O’s Veep List

11 June 2008 |permalink | email article

A surprise name has been added by Democratic vetters to the list of possible Obama running mates – Ret. Gen. James Jones, the former Marine-turned-NATO Supreme Allied Commander. He’s been critical of the number of troops currently in Afghanistan.

Jones has been appointed to independent posts by both the Democratic Congress and Republican-run State Department. A key negative: his membership on the Chevron board.

Besides Jones, Sen. Joe Biden and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland have generated intensive discussion according to MSNBC’s First Read, although Strickland took himself off the list yesterday.

Hillary Clinton is on the list but the odds are heavy against her being selected. I have learned that she did not score well when the Kerry campaign vetted possible candidates for the ticket in 2004.

Possible choices on my short list would include Sam Nunn, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Jim Webb, Evan Bayh and Kathleen Sebelius. But I would not rule out more surprises.

Mano a Mano

Obama says McCain is “running for Bush’s third term” by giving costly tax breaks to the wealthy. McCain says Obama seems to be running for “Jimmy Carter’s second” term by relying on tax-and spend policies. Stale rhetoric!

Quotes of the Day

“As of today, by the traditional metrics of national politics, Democrats should roll up a victory this fall like FDR’s first in 1932.” Ultra conservative columnist Patrick Buchanan, calling Barack Obama “a natural, a Mickey Mantle, a superb political athlete like JFK.”

“We have been spared this. Those who did it deserve to be thanked. May I rise in a toast to the Democratic Party . . . Democrats this year have the winning fever, and Democrats will come out. By November they will be united.” Wall Street Journal conservative columnist Peggy Noonan, in an extraordinarily harsh critique of Hillary Clinton while saluting Obama’s nomination.

“Given your support for the surge and where you believe this nation is in Iraq today, where do you see it going and will your support be there for however many troops are required?” Brian Williams of NBC News, prefacing his question to John McCain by showing a videotape clip of his comment about being in Iraq for 100 years. McCain’s reply: “Yes. And the fact is we’re winning in Iraq.”

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