Thursday, May 11, 2006

My Pick for Vice (?) President

While everyone else is busy deciding the daily front runner for the 2008 Presidential nomination, I thought I'd offer up my choice for Vice President.

Barack Obama says he's not running for President in 2008. That's fine--it's nice to see someone with the humility to think he's not quite ready for the top job yet. That being said, I think that whoever does get the Democratic nomination needs to seriously consider choosing Mr. Obama as running mate. There is really no need to offer it to an also-ran as Mr. Obama has already proven that he has the character and charisma--not to mention brains--to be an asset to any ticket. He also has the ability to connect with people and comes across as warm, charming and sincere.

Of course, depending on who gets the top spot, geography may come in to play since there is still a belief that a ticket without a southerner is doomed. But with just a quick look back over the past two presidential elections, we see the traditional pairings: Gore (Tennessee)/Lieberman (Connecticut): Won the election but lost the presidency. Kerry (Massachusetts)/Edwards (North Carolina): Nope.

So how does Mr Obama stack up? Some highlights from Project Vote Smart:

* Voted to allow the direct negotiation of drug prices with the manufacturers
* Voted against an amendment that would open ANWAR to drilling
* Voted to allow judicial review of enemy combatants
* Voted to increase federal Pell Grant awards
* Voted against a bill that bill that offered liability protection gun and ammo manufacturers, dealers or importers and their trade associations
* Voted to repeal the extension of tax rates for dividends and capital gains in order to provide more than $45 million to the military for procurements and operations and maintenance funds for the Army and Marines

Wow! He looks great on paper AND on camera! Maybe he'll change his mind . . . See, this is the idiocy in handicapping the race two years before the election.

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