Chatter over Hutchison as possible VP pick gets louder

Houston Chronicle ^

[Bulwinkle]

CRAWFORD — Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's long-shot prospect for vice president is getting a push from conservative and other pundits in the lead-up to next week's Republican National Convention.

The latest flurry of speculation online and on cable television constitutes at least a third or fourth wave of chatter about Hutchison, whose name surfaces occasionally as a possible Republican vice-presidential candidate...

[Bulwinkle]

Hmmm... Would add some excitement...upstage the Dems for weeks.

[COBOL2Java]

Let’s hope not. The Democrats will mock the ticket as Grandma and Grandpa Simpson...

[Lucas McCain]

Palin would be better.

[Night Conservative]

If McCain would pick a woman, he’d be a near-lock for the win in November.

Though I’d much prefer Sarah Palin.

Just stay away from Romney. He’s a dud who brings nothing to the table and probably makes a McCain win in November less likely.

[RexBeach]

Not a good idea. She and Mr. McCain will look like Jed and Granny Clampett.

MMMMMMM doggies!

[lonestar]

Why? She doesn’t have the experience KBH has.

[weegee]

Houston/Texas PING

[cowboyway]

Hmmm... Would add some excitement...upstage the Dems for weeks.

Would definitely get all those pissed off Hillary supporters.

[TommyDale]

After Hillary’s speech last night, it is obvious that there are 18 million reasons to pick a female as a VP candidate.

[ontap]

Kay Baily Hutchinson leans toward pro choice. This will surely come out during the campaign.

[silverleaf]

Nooooooooo!!!! Please not!!!! She is a nice lady and I assume she still has her marbles having adopted two babies in her 60’s. But standing next to John McCain at the convention- it will look like an AARP convention.

At least if she an McCain lose they will get plenty of endorsement opportunities.

Viagra. Depends. Metamucil. Dentucreme. Liberty Mutual insurance.

[TommyDale]

I hope you don’t think McCain gives a flip about the conservative wing of the party. He would pick whoever can help him win, regardless of their stance on abortion.

[TomGuy]

Not another Senator!

We already have 3 on the tickets, and that is 3 too many.

[BibChr]

You say it too nicely.

I hope someone McMeMeMe listens to can persuade him that HIS BASE IS NOT SHORED-UP. His pick needs to be unassailably conservative.

Trouble is, he thinks he is, thinks he deserves this, thinks we’re d****d lucky to have someone as wonderful as he to vote for.

And he’s wrong.

[madison10]

Senator Hutchinson isn’t young enough. C’mon, people, think this through. (I don’t necessarily mean FRs)

[Night Conservative]

Why? She doesn’t have the experience KBH has.

Palin has more executive experience than Hutchison.

[silverleaf]

You really think those 18 million pantsuit wearing booted shorthaired womyn who love Hillary will vote for any republican woman? You see Rosie and Ellen and the leader of NARAL loving up Kay Bailey Hutchinson? Dream on.

[silverleaf]

You really think those 18 million pantsuit wearing booted shorthaired womyn who love Hillary will vote for any republican woman? You see Rosie and Ellen and the leader of NARAL loving up Kay Bailey Hutchinson? Dream on.

[Red Badger]

...it will look like an AARP convention.

The "snow on the roof" crowd is the #1 most dependable bloc to show up at the polls. And BTW, 50 is the age when you can join AARP...........

[Nextrush]

She’s not known for being pro-life, in fact she’s been considered pro-abortion in my memory.

[dennisw]

Let’s hope not. The Democrats will mock the ticket as Grandma and Grandpa Simpson...

Correct and obvious that McCain needs a younger one to balance
Mitt would do since he has black hair and is energetic dynamic

Kay Bailey Hutchison looks gone and pasty and waxy from Madame Tousand's

[rivercat]

This would be a mistake of huge proportions. The VP pick cannot be from Texas. The VP pick cannot be old.

[varina davis]

“Nooooooooo!!!! Please not!!!! She is a nice lady and I assume she still has her marbles having adopted two babies in her 60’s. But standing next to John McCain at the convention- it will look like an AARP convention.
At least if she an McCain lose they will get plenty of endorsement opportunities.

Viagra. Depends. Metamucil. Dentucreme. Liberty Mutual insurance.”

Couldn’t have said it better.

[ravingnutter]

HOW SOON WE FORGET...

{KBH's} Omnibus Bill Includes Border Fence-Gutting Amendment

An excerpt:

“The Hutchison amendment gives DHS virtually total discretion over how and where the fence is built,” says Grassfire.org President Steve Elliott. “In fact, DHS would not be required to build fencing in any particular location -- and the double-layer mandate is totally gone.”

This Texan says not only no, but hell no!

[webschooner]

KBH is too old and she’s another freaking senator.

Palin or Romney, governor and former governor.

[Mr. K]

yes, but a lot of old people VOTE

[Catphish]

Hitchison is younger than Biden.

[Howie66]

Not only NO!! HELL NO!!

[perfect_rovian_storm]

There are others I’d rather see, but as long as McCain doesn’t pick that charlatan from Massachusetts, I can live with it.

[Soliton]

She is exactly the same age as Biden and 2 years younger than Cheney. She is the age now that Hillary will be when she runs in 2012.

[Grams A]

IF HE PICKS KAY BAILEY HE WILL LOSE THE VOTE OF CONSERVATIVE TEXAS REPUBLICANS.

[mnehring]

Kay Baily Hutchinson leans toward pro choice.

A myth that people keep repeating. Kay is pro-life. She only waivers slightly on stem cell research.

Click here for OR .

• Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
• Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
• Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
• Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
• Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
• Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
• Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
• Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
• Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
• Rated 7% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)
• Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)

[AmericaUnited]

I like Palin but the reality is that McCain would lose all his precious ammo against Obama on the experience issue. The RATS would just point to Palin.

[rewrite]

She just adopted two small children....
I don’t know where You’re getting Your info from.

[TommyDale]

I’m not saying they will vote Republican. I’m not even voting Republican. All I said is that the McCain campaign sees 18 million potential votes.

[Hazwaste]

Mitt would do since he has uses black hair dye and is energetic dynamic

Fixed it.

[BerniesFriend]

I don't know..there is Sarah..

then Kay..

hmmmmmm

[Joe 6-pack]

"Not another Senator!...We already have 3 on the tickets, and that is 3 too many."

Agree wholeheartedly. I think the dems made a big mistake by doubling up Obama bin Biden. If McCain were to pick KBH, they would lose the opportunity to exploit the "lack of executive experience angle." I'd love to see Palin as McCain's Veep.

[johnny7]

After Hillary’s speech last night, it is obvious that there are 18 million reasons to pick a female as a VP candidate.

Especially after BO picked Biden...

[dennisw]

Palin has more executive experience than Hutchison.

Any woman who raises five children I listen to. That is called life experience
The counter example is Nancy Pelosi who was a fine mother raised five children you never hear anything bad about
But she copied her sleaze bag father mayor of Baltimore and reverted to the mean after her child rearing years were finished

[TommyDale]

I agree. If he picks a pro-abortion VP candidate, he will lose the millions of evangelicals. McCain doesn’t care, he is blinded by the current polls.

[savedbygrace]

Kay Baily Hutchinson leans toward pro choice.

She does more than lean - she IS pro choice, by her own words. There is no doubt or middle ground.

If McCain picks her, he will lose a lot of conservative votes.

[silverleaf]

the snow on the roof crowd is already a lock for McCain (except those in AARP who epitomize BDS)

People will look at McCain’s VP as the person who can and will run this country if aged Senator Mccain sadly becomes incapacitated or dies. With a candidate this old and with his health history, we cannot tolerate a tokenism selection, especially an old one. Would anyone even mention KBH if she was a man?

[pgkdan]

We don’t need two Senators and we especially don’t need two old Senators. McCain is 72 years old...he needs a bona fide conservative who’s young and ready to step in if needed. I don’t see Kay Bailet Hutchison in that light...at all. Nice lady, I’m sure but not what we need right now.

[Coldwater Creek]

Hutchinson is pro-abort. She has no governing experience, and she's old. Not to mention a woman.

[tobyhill]

I'm not a big Hutchison fan but as a VP pick it would be smart. She's a slightly right moderate who has no baggage and did I mention, she's a woman.

[puroresu]

Add Hutchinson to the list of candidates who would add nothing to the McCain campaign, and might even hurt a bit. That list also includes Romney, Powell, Rice, Huckabee, and Lieberman.

McCain needs a bold, younger choice. Cantor, Palin, Steele, or Sanford. Not the guy who came in number two, or a bunch of “moderates” and liberals.

[dennisw]

bs... no hair dye..... I think

[mnehring]

“The Hutchison amendment gives DHS virtually total discretion over how and where the fence is built,” says Grassfire.org President Steve Elliott. “In fact, DHS would not be required to build fencing in any particular location -- and the double-layer mandate is totally gone.”

Not sure I understand this bill. From what I am reading, this would give Homeland Security jurisdiction over the fence. Grassfire says this 'may' allow them to choose not to build it, but that is a 'what-if' game, not actually written in the bill. Wouldn't it be better to have this in the hands of Homeland Secuirty than under the jurisdiction of congressmen whose allegiances change at a whim? Isn't this a Homeland Security issue? Maybe I am reading this wrong, but what Grassfire is saying isn't actually in the bill, they are just saying 'what if'.

[Dysart]

She’s a decent enough lady but doesn’t strike me as the sharpest knife in the chandelier. An obvious consequence of that is she could really drag team McCain down in debates, I’m afraid.

I’d much rather he select a rising star VP candidate. It’s doubtful there is too much to this rumor because McCain’s team has been making all the right moves up to this pt and surely wouldn’t slip up now with this looming critical decision.