McCain-Petraeus: How Sarah Palin Dole Paul's Alaska to Obama

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John Nance Garner, who held the position of vice-president under Franklin Roosevelt, memorably dismissed the job as "not worth a pitcher of warm spit".

Actually, that is the sanitised version of his comment. There are plenty of people who believe that the original version referred to a different bodily liquid. Put it this way: he might have been taking the spit out of this office.

John McCain, by contrast, has to regard it far more seriously. He is within a few days of becoming the de facto nominee of the Republican Party. Mike Huckabee is enjoying his swansong, but after the primaries in Maryland and Virginia tomorrow this contest will be over.

The Democratic dogfight will continue for some weeks yet, with the calendar favouring Barack Obama throughout February then Hillary Clinton in March and probably April. If Democrats are lucky, this race will be settled in Ohio and Texas on March 4. If those states split in their verdicts, then Pennsylvania on April 22 will serve as the Gettysburg.

While all that is going on, the one matter of interest on the Republican side is whom Mr McCain will opt to put forward as vice-president. Ladbrokes has already opened a book on the subject, with Mr Huckabee installed as favourite and Charlie Crist, the Governor of Florida, and Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, next. The competition, though, is totally open. No one has a compelling claim.

It is, however, an even more important decision for Mr McCain than usual for presidential candidates for three reasons.

The first is that George W. Bush, via Dick Cheney, has revolutionised the post itself. To be US vice-president was, as Nance Garner implied, to have the largest non-job on the planet. Even when the present President's father was VP under Ronald Reagan, it consisted mostly of attending the funerals of foreign dignitaries (Bush Sr quipped that "you die, I fly" was the vice-presidential motto).

When Dan Quayle was VP he virtually had to beg the White House to provide him with chores to do (this was wisely resisted). Mr Cheney, on the other hand, has shown that the vice-president can be the deputy president and has acted accordingly. It is hard to conceive that this portfolio will retreat to irrelevance again.

Secondly, to put it bluntly, there is Mr McCain's age. He will be 72 come polling day. The chance that he might die in office is there and will be discussed. Whoever he selects to be a potential VP has to be perceived as capable of serving as commander- in-chief at a moment's notice.

Finally, there is the politics of this election. The Democrats have the stardust factor this November. Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama have become huge figures. Their battle will make them seem yet bigger as it intensifies.

If she wins (still the more likely result in my view), Mr Obama will have done well enough to compel her to offer him the No 2 slot in order to preserve party unity (despite their obvious personal animosity and the fact that it does not make much strategic sense) and I suspect that he will accept it. If he wins, the reverse is less likely; but if it is not Mrs Clinton then the temptation to put another woman senator or governor on the ticket will be vast. This is what Mr McCain must assume that he will be facing.

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[SurfCitySolar]

Barack Obama was considering Sarah Palin for his VP? How do you know this?

[obaidkarki]

SurfCitySolar

a headline on Guardian: removed

[takomaguy]

Imagine a world leader, with world appeal? Imagine an American president who could bypass European, or African, or Asian leaders that were dpoing something wrong and appeal directly to people to accomplish something good, and decent, and right?

Could McCain do this? I doubt it. Obama has shown that he could do this. Given ALL that we face, China, Iran, Global Warming, etc., I believe he is the president we need.

[hawkeyeC4]

...he is using Palin to get Hillary's voters and excite the base...

[tomandlupe]

Are YOU from Compton Watts .WHATS UP UFN!

[tonofshit]

Very few people (other than Obama) knew who was on his list of considerations for VP. I can't tell you for sure, but I'm willing to bet anything that THIS GUY didn't know who was on Obama's list.

* * *

[wiferachel]

If we gave berry oboma the country he still does not poses the reform skills to make any change. Oboma can surround him self with people who know what they are doing then take the credit but then he still did not do anything.

[obaidkarki]

nooly33

McCain/Palin Energy Independency scream is the Bluff of the Century. OPEC is the bloodline of US economy, Alan Greenspan's hobbyists tried several time to switch to man made blood alias cash supply as Real Estate, IT & Biotech they crashed big time. Simply because OPEC is surplus cash market. Look today how miserable USA when China backed out from Fennei Mei & Freddie Mac. Simply because they didn't tap OPEC for cash. Energy destiny is the Establishment Business not McCain/Palin.

[nooly33]

Why just dont tell that you cant accept a woman for VP of USA. You maybe are the kind of man who like a quiet woman who stay home to take care of children. Anyway you have the right to tell your opinion, it's a freedom country and every opinion is important. But sometime people aren't targeting the good issues. I think what USA need is really to become independant on energy. That's the key and it's what McCain/Palin suggest. All economy depend of it.

[obaidkarki]

nooly33

I am a Libertarian not Democrat

Obama Is an experiment I don't support.

I love McCain as Hero but as candidate who is moored by Rove & Lieberman. he will never smell the brick of the white House.

[nooly33]

lol have you serously paid 15000$ for that! lmao! Democrate really know how to spend money wisely!

[obaidkarki]

nooly33 boy

this is $15,000 hat. loser.

if you are voting for McCain, then definitely you are digging his grave.

shoooooooooooo hoboooooo