I Can't Bite My Tongue Anymore. [View All]

[David Zephyr]

I am nervous about who Senator Obama picks to be his Vice Presidential running mate. I know that many of you here are, too. It seems now that General Wes Clark is out of all consideration. That's really sad considering his stature, sharp mind and sterling resume. I believe that Clark would bring Arkansas and Florida (he's half Jewish) along in November and has the best knowledge of foreign affairs of all the contenders (Joe Biden is second). It seems also that Governor Bill Richardson is "out". Another person with an outstanding resume, foreign affairs experience and solid executive experience.

The truth is that we don't have any say in this at all and that's as it should be, but I have some serious concerns about a few of the names that are being mentioned these last hours before an announcement is made:

Governor Tim Kaine: Two years as a governor. He hasn't even finished his first term. This may (or may not) help carry Virginia, but considering Obama is in his first term as a U.S. Senator, the GOP and McCain's campaign will have a field day with this should Kaine be the VP choice. Polls already clearly show that there are many Americans who are concerned that Barack may be too "inexperienced" to be President. While that is nonsense to me, should he choose a rookie Governor like Kaine, then we are asking for an even harder battle in November than we already have. A very bad choice.

Senator Evan Bayh: Of all the names tossed around, this is the one that troubles me probably the most. Why is he even being considered at all? To win Indiana? To win rust-belt whites? To appease Hillary voters? All the negatives of Hillary without any of the positives. A very, very bad choice.

Senator Hillary Clinton: I have said, and even still believe that Senator Obama will choose Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for a great many reasons. I may be wrong, but I was pleased to see that political columnist Richard Cohen just wrote in the last few days of the rationale for picking Hillary. Certainly, she has run 50 state campaigns and is battle tested on the national stage and brings far more to Obama than Kaine or Bayh ever could or would: Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida. A very good choice for Obama.

Senator Joe Biden: Well, here's an excellent choice. He helps Obama with Catholics. He helps Obama in Pennsylvania. He helps Obama with foreign affairs bonefides. He won many of the presidential debates last year. A very good choice for Obama.

Senator John Kerry: Considering the fact that Kerry won Ohio in 2004 and has also run the 50 state marathon and brings all those tens of millions of voters right back once again, Kerry bolsters Obama with his decades of foreign affairs experience, too. Kerry would be a very good choice for Obama.

I confess that I have been concerned that Obama kept such a small circle of advisers around him when it came to making such a critical first choice. Because he is still "new" to Americans, they will be watching him very carefully on this, his first big decision tipping how he can and will govern.

All any of us here at the DU or liberal blogs can do is give our opinions. So mine carries no more weight than the youngest newbie here at the DU, but I gotta tell you that I have good reasons to worry why we might just screw this up again:

Eight years ago, Al Gore made a terrible choice with Joe Lieberman to be his running mate. Lieberman would not even give up his Senate race to run freely with Gore "just in case" Gore lost. He was a disastrous VP choice.

Four years ago, John Kerry made an equally dismal choice in picking John Edwards. I saluted here, but nearly pulled my hair out when he did it. Edwards didn't deliver North Carolina and wound up fighting with Kerry's team which David Axelrod mentioned as nicely as possible.

Barack Obama needs to shore up and balance his attractive "newness" with someone that Americans already know and trust. I hope that those around him giving him advice realize this that "change" can be disconcerting to people and if they are going to give the helm of the ship of state to you, they will be checking to make sure that your second-in-command isn't also a newcomer.