jones, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards, Evan Bayh, Kathleen Sebelius, Ted Strickland, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Jim Webb, Bill Nelson, Jack Reed, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Tom Daschle, and Sam Nunn. Now, we can’t be certain if the eventual choice is on that list—there are lots of obvious reasons for not talking about everyone you are considering. But here, as with the McCain BBQ, is Americano’s guide to the pros and cons of the names on the list.

Jim Jones,  former Nato Supreme Allied Commander

Pro: A Marine combat vet with an impeccable military record and from a swing state to boot. Would shore up Obama’s national security creds and deal with any patriotism deficit on the ticket.

Con: Huge risk to throw a political novice into the heat of a presidential campaign—look at how Wes Clarke crashed and burned in the 2004 Democratic primaries. Second, does anyone know his position on hot-button domestic issues? Finally, would picking Jones draw attention to Obama’s own lack of foreign policy knowledge?

Hillary Clinton, former first lady and New York Senator

Pro: It is a unity ticket

Con: Having her on the ticket, would undercut Obama’s entire message.

John Kerry, 2004 defeated presidential candidate and Senator from Massachusetts

Pro: Foreign policy expert who has served. He’s already been through national campaign—so no surprises—and having Bush’s opponent on the ballot would keep people talking about Bush during the campaign which would boost the Democrats.

Con: There were a lot of reasons he lost in 2004 and an awful lot of them had to do with him personally.

John Edwards, 2004 defeated VP candidate and former Senator from North Carolina

Pro: A white Southern male would offer a neat racial and geographical contrast to Obama. North Carolina is one of the states that Obama is keen to try and take from the GOP and the native son factor could help with that. Plus like Kerry, he’s already been through a presidential campaign so thoroughly vetted.

Con: Didn’t do much for Kerry in 2004, he made no discernible difference to the ticket’s performance in North Carolina. Like Obama he has no executive experience and a thin record of accomplishment in the Senate, this would allow the Republicans to attack this as a ticket of two inexperienced pretty boys.

Evan Bayh, Senator from Indiana, previously the state governor

Pro: A moderate, a Clinton supporter and from a purple state.

Con: A bit wooden and his hawkish statements on Iran would sit oddly alongside Obama’s pledge to meet with them without preconditions. Also as a key Clinton surrogate will have said things about Obama’s policies that will make easy Republican attack ads.

Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas

Pro: Female, which should prevent any erosion in the Democrats’ advantage among women following Hillary’s failure. She’s won in a heavily-Republican state and comes from the continental US state where Obama has family ties, he’s going to need to emphasise his link to the mainland lest a childhood that involved growing up in Hawaii and Indonesia allows him to be painted as somehow ‘other.’

Con: Sebelius is caught up in a row over Catholic politicians who support abortion should be allowed to receive communion—not a helpful issue for the Democrats to have rear its head during the campaign considering how hard McCain is going to be trying to peel off the ‘Reagan Democrats.   
 
Ted Strickland, Governor of Ohio

Pro: In many ways the perfect choice, a Clinton supporter who is governor of a—if not—the key swing state with an appeal to precisely the kind of downscale voters that Obama has such trouble reaching.

Con: He’s ruled himself out in Shermanesque fashion,

Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia

Pro: Phenomenally popular in Virginia, a key Obama target state. He has business experience and centrist credentials to offset Obama’s more liberal record.

Con: He’s currently the Democratic Senate candidate in Virginia so picking him as VP would probably meaning foregoing the Democrats’ opportunity of picking up this seat. Also, has no national security experience and his decision not to run in the primaries—having dipped several toes in the water—raised questions about his hunger.

Tim Kaine, Governor of Virginia

Pro: The incumbent governor being on the ticket would surely boost its chances in this state. Plus, Kaine’s missionary work would help the Democrats close the God gap.

Con: No national security experience and very little general experience. He’s also opposed to abortion, which could cause trouble with certain female elements in the party who are still angered by Hillary’s defeat and the way the Obama campaign treated her.

Jim Webb, Secretary of the Navy under Reagan and now a Democratic Senator from Virginia

Pro: A Vietnam vet, a Republican turned Democrat and a proud Scots-Irish American—it looks like the ideal match on paper. Add in, his early and strident opposition to the war in Iraq and the fact he’s from Virginia and it all seems perfect.

Cons: Webb is not suited to not being the lead act and he chaffed at the disciplines required of being a Senate candidate so who knows how he would cope as a national one. Also, Webb said rather some rather offensive things about women when he was opposing them being admitted to the Naval Academy while his fictional oeuvre contains some passage that could cause some embarrassment.

Bill Nelson, Senator from Florida

Pro: Would make Obama competitive in this state.
Con: No executive experience and wouldn’t help Obama with the downscale white voters he needs to win over.

Jack Reed, Senator from Rhode Island

Pro: A vet who is now a respected voice on military affairs in the Senate and voted against Iraq.

Con: No executive experience and a voting record that is as liberal as Obama’s.
 
Job Biden, Senator from Delaware

Pro: Knows foreign policy backwards. Plus, his bio will resonate with those beer track voters Obama has had trouble reaching.

Con: Gaffe prone: bound to put his feet in it really badly at least once during the campaign.

Chris Dodd, Senator from Connecticut

Pro: Experienced, successful legislator,

Con: Again, no executive experience and a liberal voting record. Also, might be a bit too Washington establishment for the ‘change’ ticket.

Tom Daschle, former Senate Majority Leader

Pro: Daschle has played a key role helping Obama ever since he hit the national stage so the chemistry would be good. Also, he is a plausible president.

Con: His wife is a lobbyist which doesn’t quite fit the reformist Obama message. Daschle is a smart tip for White House Chief of Staff, though, or Health and Human Services.

Sam Nunn, former Senator from Georgia

Pro: A Southern, white male centrist would provide the ticket with balance. On top of this, he’s a recognised national security expert.

Con: Would he be prepared to be an attack dog? His vote against the first Gulf War could also be problematic.