Who Obama Should Pick for Veep, Part II

Picking up on the first thread, here is Middle List of Obama's best choices for his running mate

The Long List

Gov. Mike Beebe (AR). Arkansas would be a nice win in November (six electoral votes), but he was elected in 2006, and he doesn't have a regional southern presence that would help the Democratic ticket.

Gov. Phil Bredesen (TN)

Gov. Chet Culver (IA). You're probably thinking 'who?' Exactly. He was just elected in 2006.

Gov. Mike Easley (NC). Probably wouldn't take it (guessing), and he is not uber-popular in the state. Still, if Obama is serious about fighting in North Carolina, Easley may get a serious look by the campaign.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal (WY). Gov. Dave is a great success for Democrats in one of the very reddest states, as he won a huge upset to become governor in Dick Cheney's state in 2002, and then won 70 percent in 2006. Still, he is terribly unsexy, really conservative, marginal Democratic, and would bring Obama no states. Gov. Dave probably wouldn't even want it given his reluctance to for the Craig Thomas Senate seat where he'd have a better shot. The fact that he declined to run for Senate shows his lack of interest in coming to D.C.

Gov. Brad Henry (OK)

Gov. Tim Kaine (VA)

Gov. Janet Napolitano (AZ). Obama will almost certainly have to take a white man as veep. Even though Napolitano is attractive, he thus wouldn't be able to take her. Plus, with McCain she wouldn't even put Arizona in play, regardless of what recent polls show.

Gov. Ed Rendell (PA)

Gov. Bill Richardson (NM). You can't have two minority candidates on the ticket. Too bad because he could have been a veep asset one of these cycles. His time looks like it has has passed unless he is tapped for Secretary of State. His ego should have allowed him to take what would have been a free Domenici Senate seat.

Gov. Bill Ritter (CO). Moderate, but pretty uninspiring choice and first elected in 2006, so probably too green. Watch out for Gov. Ritter, however; he could have a national future if he can build a strong career running Colorado.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer (MT)

Gov. Kate Sebelius (KS). A rising national star, and an Obama endorsee, but won't happen because there can't be an African American man-female ticket. This has become a sexy pick of late, but I just do not see it. If Obama is indeed worried about the female vote -- which he probably is not at this point -- then he may as well tap Hillary.

Gov. Ted Strickland (OH)

Sen. Chris Dodd (CT). He is well liked by the party and has a lot of credibility, though little in foreign policy where Obama is weaker. But the clincher is that his leaving would allow the governor of Connecticut – a Republican – but a GOP-er in the seat. This is unacceptable. Sorry, Chris.

Sen. Evan Bayh (IN)

Sen. Joe Biden (DE)

Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH). Ohio will be the key state for us, so a statewide Dem can't be discounted, but he was elected in 2006 and probably too liberal as well.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY). This is a tough one. I have gone back and forth here. My initial impression was that Hillary has no interest in it. Now, I think she probably wants it a bit, and if offered, she would take it. In the end, it probably ain't happening, since there is simply no trust there between the two of them. Personally, I have other ideas for Hillary which I will address in a future post.

Sen. Tom Harkin (IA). Has lots of cred in Iowa and with progressives, but he is pretty old and not terribly exciting. Perhaps I shouldn't dismiss him so easily, but I just don't see it.

Sen. Claire McCaskell (MO). See Sebelius "too much change" rationale. Missouri would be a nice state to win, but we just can't take her. Too bad we don't have a male Dem governor there -- at least until Jay Nixon wins in November. Plus, her monthly S-USA approvals have not been overwhelmingly strong to indicate she would guarantee the state.

Sen. Bob Menendez (NJ). A double-minority candidate ticket won't happen, even though the Hispanic Menendez would be an alright addition. Plus, he has a lot of possible corruption/NJ ties which would be toxic for the Democrats, and is was an early and ardent HRC supporter. My home state still can't get any respect.

Sen. Bill Nelson (FL). Moderate, older white man in a key swing state but can never be picked for one reason: the governor there would replace him with a GOP-er, thus stripping us of the Senate seat and our last statewide office-holder in the Sunshine state.

Sen. Ken Salazar (CO). See Menendez rationale. He is popular in CO and would help us in that key, now purple state, immensely, but he is really boring and wouldn't bring much in the way of excitement to the ticket. On its face, it would not be a good pick.

Sen. Jon Tester (MT). Just elected in 2006. Awesome Dem and would be a fresh face and moderate voice, but probably too green.

Sen. Jim Webb (VA)

Fmr. Gen. Wesley Clark

Fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle (SD)

Fmr. Sen. John Edwards (NC). Washed up, way too liberal now, wouldn't deliver a single electoral vote anywhere.

Fmr. Sen. Bob Kerrey (NE)

Frm. Sec. of State Colin Powell. Has a strong national presence, but a ticket with two African American men isn't going to happen.

Frm. Gov. Mark Warner (VA)