Source: McCain Vice President Search Now Focuses on Pawlenty

Interesting comments

I do think that getting states like OH, PA, MN, WI is a good strategy. But I think picking a successful woman or black with executive experience would be a strong tactic.

And I've seen Carly Fiorina on Meet the Press and she could DOMINATE who ever BHO would pick as his VP - hell - she could take BHO on and obliterate HIM in a debate.

Of course - despite the fact that republicans have done far more for minorities that Democraps, somehow McCain would not get credit with the MSM.

Daniel, your theory made me laugh - but it might bring some of the bitter Hilary supporters into BHO's camp.

Voter Jailed in 2004 election for questioning misleading ballot of OH @ Jul 29, 2008 18:52:15 PM

Pawlenty would not be a good move...

Pawlenty may have some great points to him, but he's absolutely unexciting to most conservatives in comparison with Romney. Romeny has proven he can win key states, raise huge capital, and has a lot of recognition which is priceless. He's an economic whiz, and has credibility in that area and foreign relations due to his success at Bain Capital, the Olympics in Salt Lake, etc. There's no need to guess about what states Pawlenty might help win, when Romney is popular in that area and could help put Michigan and other states over the top. I'm concerned that McCain is just going to surround himself with Yes-men, not those who are the most qualified. I am also not at all excited about McCain picking a woman just to pacify women...and I say this as a woman. I'm also an evangelical Christian, and by and large most of us have no problem with Romney, if that is anyone's concern. We're smart enough and grown up enough to see the issues facing our country supercede some spoiled religious bias. Go with the qualifications and proven electability, and it's Romney. McCain needs to quit dragging this decision out, too. We're getting so sick of Obama-mania, and with the usual partisan game (on both sides) of choosing cronies instead of the ones who can really get jobs done for the American people. It's time to give us a ticket we can vote for and get excited about the election at last. It's going to take a solid VP to get us over that hump, and it should be Romney.

Mary of CO @ Jul 29, 2008 12:12:52 PM

Has he been vetted

He seems like a nice enough guy, but he has a few skeletons that may come popping out.

http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/caucus/dem/membernews/2004/dist66/20030723_Anderson_Telecom.htm

http://www.cpinternet.com/dwagner2/scum/scummn03.htm

He seems like he has faired OK even in light of this kind of stuff.

Mike Kusniak of WI @ Jul 24, 2008 02:35:54 AM

Pawlenty

May be a good choice indeed since they have worked together on the campaign although must bring those two states and must be sure it will If Lieberman would bring in other states that beat the total points of Minn and Wisc then I would say Lieberman is a great choice also????????

Al of MA of @ Jul 20, 2008 20:44:59 PM

McCain should pick Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani is the right choice for McCain's VP:

1. He has name recognition;

2. He's youthful enough;

3. He put's New York in play;

4. He's pro-national defense, and

5. He's popular with independent voters.

McCain/Giuliani would be hard to beat.

See http://keep1600.wordpress.com

Jason Ricardo of FL @ Jun 22, 2008 22:11:43 PM

Condoleezza Rice

Rice, a brilliant polymath, has actually been very successful as Secretary of State. She has had a lot of very successful initiatives. Her character is above reproach.

Worldwide opinions of the US have been damaged because the US has been pursuing a course that is embarrassing to continental Europeans. We have been showing them up as being the friends of tyrants and terrorists. After all, we fought two world wars because of the European fascination with tyranny. Now the US is going to follow the example of Spain, and elect a candidate who reflects our fears rather than our hopes. This will vindicate the European stance.

Europeans have imported large numbers of Arabs, but live in fear of them. They are afraid that any support for our actions will lead to insurgencies. However Arabs aren't stupid. If we can succeed in fostering Arab democracy, the western Europeans, with the exception of Great Britain, will be remembered as the ones who stood against it.

I will never forget the speech from the French ambassador to the UN, Villepin, in which he accepted the cruelty of Saddam's dictatorship but denounced force as a means to bring about regime change. His message was underscored by a French popular response of descrations of graves at Normandy with pro-nazi symbols, showing that the people of France fully understood Villepin's remarks in the context of the liberation of France.

Just imagine what the world would be like if it were not for the Bush administration. Saddam would still be in power in Iraq, and his expulsion of the weapons inspectors would be a fait accompli. He would certainly still see himself as an enemy of the US, and his oil bribes, through the oil for food program, would still be giving him enormous influence over the UN. Intelligence from the Middle East would still be very weak, the A.Q.Kahn network would still be operating, with nuclear proliferation throughout the region.There would be very little hope anywhere in the Middle East for Arabs to make any progress, politically or economically, unless they were connected to a ruling family.

There are many places where the differences between the policies of the left and right can be seen. For example, in Korea. North and South Korea share a cultural heritage. South Korea reflects the result of liberation, whereas North Korea reflects the result of American withdrawal. These distinctions are not subtle. American withdrawal has dire consequences.

Or look at Berlin, showing the progress from more laissez-faire economics in the west against the progressive economics of the east.

The Europeans are shifting towards our point of view, as evidenced by the elections of Merkel and Sarkozy. They can see that the liberal economics of the right has led to progress, and the progressive economics of the left has led to dispair.

But just as we stand on the cusp of global liberation, the US seems poised to backtrack into isolationism and socialism.

Mazzula of VA @ Jun 22, 2008 13:10:19 PM

McCain VP

Pawlenty might be better than alot of alternatives. I also like the following: Carly Fiorina, who CAN articulate conservatism with a pure gift of communicating smartness, prudence and wisdom. Try and see her on TV or FIlm clip (google Flora TV and Carly). She is 99% more intelligent than most politicians, but combines it with integrity. I also think Carly has way more experience as an executive on the glovbal scale than Sarah, who's only been Gov of Alaska a very short time. I think both Pawlenty and Carly Fiorina would be good VP choices.

I would also submit the desire that John McCain make some changes and rejoin the Realism tradition of James A Baker III and Brent Scowcroft. Then he could make peace with his old friend Chuck Hagel and rebuild the party with Carly's help. Chuck Hagel on the ticket would be a needed Revolution. Ditto for making a real peace pact with Colin Powell, and even consider him for the ticket. One ofthe advantages is it offers African Americans and others who feel nervous about Fast Barry Obama a way out.

Any other choices? Well, Romney, Rice, and Lieberman in my view are bad choices because of character, war history (caving in to the Neocons), and boredom respectively. They should be leapfrogged in favor of Fred Thompson and the wildcard of considerations - Mike Huckabee. Wildcard because of the Huckster's vast talent in populism - but can the independent voter go for him?

Pawlenty is a safe choice I think. That's better than a big mistake. But McCain may need a dynamic Carly to pull it off this November.

Verne Snell of KS @ Jun 21, 2008 19:26:05 PM

I was a recent delegate at the TX GOP State Convention, the largest gathering of Republicans in the US. The mood among the delegates favored Romney and Huckabee as Mac's veep. Palin and Jindal were well represented as well in a few mini straw polls. Based upon my conversations with delegates they are okay with Pawlenty, yet, we can do better (and worse).

Robert of TX @ Jun 21, 2008 16:39:30 PM