Richard MichaelVP Cheat Sheet Part 1: The Democrats
August 20th 2008 00:35
so many choices...
Someone asked me recently what I thought of the front runners in the VP race for either party. Embarrassed, I had to admit that I knew very little about the potential picks. So I decided to post a quick, two part guide on the VP front runners and what they bring (or take away) from the table for their party. In this post I focus on Obama's four top picks.
When looking at Obama's top picks one cannot pass over Joe Biden who has been getting a lot of buzz as the favorite right now. Biden is a tough and experienced campaigner who would likely go on the attack for Barack. Furthermore, he has a lot of foreign policy experience, an area Obama is sorely lacking. However, his age and veteran status in Washington could work against Obama's message of change.
Another VP possibility that would give Obama a boost in foreign policy is Senator Evan Bayh. Besides being on the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committee, he was also a staunch Hillary supporter, which would help with party unity. Plus, Obama would love a boost in Bayh's state of Indiana.
Governor Bill Richardson is also a prospect for Obama that would help with foreign policy. Furthermore, Richardson would give Obama a boost with Latino voters. However, some argue that having an African American and a Mexican American on the ticket might be asking too much of the American voters.
The candidate I think Obama will choose is Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia. Known for 'reaching across the aisle,' Kaine would help Obama win the state of Virginia and carry on his message of change. The only downfall, he's only been governor for three years, hardly assuaging critics' concerns over inexperience.
While I think that Obama stands to gain a lot by winning the southern state of Virginia, I feel that he would be better suited to pick a candidate that can bolster his foreign policy experience, and political experience in general. Biden or Bayh are the smart picks in my opinion; both adding to experience, Biden would help Obama run a harder campaign, while Bayh would give Obama a bonus in Indiana. Obama could be making his announcement as soon as tomorrow, but is expected to announce on Saturday, at a planned event in Springfield, Illinois.
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