The Veep Game
Now that Obama has called out the Clinton campaign on the paradox of their both calling him unprepared to take office, and yet a "dream ticket" to be their Vice-President, all while being well behind him in every measure, they've decided to downplay the talk. I don't think it would have made for a very good ticket anyway. While Clinton may have needed Obama to heal the wounds she's inflicting on the Democratic Party, the reverse isn't necessarily true. His support comes from new voters and independents that may be turned off if she wins, her supporters are the Democratic core who are likely to vote Democrat regardless of the candidate.
It does bring to mind some advice for how Obama should pick his second:
National Security is the one area where the public might feel justifiably nervous about Barack Obama’s lack of experience. Democrats should remember that the man Obama is most often compared-to, John F. Kennedy, served in wartime and experienced the grim pain of battle, first-hand. At an early age, JFK wrote a best-selling book about - of all topics - national security and the dangers of allowing a lapse in readiness. If (and only if) Obama were to choose a VP nominee with very credible credentials in this area, then Democrats could make a potent issue of the GOP’s systematic demolition of our readiness, our reserves, our armed forces, our alliances, our moral high-ground, our prestige and our position of leadership in the world.
Those rushing to compare Barack to JFK should remember that this issue was a winner for Kennedy. He wasn’t just all-about the Peace Corps and Civil Rights. He defeated Richard Nixon in large part by preventing the Republican from seizing National Security as his personal property.
. . .
Again, the democrats will be utter fools not to make a front-burner issue of the Republican War Against the U.S. Military... the utter demolition of our alliances, our world stature, our state of readiness, and the steady degradation of the brave men and women of the armed forces? It is a matter of paramount importance and incredible potency...
...though it can be best made if the Democratic presidential nominee has the brains to pick a VP candidate who’s credible. One who can make this attack in the face of John McCain’s war-hero image.
There are two prominent democrats who can do this! Jim Webb of Virginia and General Wesley Clark. One can hope.
Clark is currently a big supporter of the Clintons, but he has already proven himself willing to take on McCain's record.
In the national security business, the question is, do you have — when you have served in uniform, do you really have the relevant experience for making the decisions at the top that have to be made? Everybody admires John McCain's service as a fighter pilot, his courage as a prisoner of war. There's no issue there. He's a great man and an honorable man. But having served as a fighter pilot — and I know my experience as a company commander in Vietnam — that doesn’t prepare you to be commander-in-chief in terms of dealing with the national strategic issues that are involved. It may give you a feeling for what the troops are going through in the process, but it doesn't give you the experience first hand of the national strategic issues.
One can hope.
