Thursday, July 10, 2008

Vice President choices

The Nightly Build...

Romney, Huckabee and Edwards (Chet, not John)

Earlier this week, Mark Davis picked his choice for John McCain's VP, Ohio's Rob Portman. Carl Leubsdorf, in The Dallas Morning News Viewpoints section, weighs in today with his pick, and it's not Portman, who he views as too closely tied to George W Bush to be helpful to McCain in the 2008 election.

Leubsdorf says picking an inexperienced politician or a wild card for VP is too risky, ruling out Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty, Carly Fiorina, Sarah Palin, and everybody else who didn't go through the heat of the primary campaigns. That leaves Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney as Leubsdorf's recommendations. Tested. Safe. Low risk. But Leubsdorf saves for his last sentence the most important factor that should be guiding John McCain: "Still, Mr. McCain may feel his underdog status requires a gamble, not a safer choice like Mr. Romney or Mr. Huckabee." If McCain can't turn the polls around before the convention, expect him to take a chance on his VP pick. McCain's a gambler. Expect him to act like one.

The Dallas Morning News editoral board weighs in today on the Democratic side, recommending Texas Congressman Chet Edwards to Barack Obama. Sure, like that's going to happen. Edwards is from Texas. He's unknown outside his district. He's untested in national politics. Carl Leubsdorf's analysis applies better to Obama than McCain. This election is Obama's to lose. Expect Obama to make the safe, low risk choice for his VP. And that isn't an unknown conservative Democrat from Texas.

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