Thursday, August 07, 2008

VP Picks: McCain and Obama

Ok, I'm placing my bets.

For McCain, I bet....Pawlenty. The young Minnesota governor seems just the right complement. I know this kind of pick might only accentuate McCain's age, but in actuality, I think it might reassure voters who are worried McCain might not make it through a full term. And solidify the base more than Romney would, which the new McCain strategy team seems to think is important. And for McCain, the fight's going to come down to the upper Midwest - McCain needs to win Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota if he can. Pawlenty is his best shot. Here's some other background.

For Obama, I suspect...Bayh. I've always thought Bayh was the perfect counterpart to Obama: down to earth, blue collar-ish, popular with conservatives. With the "elitist" and "celebrity" attacks, Bayh is a good counter. And one "change" candidate is enough on the ticket. Bayh sends the signal, "I have a ticket that is designed specifically to understand the concerns of average voters." Bayh will be doing the unglamorous at-home work while Obama jets around the world. It's the kind of back-office job VP was meant for. And besides, Obama needs Ohio and Michigan just as much as McCain. Here's some more background.

Ok - my bets are in. Let's see if I win anything.

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