Republican John McCain to reveal vice-president choice (at rally in Ohio)

London Times ^ | 082808 | Tim Reid in Denver

[Fred]

John McCain is expected to reveal his vice-presidential choice on Friday at a rally in the critical battleground state of Ohio.

Mr McCain is seeking to blunt Barack Obama’s hopes of a bounce in the polls after he accepts the Democratic nomination in Denver tomorrow night.

The Republican nominee’s move comes after a week in which he and his Republican surrogates have had significant success in inserting themselves aggressively into what was meant to be Mr Obama’s week. Republican guerrilla tactics and attack advertisements have forced the Democrat’s campaign to respond in kind.

Mr McCain will appear at a midday rally in Dayton before his own nominating convention opens in Minneapolis on Monday. He will then tour three of the most important battleground states — Ohio, Pennsylvania and Missouri — with his newly announced running-mate this weekend.

Just as the choice of Joe Biden last week as the Democratic vice-presiden-tial nominee was a well-kept secret, the identity of Mr McCain’s pick has also been guarded closely.

Speculation has focused on a handful of possible candidates. They include Mitt Romney, the former Massa-chusetts Governor, who was defeated in the hard-fought primary campaign by Mr McCain; Tim Pawlenty, the 47-year-old Minnesota Governor; Joe Lieberman, Al Gore’s 2000 running-mate who has become a staunch ally and close friend of the Republican nominee over the issue of Iraq; and Kay Bailey Hutchison, the first woman senator from Texas.

Mr Obama accepts his party’s nomination tomorrow night after a week of unremitting negative advertisements by both sides and a declaration of intent from the Democrat that he is not going to allow any Republican attack to go unanswered. It is a sign of how intense and increasingly toxic the race has become between the two, who pledged to rise above such hardball tactics.

[scrabblehack]

I had heard Rob Portman was a possibility...I’m not saying that’s the best choice, although if the choice is being announced in Ohio that *might* be a tipoff.

What, Romney and Cantor have been on the campaign stump for him...they’ve been auditioned far more than Portman...

[Fred]

A future cabinet member if Obama wins.

[Panzerlied]

“Massa-chusetts”?

Bloody bloke!

[mnehring]

Cantor, Palin, Jindal, all will make Conservatives excited.
Most of us can live with Romney or Huckabee.

Still... my bet (even though I hope it is Cantor) is it will be some dark horse candidate we haven't discussed much.

[Hi Heels]

"The Republican nominee’s move comes after a week in which he and his Republican surrogates have had significant success in inserting themselves aggressively into what was meant to be Mr Obama’s week. Republican guerrilla tactics and attack advertisements have forced the Democrat’s campaign to respond in kind. "

Now THAT'S what I call unbiased reporting./s

[HereInTheHeartland]

“A future cabinet member if Obama wins.”

Secretary of Defense to be exact

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I detest McCain’s amnesty and campaign finance record and think he got off to a slow start, but have to admit he’s running a very good campaign lately.

[taildragger]

Everyone says Mitt...

Why Ohio unless it is a hometown boy, i.e. John Kasich. OR.....

With a swing to Lousiana, is it Haley Barbour?

[PJ-Comix]

Hannibal Hamlin?

[mnehring]

I agree but to a more extreme. I have detested McCain in the past (my comments during the primary will attest to that), but I will give major credit to his ad guys, they are doing the job I wish our side has done in the past. The thought of an experienced, seasoned heroic vet running against a neo-hippie, faux messiah is each day, making me more excited. I don’t really like McCain’s political history, but in light of Obamalamdingdong, it is brilliant. Add to that, our side is finally running a decent marketing campaign, and we will have some fun for the next few months.

[Shooter 2.5]

Kay Bailey Hutchison said “No”.

I’m hoping for Palin.

[right wing]

As a Texan, all I can say is that McCain better NOT pick Kay Bailey. A pro-baby-murderer VP candidate will assure an Obama win - and McCain better realize that FACT.

[Southack]

General Petraeus

or

Lynne Cheney

[mnehring]

The buzz is all about KBH, but what if it is a misdirection.. what if it is John Cornyn...
That would kick a**.

[BGHater]

Ads are the marketing of a Politician. We don't need rhetoric. We are already seeing the watering down of the RNC plank.

We don't need a Politician, a Leader will be fine.

McCain wins or loses on his VP. Pro Abortion and he is done.
Right now McCain wins easy since Obama picked Biden.

[Trteamer]

Republican guerrilla tactics and attack advertisements

I like that a lot! We should use guerrilla tactics and attack ads. The more the merrier. It is a culture war after all. It's one we must win.

[mnehring]

You are right, VP choice will really make the difference. It is coming from a marketing perspective that I was discussing. Although, head to head, Mac’s resume versus Obama’s is a no-brainier.

VP will make a difference to most of us if we hold our nose and pull the lever or if we give the campaign our all.

[spectre]

He better do it before coverage of Hurricane Gustav sucks the oxygen out of his announcement.

[mnehring]

Imagine how Gustav could backfire if Obamalamadingdong tries to go out in front of the cameras for a photo-op, but Jindal, in front of the cameras, demands he leaves because he is getting in the way of the real workers.