Huckabee Wants to be McCain's VP

Of course Huckabee wants te job. There are reasons to believe he'll get it. It is hardly a done deal. Age, viewed as more morally conservative, and that he's a leader in the south (he's from Arkansas). All of this will attract John McCain.

Huckabee wants to be McCain's VP

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, having failed in his own bid for the Republicans' White House nomination, said Sunday he wanted to run as John McCain's vice presidential pick.

On the Democratic side, Senator Joseph Biden said he could not refuse an offer to run as his party's number two, while Senator Jim Webb was coy about his own ambitions.

Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister popular with the religious right, told NBC television: "There's no one I would rather be on a ticket with than John McCain."

He said that during his unsuccessful primary campaign against McCain, "there was no one who was more complimentary of him publicly and privately" than himself.

"But whether or not I do the best for him, that's something that only he can decide," added Huckabee, 52.

"I'm going to support him because I think he's the right person for America. I think he has the kind of seasoning and maturity that this country needs."

Colin Powell: Too Old? Too Military? Too Male? Too Republican? Too Black? Too Uninterested?

Colin Powell: Too Old? Too Military? Too Male? Too Republican? Too Black? Too Uninterested?

Colin Powell is black. I'll get that out of the way. While you probably noticed that, so will the American voter. Since Barack Obama has a few followers voting on his race, this could impact the competition.

Unless, what if, Barack Obama picks Powell? He's military, but Obama is not.

Powell is respected, a true leader. Most of his career we never heard of him, then, wham! He's in the public eye thanks to becoming Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor followed by appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, then, as George W Bush's Secretary of State. However, he hardly launched into those positions from nowhere, and served in leadership, but quietly.

Wise? Loaded with wisdom. As military people go, he is as diplomatic as you'll find.

What matters in any vice presidential candidate are his views. While in these days, we hardly expect that a VP will step up into the role of president, it can happen. We want a VP to represent what America, on the whole wants. Though Republican, some of his views will appeal to the more liberal side. These could alienate the conservative crowd, as well as evangelicals and Catholics who would prefer an anti-abortion White House.

• Pro-choice
• Supports affirmative action
• Favors some gun-control
• Supports the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.

Where he stands on the Iraq War is not as simple as for or against. While he seems to agree with Bush that Iraq is a source of future terrorism, and wants a peaceful Iraq, he disagrees that the USA military is capable of getting the job done. However, he'll concede that war will continue when we're gone. All said, I think, if in charge, he would send in a wave of troops to settle what could be quickly settled, then pull out, but leave advisers.

Views are not enough, though.

Race, of course, will be a strength and weakness. As many people out there who, as closet racists, will vote for him because he is black, there are as many, or more, who are equally racist, and not vote for him because of skin color. With Barack Obama running, though, this leaves the KKK crowd (and their subtler brethren) with the choice only not voting, voter for a this party, or voting against what they believe.

Meanwhile, he's 71. Ageism is a factor for some voters. Powell looks very alive, and younger than chronology suggests. He would be 75 after the first term. Two terms seems unlikely.

My guess: if offered, he would turn it down. His life as been the military, not domestic service. He's been a desk leader, as well as in the trenches. Capable as a leader, but his focus has been different. He has not pursued an office since 2005, and, will not this time. He's retired.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Powell

First seen here: Colin Powell: Too Old? Too Military? Too Black? Too Uninterested?

Obama Starts VP Search

Is this news? No. Both Barack Obama (Democrat) and John McCain (Republican) have known they have been the nominee for their respective parties for months. With Obama, it took longer to seal the deal, but no surprises.

Give both of these men credit. Each has a long and short list of running mates. They are not the kind who will be unprepared.

CNN reports, "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, was surprised Thursday to hear Obama has started a search." T which I say, "Good thing you aren't running."

Obama Starts VP Search

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Barack Obama is beginning his search for a running mate, but Sen. John McCain's campaign denies speculation that he's interviewing vice presidential candidates at his home this weekend.

Sen. Barack Obama has quietly begun searching for a vice presidential candidate, a source says.

A veteran Democratic activist told CNN that former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson has accepted Obama's request to begin a screening and selection process for the No. 2 spot.

Johnson performed a similar role for Democratic presidential nominees Walter Mondale in 1984 and John Kerry in 2004.

Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is hosting top party figures at his home in Arizona this weekend, fueling speculation he is starting his own search for a running mate.

Ted Kennedy Faces Brain Cancer and Grim Future

Democrat Ted Kennedy has brain cancer. Malignant and fatal, it looks like he will be dead within five years.

As a Kennedy, and with that, great wealth, he can afford the best treatment available, but it is no less serious. There is no cure. Just the same, we can only wish him the best of health these remaining days.

What is next for him? No doubt, he is in shock, and unsure. He is 76.

The Kennedy era, filled with scandal, death, money, and power, will soon end. No heir to their dynasty truly exists. From his brother's (President John F Kennedy) murder, to his other brother's (Robert Kennedy) murder, to his own trouble with the death of Mary Jo Kopechne in his car (the infamous Chappaquiddick incident), tragedy has surrounded his family.

Eloquent and influential, Kennedy has served as a leader among Democrats since the early 1960s.

His presidential endorsements have not gone well. In 1988 he supported Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis to win the nomination. In 1992, he backed former fellow Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas. In 2000, he backed Vice President Al Gore. In 2004, it was Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

Currently Kennedy is supporting Illinois Senator Barack Obama, his best shot recently in picking a winner. This was a key endorsement, which, no doubt, impacted Hillary Clinton's chance of securing the Democratic nomination.

Abortion Group Endorses Obama

NARAL Pro-Choice America endorses Obama

NARAL believes Barack Obama will better serve the pro-abortion community than John McCain. Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, says her group has always considered McCain pro-life as well.

NARAL, of course, was founded as National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws by Bernard Nathanson and others. Their single agenda: abortion will be freely available to all women, all ages, no questions asked. It is, for them, a medical procedure, not the killing of human life.

Bernard Nathanson, like Sandra Cano ("Mary Doe") and Norma L. McCorvey ("Jane Roe"), is now a vocal pro-life activist, convinced that his efforts were based on misinformation, "I confess that I knew the figures were totally false, and I suppose the others did too if they stopped to think of it."

NARAL founder Bernard Nathanson discusses abortion in the documentary below

Pick Obama's and McCain's VP

Two new blogs to stir up conversation.

Pick Obama's VP
Who should be Barack Obama's Vice President Running Mate?

Pick McCain's VP
Who should be John McCain's Vice President Running Mate?

Plus the often updated and objective Media Analysis of the Hillary campaign.

Lemmings in an Era of Individuality: Limbaugh, Coulter, Colbert, Colmes, Stewart

Is there a Limbaugh factor? I could not say. I avoid all talk radio. The liberals and conservatives alike are filled with gassy self-righteousness. Some try to be funny, others are so serious that only bran cereal will fix their problem.

Rush Limbaugh, maybe the best known of all political radio hosts, is smart, but his agenda is not about focused, objective analysis. He is all about being against whatever the Democrats are scooping. One recent campaign was to cause chaos in the Dems primaries, to skew the numbers by convincing Republicans to vote Dem, then switch back. This isn't playing fair, but it is legal.

Easy toss out arguments against Limbaugh influence, "He's been busted for drugs," "He's arrogant," "He's conservative and stupid." Sorry, that just means you dislike him. Just like when Bill Clinton was playing with Monica Lewinsky's cigar, people ignore personal lifestyle choices.

A few days ago, I asked about which celebrity bamboozled you into voting for their guy. The most notable celebs to announce were not Republicans, but two very wealthy Hollywood Democrats.

Say what you will about extremist right-winger Limbaugh using his celebrity voice to influence to impact an election. Look at the highly publicized Jack Nicholson and Tom Hanks endorsements.

We are lemmings.

The Limbaugh Factor (story paste from the Washington Post). Interesting thoughts.

Our Readers Who Comment have also expressed special interest (or disgust) with a story that asked if conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" -- in which he urged Republicans to vote for Clinton in the Democratic primary -- actually held down Obama's totals. Limbaugh called off the operation yesterday, Alec MacGillis and Peter Slevin report, saying he wants Obama to be the party's pick, because "I now believe he would be the weakest of the Democrat nominees."

Limbaugh is a polarizing figure and has supporters in the comment string today, but most of those who bothered to write are not fans; many remind us that Limbaugh has had drug abuse problems, and several wonder if my colleagues at WaPo have lost their way in even bothering with the story, which I really liked.

Barack Obama Must Have Two Brains (or three?)

With Barack Obama having both found love among the media and the people of North Carolina (not so much love in Midwest Indiana), he's moving on to be the Democratic candidate for presidency.

For Hillary to win, she must have supporters come out of the woodwork, and vote Chicago-style. She cannot spare a remaining state. She has not lost, but she is not winning.

Can she do it? Yes. Will she? No. Her voters are just voters, no more committed to her than an average voter would be.

John McCain naturally prefers Hillary to win, believing fully that he can beat her more easily.

As long as she runs, Obama must continue to fight her. He'll start running again McCain this week, but his attention is divided. He needs two brains, two tongues: ones says to Democrats, "I'm liberal," the other says to Republicans, "But not that liberal," with a third one to independents, "I'm more independent than John McCain." He'll need to be more Bill Clinton than Bill Clinton, but look like Ron Reagan while he does it. He needs all of his charm, but needs now to look sagely, and reduce the criticism that he has not spoke about hard issues with depth.

Appearance is everything.

BBC News
Obama takes big step ahead in Democratic race
Washington Post
By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama took a big step toward the Democratic presidential nomination with an easy victory in North Carolina on Tuesday, and Hillary Clinton vowed to keep her struggling campaign ...

Beginning of the End

• 492 delegates remain.
• 218 are decided today via Indiana, North Carolina
• West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Montana, South Dakota all have their primaries in upcoming weeks, finishing June 3.
• 274 votes from these remaining states after today.

When will it be decided, really? There's the whole super delegate thing later.

When Tom Hanks delivered his announcement, he knows it will impact voters. Some voters are dumb enough to say, "I like him, so I will vote for hi guy." He spent the money to announce because he knows in some of these states, Hillary Clinton has a chance to win. He's afraid her voters will show up at the polls, and that too many Obama voters will play hooky. Tom looked at his money and decided it was not as well spent giving to a homeless shelter.
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John McCain is quietly building an infrastructure in the meanwhile

see http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/primaries/democraticprimaries/index.html

Which Candidate Does Your Media Hero Support?

Tom Hanks made his call for Barack Obama. Who supports McCain? Hillary?

Support Obama if you like, but remember that if you choose a candidate based on celebrities decisions, you qualify as an idiot. Choose a candidate because what they stand for, you stand for.

Now before I get mail telling me about which candidate I support, know that I am undecided.

Tom Hanks uses MySpace page to announce support for Obama
NEW YORK - Tom Hanks is supporting presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

Hanks has taken to his MySpace page to pledge his support for Obama, who is competing to be the first black president. Obama, who faces rival Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination, has also been endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen and Scarlett Johansson.

also see: A Joker Stumps for Hillary Clinton (and Batman is Ticked Off): Jack Nicholson On Hillary