Posted on 03/01/2008 9:30:09 PM PST by Fox_Mulder77
AS Barack Obama enters the final stages of the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination, he is preparing to detach the core voters of John McCain, the likely Republican nominee, with the same ruthless determination with which he has peeled off Hillary Clinton’s supporters.
The scene is set for a tussle between the two candidates for the support of some of the sharpest and most independent minds in politics. Obama is hoping to appoint cross-party figures to his cabinet such as Chuck Hagel, the Republican senator for Nebraska and an opponent of the Iraq war, and Richard Lugar, leader of the Republicans on the Senate foreign relations committee.
Senior advisers confirmed that Hagel, a highly decorated Vietnam war veteran and one of McCain’s closest friends in the Senate, was considered an ideal candidate for defence secretary. Some regard the outspoken Republican as a possible vice-presidential nominee although that might be regarded as a “stretch”.
Asked about his choice of cabinet last week, Obama told The Sunday Times: “Chuck Hagel is a great friend of mine and I respect him very much,” although he was wary of appearing as though he was already choosing the White House curtains. But after winning 11 primary contests in a row after Super Tuesday, he is ready to elbow Clinton off the stage.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Bill Clinton had a republican Secretary of Defense(Cohen). Bush had a democrat Transportation Secretary(Mineta). DHS Secretary Chertoff is apolitical.
This is only a grass roots observation but many of the dems I have spoken to when there is not a crowd around tell me that they will NEVER vote for Obama, and they do not trust Hillary.
Heck even on the panel that Luntz had last week, four of them said they would consider voting for McCain.
Nope. Ain't gonna happen. And I'm not voting for McCain either. Third Party all the way!
In the photo you posted, notice he is wearing weejun loafers and no socks. Is he a 1960s frat boy, or what?
I got one question. Does he put dimes or pennies in his loafers.
Coins in his loafers? That is so high-schoolish.
7th graders are quite an interesting species, one minute talking about going out, and the next about sponge bob square pants.
You mean soon to be ex-ex-ex Rep. Baron Hill?
RINOS and RATS—PERFECT TOGETHER
“Obama’s fallacy here is thinking that the modern GOP equals Conservatism”
BINGO!!!
And when did FR become PC?
That's right, it hasn't.
I don’t think that Lugar would accept an appointment under those circumstances. He might if Mitch Daniels is reelected. That could happen, more because none of the Democrats running for Governor in Indiana have inspired any enthusiasm than anything else. Daniels is highly unpopular in northern Indiana, but seems to be fairly popular in the Indy area.
Yup. If Lugar does indeed resign.
If McCain wins, there is some consolation in that he is not as left wing socialist as Barack Hussein.
If McCain loses, there is also some consolation in that he is the worst choice amongst republicans running for president in 2008.
So I can’t lose.....whoopee.........
I thought I saw polling showing ex-Rep. Jill Long-Thompson tied or slightly leading Daniels. Daniels seems like he was too wonky to be an effective Governor all around. The GOP losses on his watch have been fairly bad (a flip of the House delegation from 7R/2D to 5D/4R, the first minority delegation since 1992, and the loss of the State House). I would think it might prove irresistable to Lugar to become a Cabinet Secretary, especially if the GOP drops to the low 40s in the Senate, meaning he’ll probably never become a Committee Chairman again unless he stays in the Senate until he’s Robert Byrd’s age.
You mean 1996. It’s hard to tell, from the disgust most of us have shared towards McCain, he should duplicate Dole’s performance, but the difference here is that it’s an open seat and against an empty suit like BHO, he may do far better. My state, TN, which voted only a few points for Clintoon in ‘96 (though Dole came within only 45,000 of winning), could very well vote for McCain over BHO by as wide as 62-38% (identical to the Nixon-McGovern percentage from ‘72). A lot of rural White Hillary Democrats will be voting for McCain in November (BHO did not carry TN in the Dem primary last month).
LOL-we can lose, but we can’t win either.
If he was running against a true conservative maybe, but John McCain has voted with the Dems these last eight years. The water is muddy.
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