With the entirety of the earth’s collective interest in American politics focused on the presumptive nominee of both the Republican and Democratic parties, little attention has been paid to who these en vogue politimagicians will take aboard as their second in command. But just as Sherlock needed Watson, and just as Batman needs Robin, both Obama and McCain will need a number two; below is a brief op-ed on who each candidate will choose and why.
Welcome to part three of this three part series examining who the potential running mates of Barack Obama and John McCain are. Part one looked at Obama’s candidates, part two examined McCain’s, and this, part three, will speculate as to who will most likely stand behind Captain Blue and Captain Red come November.
This is VP Showdown 2008!
Barack Obama - John Edwards
With John McCain conceding that Barack Obama’s 16 month phased withdrawal for the troops in Iraq
makes sense, few can doubt that Obama is capable of being commander in chief of the US armed forces. Obama has created a viable plan that the ‘military tactician’ himself was unable to develop; if you’ll recall, McCain noted in previous public addresses that he supported staying in Iraq for up to and possibly beyond
100 years, and that an exit would be foolhardy, reckless, and would result in the US ‘losing’ the war. Because of McCain’s endorsement of Obama’s plan, Captain Combover should no longer be able to charge Obama as incapable of commanding US military operations – and this means that Obama’s vice presidential nominee will no longer have to be one who offers military expertise.
So the question then becomes, what is the next big issue that needs to be addressed in Obama’s presidential campaign? The answer is democratic appeal to blue collar workers. McCain went on a tour of auto plants in historically blue states late in June, never missing an opportunity to tell those blue collar workers that he would do everything possible to bring new technologies to America, which would result in more manufacturing jobs. Although Obama has taken similar tours, it was clear during his race against Hillary that his message was missed by many. Add to the issue that the Republican Party has a long and rich history of reaching out to blue collar workers, and we can be certain that without attention, the majority of blue collar workers will cast a pro-McCain ballot come November.
Here is where John Edwards comes into play. Edwards was born into a blue collar family, and so, truly understands blue collar issues. On top of this, while Obama speaks in his trademark powerful and soaring manner, Edwards speaks in the same general, easy-going way that the vast majority of white blue collar workers do.
While there is no question that among poor minorities Obama can count on winning the majority of the votes, among poor white people – whom represent the largest constituency of all – he is wise to be worried. As noted by several
republican strategists, “concerns among small town and rural voters about Mr Obama's ethnic background and lack of experience would result in a decisive amount of ‘split ticket’ voting in November's general election. This would see Democrats vote along party lines for state legislators, congressmen and governors but opt for the republican presidential nominee over Mr Obama.”
With John Edwards on the ticket, the concerns of rural blue collar workers (whom are by and large white) would be quelled, as Edwards has - for the entirety of his political career - aimed at improving the quality of life for those at the bottom of the economic food chain. In 2003, Edwards made a particularly powerful address, one that would surely be used again with slight modifications if he is given the vice presidential nod:
President Bush honors and respects only wealth. … He wants to be certain
that those who have it keep it. … He comes from a world where wealth is
largely inherited, not earned. That is not the world I come from. … The
difference between George Bush and John Edwards is, while he honors
and respects only wealth, I honor and respect hard work. I honor and
respect responsibility. I believe in opportunity. He's about building barriers
and closing doors; I'm about exactly the opposite. I want to knock barriers
down. I want to open doors.
Now doesn’t that sound to you like someone that Obama should strongly consider as his running mate if appealing to white blue collar workers is of the utmost importance?
Until recently there was almost no question in my mind that Edwards would be named as Obama’s vice presidential nominee, but with the release of a
National Enquirer news story suggesting that Edwards visited a mistress at the Beverly Hilton hotel July 23rd, 2008, he may not be such a lock anymore. However, it must be noted that this story was broken by the National Enquirer – which is not exactly an esteemed news journal... I mean this is the same magazine that is currently headlining a story detailing ‘Britney’s Mothers Tragic Secret’. What's more, Fox News ‘confirmed’ the Enquirer’s allegations by interviewing a Beverly Hilton security guard who, after admitting he did not know what John Edwards looks like, said that he thinks that he saw John Edwards meet with a mistress. Yeah, and I think I saw aliens last night...
Despite this pre-emptive character assassination attempt on the faithfulness of John Edwards, he should still be considered the candidate of choice for Barack Obama. While a strong case can be made for Hillary Clinton, her ambitions are to be president, and unless she specifically asks Obama for the nod, I doubt it will be offered. And although there are many other qualified and interesting candidates, when all is said and done Mr. Edwards brings the most to the Obama campaign - even with the controversy. Expect to see Edwards offered the position as vice president by Obama.
John McCain – Michael Bloomberg
Although I had a difficult time choosing between Condoleezza Rice and Bloomberg, the New York City mayor takes the nod. Although Rice would bring with her an air of ethnicity, the support of many right-leaning women, and White House experience, she has no specific training in the issue that McCain needs help with the most – the economy. On top of this, her White House experience may actually be detrimental to McCain’s campaign – after eight years of Bush ineptitude the political careers of all associated with the 43rd administration of the United States will forever be tarnished.
You might think, why not Mitt Romney then? Well, for one, McCain has discredited his understanding of economics. McCain had this to say while the two were competing to lead the Republican Party: “Gov. Romney’s record in Massachusetts shows the state had the 3rd lowest job creation, (that) they had $730 million in tax increases, (that) they had more manufacturing jobs flee the state of Massachusetts than almost double the national average, and now a health care mandate that’s $245 million dollars in the red.”
On top of this, Bloomberg has more than a mere understanding of the world of economics; he has a complete knowledge of it. As a Harvard business administration MBA graduate, a highly successful entrepreneur, and a fiscally responsible mayor of America’s largest city, Bloomberg has time and time again proven to be an economic mastermind.
In addition to his economic I.Q., Bloomberg has much of the appeal that would come with Condoleezza Rice. In being the popular mayor of New York City – which in its magnitude makes it America’s most diverse city – Bloomberg is seen as a man who cares about the well being of many ethnicities.
Also, Bloomberg’s marked care for improving education systems, reducing crime, and combating climate change (cab hybridization), surely increases his overall appeal to John McCain.
Finally, Bloomberg is a practicing member of the Jewish faith, and so would draw support from fellow practitioners to the Republican Party – surely not all would follow Bloomberg’s lead, but some would, and that would of course help McCain’s cause.
There is no doubt in my mind that if Bloomberg would accept the position as vice president, McCain would offer it. Bloomberg’s resume is outstanding and his appeal is widespread. He has very few, if any, drawbacks – the only issue that I can see is that he was once a democrat, but that may in fact be another advantage of a McCain-Bloomberg ticket, as his association with McCain may convert fringe democrats to vote McCain.
If Bloomberg will accept the offer, expect to see him on the ballot alongside McCain come November.
What do you think? Who will run alongside Obama and McCain? Have I missed any crucial details?
Thanks for reading.
GRMM
