As long as the Democratic primary battle wages on, John McCain must figure out a way to keep himself in the news and relevant. It is probably too early to pick a VP. Instead he should build a stable of well respected and news worthy advisors on all areas of policy with an emphasis on economic policy. Each week he should introduce to the press his new high value advisor and outline the support that advisor will give him. This will keep him in the news. The name value and importance of the new addition of to the team should grow from week to week over the course of the summer culminating with his choice of VP.
McCain’s hardest job now is competing with the free media the democratic contests gives his opponents. He needs to keep something in his back pocket for as long as possible.
Possible names on economic and business policy:
John Chambers: Cisco Corporation
John Thain: Former head of NYSE, former partner at Goldman Sachs now White Knight at Merril Lynch
Art Laffer: The Laffer curve
Ed Hyman: ISI
The list could go on and on. I would be curious who others would like to see.
Immodesty and spellbinding vapidity. Truth is, we hear too much about BHO’s intelligence. Would a really smart contender for the presidency fail to recognize that his affiliation with a venomous black bigot was bound to surface, and fail to have damage control strategy in place when it occurred? That he had not done so was obvious in his reaction.
Nothing Obama has accomplished has been the result of superior thinking, origonal ideas, introduction of legislation, or shaping of policy. He has advanced at every steep because of his exotic name, handsome appearance, and his theatrical oratory.recognized by the the power brokers in the Illinois democratic machine.
As long as the Democratic primary battle wages on, John McCain must figure out a way to keep himself in the news and relevant.
Actually, I’d prefer to see nothing of McCain until after election day. With luck I may forget who he is, and when I enter the voting booth I will cast my vote for what’s-his-name with the Republican Party.
However, it is likely that every time McCain names another cabinet member, it will be another opportunity to poke conservatives in the eye, and just one more reminder of why I loathe the idea of voting for him.
But then, perhaps hell will freeze over and McCain will surprise me with a genuinely conservative cabinet.
Picking a running mate early is one of those gotca tactics that can backfire just as easily as it amuses.
One can only imagine the field day Obermann, CNN, the NYT and the rest of Liberal, Inc. could have with psychologist and tea-leaf specialist musing over “what it all means.” Is McCain insecure? Fading? I’m sure the left will have him analyzed within 20-minutes and not to his favor.
Frankly, with just the right person it would be a decent two or three day story. OTOH, make a bad choice - someone that has tons of hidden baggage like a sex scandal or financial improprieties and it will be the story of the decade – and he’d never recover.
One of the blessings in having the two conventions so close is they tend to mask each other’s really silly or stupid moments. But, make a mistake in the #2 slot and you just shot yourself in the foot for no discernable gain.
SO? The gentleman will calibrate his choices for max approval by the NYT editorial staff. They call this “growing” in office. That will really energize the base.
Very poor idea.(ed. oops - no offense to your daughter!!) Selecting a VP is highly dependent on the Dem nominee. There would be very different considerations for Obama or Hillary because their constituencies are very different. The VP has to be targeted to pick up disaffected constituencies after the bloodletting. Selecting a cabinet is even a worse idea. Why give the Dems (and the Drive by media) an enormous range of targets to hammer away at for 6 months? - and they will find and exacerbate anything! Neither idea is in McCain’s interest. McCain has a free ride here to respond to events and should foreclose nothing at this point. He may end up with Hillary!!
I didn’t say the NYT editorial board. In fact, with the possible exception of John Chambers, I doubt any of the people I mentioned would be loved or even liked by the NYT. A controversial choice from the NYT perspective would be just what JM needs. I can think of no one better than Art Laffer to both tweak Krugman and the NYT and thrill conservatives. What I am saying is JM needs to earn some media attention because his opponents most certainly will. I also agree with the previous poster who acknowledges that an early VP choice can easily backfire.
JM can distinguish himself on the domestic from his opponents on trade, deregulation, health care, union votes, gun control law, home schooling rights, pork and tort reform by identifying champions from whom he will seek advice. He can do so in a way that reinforces his own principles and that of our base.
I agree with the others here that McCain should not announce a vice presidential candidate for some time, perhaps not until a few weeks before the convention… not only to avoid long-term sniping, but to get the biggest bang closest to the election.
And might I add, I hope it is Condi Rice. She is admired by everyone in this country save for the radical left, who will be voting for Obama anyway. I say this not because I think she will bring in that many African-American votes (though we might be pleasantly surprised), but because I think she will win over many Independent white voters who (because of guilt, or to avoid the appearance of racism) might otherwise be tempted to go with Obama. What a contrast she would make to Obama/Rev. Rage!
1. Rudy Giuliani. He’s just “progressive” enough to attract a certain voting bloc, and also has the 9/11 mystique that failed him in his run for the top job, but just might be good enough for the sidekick position.
2. Joe Lieberman. He’s an “Independent”, but in reality is a Dem (check his voting record).
Joe is perhaps the ONLY Dem who actually “gets it” re. the battle we’re facing against the bad guys, He’s been soundly ridiculed by the “tolerant” Democrat Kool-Aid drinkers, who were even racist enough to depict him in blackface in 2006.
He was tossed under the bus by people who were supposed to be tolerant of other opinions, but in fact would make Goebbels proud.
And remember, these are the same college kids who call Bush and Cheney “Nazis”.
Hi Del…
I happen to think Joe Lieberman is a great American and have tremendous respect for him. But we do have to be a little practical here, and I suspect that (like Dole) he would put people to sleep. But maybe that’s just my impression. I just think McCain, especially, needs someone younger and more energetic.
Guiliani, I think, has too much personal baggage… and there may be more dirt there than we’ve heard about so far. We don’t need any ugly surprises, that’s for sure.
What do you think, and does anyone else have any suggestions?
I agree. He should name former Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma tomorrow. He’s still under sixty, has had but one wife, is sound on social, military and fiscal issuss, and will signal to conservatives that they can have plenty of confidence in donating to his campaign. Nickles also would make an excellent 45th president.
I agree with stryker that Condi looks very good on paper in many ways for the reasons expressed particularly against Obama. I would want to see her thoroughly vetted and her record scrutinized for possible criticism to see how it might stand up. The passport thing doesn’t look good but will have a short life. I aslo don’t have a good feel for her personality.
As for Nickles I think if JM goes for a conventional candidate the odds swing way against him. He needs to make a statement that will swing votes with the VP. Playing to conservatives is not the way to win this election.
Count on it being horrible. The trip to IRaq featured Lieberman and Lindsey Graham. I don’t get how you can over look all that way-out lefty twaddle that Joe votes on.
And Graham-amnesty, nuff said.Horrible choices.
Someone who cand take on all these stupid Obama talking points...How bout John Bolton.
Get one of those finance guys from post above to be Sec Treasury and have him travel with M’Cain.
The best thing that McCain can hope for is to be ignored by the media as long as possible.
Once they start circulating videos of him singing “Bomb Iran”, strolling around a Baghdad market in a flak jacket looking like some kind of escapee from a mental institution, and repeatedly getting confused about the various factions in Iraq, he’s in trouble.
And the (again) deteriorating situation in Iraq can’t help much either.
It depends on who he picks. Regardless who, it will likely be criticized, but the sooner we get it over with the better. I have little confidence they will be great picks.
Also, the point of:
By the way, it’s amusing to hear Obama attack McCain based on the Arizona Senator’s “straight talk” about his lack of economic expertise. It would be interesting to learn Obama’s basis for claiming superior expertise in this area. Obama has been a law professor (sort of), a “community organizer,” an Illinois legislator, and a less-than-one-term U.S. Senator with no distinct track record on economic matters.
could be a strong contrast, if he selects a good economic team and if McCain would allow his team to make the point. But it seems anyone who criticizes his opponents gets kicked off the McCain bus.
Regarding just economics, I am starting to wonder if an old Clinton team might actually be better than what McCain ends up pulling together. However, her odds are looking rather dim, which isn’t a bad thing for other reasons. Obama would be an all around disaster.
