Posted on 08/28/2008 1:23:23 PM PDT by Red Steel
John McCain is poised to announce his vice-presidential running mate, hoping to steal the thunder of his rival Barack Obama, whom Republicans are mocking as an 'emperor' speaking on Thursday night at an 'Obamopolis'.
The Republican candidate was due to appear with his vice-presidential pick at a rally in Dayton, Ohio on Friday morning, his 72nd birthday.
But Republican officials intimated that a name might even be leaked just before Mr Obama accepts the Democratic nomination before some 80,000 people at Denver's Invesco stadium on Thursday.
Senior aides to Mr McCain said that three people were on his shortlist - Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. But they were not ruling out a "dark horse" choice such as Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.
Announcing a vice-presidential selection to coincide with Mr Obama's speech would be a break with the tradition of allowing one's opponent a clear run on the night they accept their party's nomination.
Mr Pawlenty and Mr Romney were the favourites to be Mr McCain's running mate. Nervousness about Mr Romney's personal wealth and his fraught relationship with Mr McCain during the Republican primaries meant that some Republicans believed his star was waning.
But at just 47 and a newcomer to the national stage, some strategists viewed Mr Pawlenty as a risk, particularly because he would be up against the vastly-experienced Senator Joe Biden, Mr Obama's running mate, in the vice-presidential debate.
The pro-Romney faction cited the former governor's expertise on the economy - a weak point for Mr McCain. Karl Rove, former adviser to President George W. Bush, sought to intervene to stop Mr McCain choosing Mr Lieberman, an independent former Democrat who is Jewish and favours abortion rights.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
As in every comedic routine, timing in everything.
I’ve been predicting it all day!
McCain should rethink this. Does he really wan to steal the thunder from the lead zeppelin that is the Obamapalooza
I liked were Pawlenty compared Barama to the greek pillars.
“They are pretty but there is nothing behind them”
McCain will get ZERO press if Gustav rips through the Southeast as a CAT 3 hurricane...Me thinks he is moving early because of Gustav
...I like Mitt....he’s got more energy than Biden, plus he looks good in a suit.
I really hope he doesn’t announce his VP today- leaks are fine..but no real announcement. Sometimes it pays to show class- regardless of what the other side is doing..
I think the timing leads me to believe that this might be an earthshaking/dark horse VP.
I mean, Romney or Pawlenty would hardly steal any headlines away from Obama’s speech with the MSM.
Screw Gustav
The media loves to hype every storm as the next Katrina — like many before it, this one will probably fizzle into a tropical storm before it makes land fall in bayous on the Texas/Louisiana border. The Chocolate City will have to wait a little longer for another round of $200 FEMA cards
Maybe he could text message his VP announcement to O’Bama in the middle of his speech.
McCain doesn't need to do anything. For things to be ready for tomorrow schedules need to be changed, signs need to be printed. There will be plenty of activity that will "tip" the press off without an official announcement.
pardon me two THOUSAND dollar cards
If the VP pick is Pawlenty, then it truly won’t take the general public that long to see Pawlenty as being BORING! Why would McCain do this, if his final VP pick is Pawlenty who is SO BORING? This would be a stupid move by McCain, IMHO. The MSM will truly be all over Pawlenty just for being so dull! Eric Cantor would truly be a much better VP pick, IMHO.
I agree, he should allow the other side their moment, and I don’t think anyone is going to steal the thunder from this night. It’s going to get full press from the drive by’s. Announce tomorrow, or it just looks tacky.
Plus it’s not good for the vp choice, he wants his full spotlight I imagine.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.