Posted on 08/18/2007 4:06:09 AM PDT by Kaslin
WASHINGTON -- Anticipating that Sen. Hillary Clinton will clinch the Democratic presidential nomination, some supporters are beginning to argue against her principal rival -- Sen. Barack Obama -- for vice president.
They maintain that Obama provides no general election help for Clinton. As an African-American from Illinois, Obama represents an ethnic group and a state already solidly in the Democratic column.
This school of thought advocates a Southerner as Clinton's running mate. The last time Democrats won a national election without a Southerner on the ticket was 1944. Prominent Democrats from the South are in short supply today. The leading prospect: former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner.
FRED THOMPSON'S DEBUT
Key advisers in Fred Thompson's campaign for the Republican presidential candidacy believe he must begin with a superior performance in his first debate in order to generate funds.
Although the actor-politician ranks high in the polls, his platform performance as a non-candidate has been so-so. Consequently, advisers say it is essential that he come over as dynamic in his debate debut. That conceivably could be at the University of New Hampshire debate Sept. 5 but more likely will come at Morgan State University in Baltimore Sept. 27.
That performance may decide the course of major Republican contributors, including donors to Sen. John McCain's fading campaign. Many givers are inclined to Thompson but want to see how he performs under pressure in a debate.
CALIFORNIA SPLIT
The 19 Republicans on California's House delegation are split on the question of earmarks and accusations of ethical transgressions.
The bitter division has produced harsh words between 15-term Rep. Jerry Lewis, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee and a leading earmarks defender, and second-term Rep. John Campbell, an anti-earmarks reformer. Campbell no longer attends caucuses of the California House Republicans because they become pep rallies for Lewis, whose personal transactions are under Justice Department scrutiny.
In addition to Lewis, California Republicans whose ethics have been challenged include Reps. Gary Miller and Ken Calvert. Lewis and his colleagues have spread the word back in California that Campbell stands alone without support from colleagues. In fact, other reformers in the delegation include Reps. Kevin McCarthy, Devin Nunes and Darrell Issa, with others uneasy about ethical issues among their colleagues.
MITT'S APPEAL
"Why haven't you joined Team Mitt yet?" asked a July 31 mailing sent to contributors of Mitt Romney's successful 2002 campaign for governor of Massachusetts who have not yet given money to his presidential candidacy.
"Mr. Smith," said the personalized letter, "in the past you were one of my most loyal and generous supporters and I will be forever grateful for the unwavering support you gave me when I was Governor of Massachusetts. I would be honored if you would join my presidential campaign with a contribution of $500, $750, $1,000 or some other amount today."
A '02 Romney-for-governor backer who has not signed on to '08 is no Romney enthusiast. Any contributor falling in that category probably was a Washington insider urged to help Romney's state campaign by then White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, a longtime Massachusetts Republican politician.
J.D.'S RETURN
Republican J.D. Hayworth, who lost a presumably safe congressional seat in Arizona last year after taking a hard line on immigration, has resurfaced with a fundraising appeal for a new organization called Citizens United for a Secure America (CUSA).
Republican contributors received a mailing containing "protect America" petitions demanding that the government "stop the 'politically correct' drive to give mass amnesty to lawbreaking aliens." Hayworth requests contributions of $35, $50 or $75 for CUSA. The organization is listed as "a project" of Citizens United, a longtime Washington-based conservative action organization.
For most of six terms representing the Tempe-Scottsdale district, Hayworth had a moderate position on immigration. He took a sharp turn to the right in the 2006 campaign and became one of the year's unexpected Republican casualties.
Hayworth’s losing his seat in last November’s election says more about the mindset of Arizona voters than it does about Hayworth himself.
The way the Clinton’s operate... it can only be Richardson.
Blue State Strategy- Obama
Southern Strategy- Edwards
Western Strategy- Richardson
This VP strategy stuff is pure crap!
No president won the White House on the basis of their VP pick in the last 40 years.
Clinton will get incredible media just because she will be the first woman. Nominating Obama creates a minority ticket. The media will paint anyone opposing them as sexist and/or racist....a perfect Clinton strategy.
Agree with Karl Rove... she's fatally flawed.
Democratic presidential nomination.
Democrat presidential nomination (correction)
It will be Richardson. Not Obama because they reason correctly that they already own anything he might bring. Not Warner or some southerner because it wouldn't work and they don't need it anyway. Richardson. Take it to the bank.
Now that I think about it again that makes absolute sense. While Obama brings nothing to the Mrs. Bill Clinton's candidacy, Richardson will deliver a huge chunk of Hispanic voters that Mrs. Bill Clinton currently cannot reach.
I also think it’ll be Richardson. New Mexico has been a swing state last couple of go rounds.
Richardson. Take it to the bank.
agree......b. hussein brings little to the party....
richardson shores up all the illegal votes.....
muchas gracias jorge bush...lib/dems and no cajones republicans!!!
Pure BS. JD lost to Mitchell, the former mayor of Tempe, took an equally "hard line" on illegal aliens. JD lost for a number of reasons, i.e., some personal questions about employment of his wife, a strong Dem candidate, and redistricting, which made his district more Dem.
The MSM and the Dems are trying to create the myth that a strong stand on illegal immigration is not a popular position and will cost candidates their elections if they take a tough stand. Nonsense.
Obama's main asset is not blacks - it's guilty whites, and in this regard he's just like Deval Patrick and Harold Ford, junior.
All three are nontraditional "black" politicians swept into office (or nearly missing it, in Ford's case) by white votes.
Hillary needs to overcome the fact that her "never vote for" numbers are too high. She cannot do this with any white VP nominee.
You have stated a profound truth. If only........
**sigh**
Don't be silly! The place is crawling with them! Cynthia McKinny! Janet Reno! Sheila Jackson Lee! Adam Gadahn! Now there's a thought! If he can reinvent himeself as a Muslim jihadi, why not a Southerner? Say, what about George Clooney's old man? Madeleine Allbright! If she didn't know she was a Jew, maybe she didn't know she was a Southerner either! William Jefferson? Or Tipper Gore--that's an interesting thought. Al! What about Jennifer Flowers; is she a Democrat? Kathleen Willey? She worked for the Democrat Party in Virginia. Juanita Broaddrick? Paula Jones? Are they still Democrats? What about the Mayor of Macon, Georgia? Whatzisname. Betcha haven't thought of him! Cindy Sheehan has spent time in Texas. Maybe she qualifies. Craig Livingstone! If nobody knows who hired him, maybe nobody knows whether he's from the South or not; so he might as well be. Sean Penn! He's been to New Orleans. Can he talk with a Southern accent? Tim Roberts? I think his mother-in-law lives in Florida. O. J. Simpson! He lives in Florida. If he's not a Democrat, he might be persuadable. And Bill Clinton! Any reason why he can't run for Vice President?
Get goin', Demos! You're overlooking some of your best resources!
So he would bring in the “guilty whites” and Hillary doesn’t already own them? Partial point granted. Not sure it’s significant.
Maybe they could ask Zell Miller.
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