Wes Clark vs. Evan Bayh
Submitted by jordans11 on August 13, 2008 - 3:08pm.
vice president | Wesley Clark
Just posted this on DailyKos, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/13/154236/615?new=true
Right now on the Intrade prediction markets, Evan Bayh is the current favorite to be Barack Obama's running mate and thus the next Vice President of the United States.
Bayh would add a lot to the ticket. He's a popular Senator and former Governor from a state that Obama would love to pick off this November. He also supported Hillary Clinton in the primary, so his selection would go a long way towards uniting the party and bringing in stray Clinton supporters.
The problem? A story in the New York Times today called "Indiana Senator Offers Risks and Rewards" pointed it out best -- he supported and voted for the Iraq War.
I'm not going to aruge that makes him a terrible person or a terrible Senator, but it does make things very difficult for Obama. He just spent over a year hammering Hillary Clinton's judgment on that vote, how is he supposed to now say that Evan Bayh has the judgment to be President when he cast the same vote that she did?
The other problem? The Governor of Indiana would appoint Bayh's replacement Senator and the Governor is question is a Republican. Getting Obama's progressive agenda passed in the Congress solely depends on having as close to 60 Democratic Senators as possible. Bayh's selection would hand a Senate seat to the Republicans in Indiana.
One man who has surged in the past several days on Intrade is General Wesley Clark, and for good reason.
The good General does not have this same problem that Evan Bayh has. He consistently spoke out against the war in 2002, saying on CNN that an invasion of Iraq would be "at best a diversion, and at worst it risks the possibility of strengthening Al Qaeda and undercutting our coalition at a critical time." (8/30/2002).
It's all about messaging, folks. Wes Clark fits the message. He has stellar foreign policy credentials (like Joe Biden), but has not spent his whole life in Washington DC (unlike Joe Biden). He supported Hillary in the primary (like Evan Bayh), but did not support the Iraq War (unlike Evan Bayh). He's from the South (like Tim Kaine), but does not hold an important elected position that will be filled by a Republican (unlike Tim Kaine).
Clark has the foreign policy cred that Obama needs.
Clark fits the change message because he opposed the war and is not a DC insider.
Clark has the southern roots Obama could use without the possibility of losing an important postition to republicans.
Is there really any question who the best pick is anymore? We've got some AMAZING options for VP, but only one of them is the perfect fit for the ticket.
to be in Milan, Italy at an Economic Conference on Wednesday night, the night of the VP announcement at the Convention.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16289#comment-320952
as per his interview on Rachel Maddow show yesterday afternoon.
his schedule can probably change if he has a big speech to make in Denver, no?
"People who founded this country...had strong beliefs, but they believed in reason, and dialogue, and civil discourse. We can't lose that in this country. We've got to get it back." - Wes Clark
because I don't think our ballots allow us to vote for the VP without voting for the P.
Someone - anyone, but None of the Above.
Technically you don't vote for President or VP. You're voting for electors, they're the ones who go to Washington in December and accually vote for President and VP.
Barry
Are you safer today than you were seven years ago?©
:-P
Love ya Barry!
Our ballots have, of course, the POTUS and VP candidates as teams, and then, they also have the delegates (or electors) listed.
It's all mighty confusing.
Don't even get me started on how to vote for judge retainment. I always sit down with a couple of attorney pals who spend time before various robed dudes and dudettes, and just tell them to write down who I keeping. Every one else, I just say "No."
Cause how else would I know? Ya know?
At least you get to vote on judge retainment. No judges on the ballot around here.
Barry
Are you safer today than you were seven years ago?©
Article II, Section 1: "The Electors shall meet in their respective States..." and "And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted."
Then there's Amendment XII, which begins: "The Electors shall meet in their respective states..." The change was to vote separately for President and Vice-President instead of using the runner up as the VP, but doesn't change where the electors vote.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Make America All It Can Be!
"I'm trying to help people get into political office. I've helped a lot of people, but it's not- and I'm not finished helping, but as for Denver, we'll have to wait and see."
for O.
"Our public servants work for us - we don't work for them. We have an obligation, as citizens of this country, to always remember that - and to never let them forget it." - DeadMessengers
but I couldn't vote in your poll. I have no idea whom Obama will choose.
Who DO YOU THINK...
I don't know either. I can only cross my fingers, hope, and see what happens.
"People who founded this country...had strong beliefs, but they believed in reason, and dialogue, and civil discourse. We can't lose that in this country. We've got to get it back." - Wes Clark
In fact, he should have been then nominee.
"Just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back, up front there ought to be a Man In Black."
-Johnny Cash fact, he should have ben the no