McCain's Timetable for Choosing a Running Mate
Insiders in John McCain's Republican presidential campaign expect him to make his choice of a vice presidential running mate during the first half of August, about two or three weeks before the start of the GOP nominating convention in Minnesota.
McCain is said to believe that announcing his VP early would enable the media to examine the candidate well before the delegates convene and give McCain and his advisers time to address any criticisms before the convention. McCain wants to avoid the messy rollout of Dan Quayle as George H.W. Bush's running mate in 1988, which came as a last-minute announcement and resulted in the little-known Quayle facing a barrage of criticism that the Bush inner circle wasn't prepared for.
One bright spot is that GOP insiders think McCain has a solid roster of possible vice presidential candidates to choose from, including former Ohio representative and former White House budget director Rob Portman, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
All of them would be conventional choices. But McCain friends say he is perfectly capable of pulling a surprise of his own and picking a newcomer such as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal or a woman such as Carly Fiorina, former president of Hewlett-Packard. But McCain hasn't tipped his hand on which way he is leaning.
In the meantime, McCain will increasingly target likely Democratic nominee Barack Obama with some of the same criticism used by Hillary Clinton in the primaries—that Obama is too inexperienced, that he isn't ready to be president, and that he is too liberal for Middle America.
—Kenneth T. Walsh
Reader Comments
Palin has no name recognition or organization, what are you thinking? Huckabee came from nowhere with no name recognition and no money and swept the south and Iowa he had 8 wins and took 2nd 15 times. If it wouldnt have been for Fred siphoning off votes in South Carolina he would have won there. Even with Thompson he was within a few percentage points of McCain. The more people got to know Mike Huckabee the more they liked and even loved him. It was not just evangelicals as the media and republican elites would like you to believe it was everyday regular Americans that found a sincere man that they could relate to. Now that Obama is trying his best to court the evangelicals away from McCains percieved weakness in that area his best or actually his only hope is to make Mike Huckabee his VP and turn him loose on the campaign trail. Obama won't know what hit him!
Mike is "The Man"
Yes, of course Mike has his special niche with the evangelical community, and will help shore the southern electorate. Mike is a great communicator and connects with working class middle America, and with women. The sincere understanding, developed from his own origins, can be felt by many. I believe that Mike has good abilities and experience to govern practically and effectively. I think he can give Sen McCain a great stability also in the upcoming general election campaign.
Announcing Huckabee as VP nominee, will cause such a media blitz that would leave a void at the Democrat Convention. Heads spinning, Barak..who? The pundits will be in heaven. A McCain, Huckabee ticket, will steal the show, and win this election!
Mike Huckabee for VP
Mike Huckabee has won all the legitimate internet VP polls, some by landslide proportions. He is a man of solid character, significant executive experience, and great positions on the issues of tax reform, transparency in govt spending, defense, immigration, health, energy, education, and others. He is also a great communicator, which McCain needs most. Two kinds of people don't like him - the haters on the far left, and the haters on the far right. Everyone else sees that he is a rare gem of a man, and America would be well served by having him in a position of national responsibility.
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