Veep choice could matter more this time
As speculation swirls about possible running mates, a new poll suggests that the choices made by John McCain and Barack Obama may matter more this election.
A CBS News survey being released today says that while two-thirds of voters surveyed say that their vote will hinge on the presidential nominee, 30 percent say the vice presidential pick will have "a great deal of influence" on their vote. That is double the percentage who said so in the 2000 election.
Nearly half of undecided voters said that the V.P. picks will make a difference, and the running mate choice was also more crucial to independents.
"Historically, more voters are likely to say the vice presidential selections are important after the choices are announced. In 2000, the number doubled from 15 percent before the announcements to 30 percent afterwards," CBS reports on its political blog. "But in the last two presidential elections, the VP announcements have had little immediate impact on the horse race results. In a CBS News poll conducted after John Kerry selected John Edwards as his running mate, the Democrat led by 5 points. He led by one point before the announcement."
UPDATE: Overall, CBS said this evening, Obama leads McCain 45 percent to 39 percent, with 13 percent undecided.
On the veep watch today, Obama campaigned in Indiana with Senator Evan Bayh, who supported Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries but is believed to under consideration by Obama.
The Associated Press reports, "Obama called him 'one of the finest U.S. senators that we have,' but he gave no indication that he was nearing a vice presidential decision."
On the Republican side, Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota appeared to veer off message a little in an appearance before GOPAC, which helps find Republican candidates.
"Say what you will about Barack Obama," Pawlenty said, according to the AP, "people gravitate when you have something positive to say."
He added that McCain has been positive as well. "People want to follow hopeful, optimistic, civil, decent leaders. "They don't want to follow some negative, scornful person."
Obama cannot win without the white collar vote and the womens vote.I myself will not vote for hom unless he has Hillary by his side.as a vice president.She knows her way around WASINGTON who can get things done and the right people tp contact. Obama talks a lot but doesn't say anything.I hate to say this but he reminds me of a con man
Hellow! A Vice President is an important and intelligent person that doesn't say "YES" all the time.It should be someone that knows how to balance himself and the President so that their leadership work effectively.Someone that has actully demonstrate in the past what an effective leader he is and get things done in the right way to quarantee true prosperity and success now and towards the future.Not so much a young inexperience duo all they think about is their appearance and looks but nothing in store for all groups of people and not just a particular generation.I truly and strongly believe that the right VP for John Mccain is Mitt Romney because he has done what we as people of this country is yearning and hoping for is a Vice President that works with John Mccain in executing changes that are seriously needed to help our economy as a nation,families and individual person.If all Americans are looking for a better futue for their families and childrens economically and socially Mitt Romney is our choice for Vice President to John Mccain.
Doris, Hillary comes with too much baggage, including her husband. I have always been a Bill Clinton fan, but he has so much hidden financially in his "library foundation" that coud be very questionable. The Republicans would be slicing and dicing if Hillary was the VP candidate. They would just love to have her on the ticket!
Hillary = a democratic loss. People have had enough of her and her loud mouth husband. They had their 8 years in office. Enough is enough.
Obama needs to pick a VP who is 180 degrees different than he is. Namely, someone who has:
1. Sound judgment. Doesn't have a past of seeking out endorsements from domestic terrorists who have no remorse of blowing up U.S. government buildings. Doesn't have a past of close alignment with a pastor who calls his country the U.S. of KKK or "goddam America!".
2. Honesty. Doesn't lie to us about how they'll finance their campaign or about their energy policies.
3. Experience and Leadership.......in ANYTHING!!!
It's that simple. It's that sad. What a bunch of putzes we are for choosing Obama.
Ditto that Mitt Romney would be a great VP choice for McCain for the simple reason that Romney would make a great President!
I would have argued John Edwards VP for Obama before the scandal - a lot of people would. Interestingly, there is no mention of the scandal that took Edwards, the third largest vote getter in the 2008 Democratic primary, out of consideration.
But why not mention the growing scandal about John Edward's affair where he cheated on his cancer-stricken wife and is now supporting his mistress and their child? It's not some unsubstantiated rumor - it happened!
Why aren't major news outlets covering this story about Gore's former VP candidate, a 2008 Presidential candidate and a potential Obama cabinet member having an affair?
BECAUSE EDWARDS IS A DEMOCRAT!
They would never cover up a story about a Republican Presidential candidate having an affair.
It's dangerous to have our national media so one sided.
For example, in 1994 a very charming Bill Clinton managed to convince the world that Hutus killing 50,000 Tutsis a week was not genocide and so he would not intervene.
Over 800,000 humans were butchered to death because the liberal media gave the liberal President a pass.
I'm begging you - please be fair when covering a story and when deciding whether to cover a story at all. Being fair, holding our leaders accountable - it's more important than advancing your ideology.
I will vote republican if Hillary is not on the democratic ticket in some capacity. That's because I believe that McCain is the more decent American between him and Barack, Obama needs Hillary's credibility to worthy of my vote.
Obama = democratic loss. For those who think Hillary comes with too much baggage, I'll tell you that Obama has even more baggage. Look how badly he is doing. If Hillary were the nominee, she would have at least a double digit lead over McCain by now. Most independents wanted to vote Democrat this time, but Obama is such a bummer we have no choice but to go with the Republicans again.
Obama`s choice for VP is a no brainer it must be Hillary. She is the only person to bring the party together. Also she is an energetic campaigner and is tough enough to take the hits for Obama. She has the first hand and most relevant experience to be VP. And in poor economic times, it doesn`t hurt that she was the second most powerful person in an administration that gave us the largest peacetime expansion of the economy.
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