The Vice President Issue

In this issue, with the Presidential race now being settled, we will be taking a look at the list of candidates for the second highest office in the land, the vice president.

But first, our Hillary joke of the blog:

And on the list of names from which our probable next VP will be from.

Since it looks like John McCain will be making his choice soon, ln this issue we will deal with the potential Republican VP's

Tier I

Mitt Romney

Former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney made flip flopping an art form when he realized being governor of the most liberal state in the union wasn't going to win many votes among the rank and file Republicans outside of the Northeast (just Google "Mitt Romney, flip flop"). Thanks to the Republican winner-take-all primary system, Romney was out of the primary after Super Tuesday, thus sparing the Republican Party the agony that has is known as Barack vs Hillary.

Pros: Super Rich, willing to dig deep into his pockets to help finance the campaign, very popular with business elites and tax minded suburbanites, known as a "hands on" kind of man, could appeal in native state of Michigan, where his father was a wildly popular governor.

Cons: Went from liberal pro reproduction rights, pro homosexual rights, pro gun control to anti on all 3 issues in just 2 years, leading many in both parties to see him as a sleazy opportunist. Mormon faith not well liked among the Christian Right (funny how no one in Massachusetts cared about Romney being a Mormon). Finally, McCain and Romney had a bitter primary fight and it is rumored that the 2 really don't like each other in person.

Charlie Crist

Current governor of Florida, Crist is currently a member of that threatened species, Republicanus populus, the popular Republican. Even Florida Democrats have a grudging respect for this man. Though Crist got his start as Attorney General of Florida back when it was being run by George's Bush's brother Jeb, he has never been close to the Bushes, which has only helped his popularity. And while as governor Crist has been very supportive to the gun lobby, as well as being tough on illegal immigration, Crist has also won praise from many for his pro environmental views (his record is actually better than some Democrats) as well as his aggressive drive to recruit legal immigrants to settle in Florida.

Pros: Will guarantee Florida and its 19 electoral votes, pro legal immigration support could help get some of Hispanic vote, environmental record defiantly will win some votes. The fact that Crist is not your standard Republican clone will also help McCain get back his Maverick appeal.

Cons: Crist is not the standard Republican clone that its main base likes to vote for. Plus Crist isn't married. Republicans want their politicians to be family people and it's rare to find outside of the northeast an unmarried Republican in high office. Add in the fact that the last unmarried Republican to come out of Florida was Mark Foley, you got one uneasy base.

Bobby Jindal

Currently Governor of Louisiana, this man is a member of that endangered species the Republicanus Noncauscasianus, the non white Republican. The son of immigrants from India, Jindal is another rising star in the Republican Party. Jindal is a standard modern Republican, all for God (Jindal is a devout Catholic who loves to talk about his faith), family, guns, and drilling for oil anywhere. With Obama about to clinch the Democratic nomination, and Republicans becoming whiter and whiter, Jindal could be the man the Republicans need to reverse the trend of becoming an all white party.

Pros: Will defiantly get the religious voters out in large numbers (many of whom are not comfortable with McCain being the nominee), also could even win back some of the conservative non white vote that had voted for Bush back in 2000, but has since stopped supporting any Republicans.

Cons: Jindal is 36, making him to be 10 years younger than Obama, and being in politics for a much shorter time than Obama, having Jindal on the ticket will prevent McCain from using the experience card as a major weapon. Also, Jindal's religious views could scare away a good number of independents who would otherwise vote for McCain.

Tier II

Mike Huckabee

Former Governor of Arkansas, Huckabee came out of no where to win the Iowa primary and ended up staying in the race longer than anyone else, before he had to concede defeat when McCain reached the number of delegates needed to win the nomination. Huckabee, who was born in Hope, the same home town as Bill Clinton, as Governor of Arkansas ran the state with a combination of old time religion (Huckabee is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and just loves to talk about Jesus) and economic populism (as governor he supported and signed a series of tax increases that were designed to help poorer people in the state).

Pros: Will bring out the full force of the Evangelical/Fundamentalist vote, which makes up between 25% and 30% of the total US population.

Cons: Will send the remaining 70% of the population running screaming into the Democratic camp.

Condoleezza Rice

Once it became clear that the nominee was going to be either Hillary or Obama, Condoleezza's name came up as a VP nom. In one stroke the Republicans could counter the first black or first female nominee with this black female in the number two spot. Also, she is a die hard neoconservative, which will guarantee their presence in a McCain White House.

Pros: Rice has an impressive resume (she is currently Secretary of State and before that NSA Advisor), and has unquestionable Republican credentials.

Cons: Rice has never held elected office, plus she is a close personal friend George W Bush, and a die follower of Neoconservatism.

Rudy Guilani

Back in 2006, this former mayor of NYC and hero of 9-11 was the one everyone assumed would win the nomination. But along the way, Guillani stopped in Florida and stayed there until he got run over by McCain's Straight Talk Express.

Pros: Hero of 9-11. Plus liberal social views definitely will help with independents.

Cons: Liberal social views will cause Evangelical/Fundamentalist voters to stay at home or vote for a third party candidate. Plus Rudy is a bit of a jerk in real life. While Chelsea Clinton, the Romney boys, and McCain's daughter Meghan have supported their parents on the campaign trail, Rudy's daughter has openly supported Obama and his son said if his father was ever elected President, he would boycott the inauguration.

Kay Bailey Hutchison

Senator from Texas since 1993, Hutchison is your classic country club pro business pro strong defense Republican, Hutchison could help with the more conservative independent voters.

Pros: Hutchison has never been close to the Bushes (an amazing feat considering she is a Republican from Texas). Also can also help win back female voters who helped put Bush in office but fell away as the Republicans became more and more corrupt and inept.

Cons: Is not a member of the Religious Right and is a moderate on most social issues, which will not help with bringing out the religious vote (which the Republican Party will be needing badly in many congressional races this fall).

Well that's the group of people McCain will probably pick his VP nominee from. Next week we'll meet the people Obama will be picking his VP nominee from.