Obama Running Mate
Barring a big surprise or last-minute change of heart, the choice for Barack Obama’s running mate is likely to be Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Is this good news or bad news for John McCain?
RALEIGH, N.C.) - Barack Obama heads to Springfield, Illinois on Saturday, where he is expected to announce his running mate. The two will appear at a rally at the Old State Capitol, kicking off a pre-convention tour.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A party official says independent Senator Joe Lieberman will be getting some podium time at the Republican National Convention. The Connecticut lawmaker was the 2000 Democratic vice-presidential nominee. He’s considered to be a possible choice for John McCain’s running mate.
Obama’s choice of a running mate will be the first important decision he makes with the whole country watching, so it will be a momentous act of self-definition. If he chooses her, it will be an act of self-diminishment, especially now that some of her acolytes are aggressively suggesting that some unwritten rule of American politics stipulates that anyone who finishes a strong second in the nomination contest is entitled to second place on the ticket.
Surely she, the most polarizing Democrat, is not the only Democrat who can help Obama appeal to the voters who rejected him in Kentucky and West Virginia. And as his running mate, she would nullify his narrative. The candidate embracing the “future” should not glue himself to Washington circa 1993. Someone promising to “turn the page” should not revert to an earlier chapter. Someone whose mantra is “change” should not embrace her theme of restoration — that the 1990s were paradise and Democrats promise paradise regained.
Odds of Obama Selecting Clark : With each passing week, it is looking more and more like domestic issues are going to be the focus of the fall campaign. When the political scene was dominated by 9/11 and Iraq, Clark would have been a wise choice. However, Clark doesn’t seem to be the kind of running mate who will be out there with Obama talking about the economy in 2008. He isn’t ready for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Word is that Hillary Clinton will address the Democratic National Convention in Denver on the Tuesday night. Since Obama’s running mate is expected to speak on Wednesday night, it seems that Hillary is not under serious consideration for VP.
