Who Obama Should Pick for Veep, Part I

I have tried to think of every possible person Obama could conceivably tap and put them on this initial list. Obama is going to have a big decision to make. Does he go for experience or more change? Both approaches have their benefits. On the one hand, McCain and the Republicans are going to relentlessly bash Obama as inexperienced and unable be the leader of the free world as he has only been in major office since 2005. As a result, Obama will need to address the experience issue. On the other hand, the keystone of Obama's appeal is his freshness and his ability to work as a changing agent. Therefore, picking some old, washed out, white haired establishment figure could work against Obama as he travels across the country. I can't get the image out of my mind of Obama on a stage somewhere with an ancient Senator by his side bringing down his visual appeal.

So Obama's veep choice would present a difficult balancing act. I think the best way to analyze this decision is to boil it down to whether Obama should go for a regional, more cautious electoral strategy of trying to appeal to a handful of key swing states to just get over that magic 270 line, or if Obama should go for broke and pursue a national general election strategy aimed at playing in numerous light red states that have been off limits to Democrats in presidential races for a long time. This list includes places like Colorado, Missouri, and Virginia and does NOT include states like Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Many Obama supporters like to point to his primary victories in these latter states, but any one with half a brain realizes that no Democrat can play in these states. Period. Clearly, the Obama campaign has an ambitious plan to work hard in states like Georgia, Indiana, and even Texas and Wyoming, so they may have already made this choice.

Nevertheless, it is an important decision and will probably define how and who Team Obama ends up picking. For reasons that will be ultimately outlined in the conclusion, I think Obama should pursue the latter strategy, the 'swing-for-the-fences' approach and go for broke in all of the swing states plus the light red states. There is little doubt in mind that if HRC had taken the nomination, she would have gone for the cautious, regional strategy and tried to do just enough to cobble together the necessary 270 by picking a running mate like Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland so she could have won Ohio, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Based on his campaign performance so far, and his approach generally, Obama can pursue a national strategy and go for broke simply because he does not inspire so much ill-will with pivotal independent voters. Therefore, if Obama does follow through with his promises and pursue an unprecedented national strategy in the general election -- as I think he should and would do -- I think his choice for Vice President is clear....and no, it isn't Hillary as she would rather drink 50 gallons of Castor oil than be #2 to any person, let alone Barack Obama...

The Initial list (33)

Gov. Mike Beebe (AR)

Gov. Phil Bredesen (TN)

Gov. Chet Culver (IA)

Gov. Mike Easley (NC)

Gov. Dave Freudenthal (WY)

Gov. Brad Henry (OK)

Gov. Tim Kaine (VA)

Gov. Janet Napolitano (AZ)

Gov. Ed Rendell (PA)

Gov. Bill Richardson (NM)

Gov. Bill Ritter (CO)

Gov. Brian Schweitzer (MT)

Gov. Kate Sebelius (KS)

Gov. Ted Strickland (OH)

Sen. Chris Dodd (CT)

Sen. Evan Bayh (IN)

Sen. Joe Biden (DE)

Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH)

Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY)

Sen. Tom Harkin (IA)

Sen. Claire McCaskell (MO)

Sen. Bob Menendez (NJ)

Sen. Bill Nelson (FL)

Sen. Ken Salazar (CO)

Sen. Jon Tester (MT)

Sen. Jim Webb (VA)

Fmr. Gen. Wesley Clark

Fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle (SD)

Fmr. Sen. John Edwards (NC)

Fmr. Sen. Bob Kerrey (NE)

Fmr. Sen. Sam Nunn (GA)

Frm. Sec. of State Colin Powell

Frm. Gov. Mark Warner (VA)

Later, I will post Part II, which cuts the list down to a middle list, and then a top five list.