A lot of people, including Dick Morris, are going to start panicking about Hillary Clinton getting on the Democratic ticket. Her win in West Virginia last night was convincing, and poses a very real problem for Barack Obama. Unfortunately for Hillary, the votes she received there and elsewhere aren’t a result of anything she has done or represents, they are votes against Jeremiah Wright (this is still, and will continue to be, Obama’s biggest problem – more on this later).
I want to be clear: adding Hillary to the ticket will do nothing to rid Obama of the stain of Jeremiah Wright. It will only serve to open up a whole new series of problems, not least of which is Bill Clinton. People are voting for Hillary because they’ll vote for any Democrat in this election cycle (see post below) and she’s the only one left who is white. Remember that these same voters were thought to loathe Hillary Clinton less than a year ago.
All this is beside the point because, luckily, there is a brilliant alternative to Hillary for VP, and that is Senator Jim Webb of Virginia. Webb is a conservative Democrat and citizen-soldier who will bring blue chip political and military experience, along with a dose of white, working class authenticity, to the ticket. He is honest, direct, and tough. As Obama deals with the Wright issue, having Webb speak for him will be convincing.
Hillary is tough too. But she does not bring balance to Obama’s ticket, she brings a heavy weight that can be measured in tons.
Nah, Nope, Not Quite 
Fro Republicans, Webb is potentially damaging. That said, Obama’s prime weakness is hos lack of experience. It is even worse for Webb. Obama has been in the Senate for about a day and a half. Webb’s been there over lunch. Webb’s lack of experience has to be a deal breaker. Neither one of these guys could find the White House with a GPS.
Absolutely not. If you take Webb out of the Senate, Democrats will have a VERY tough time winning that seat again. It will be useless to remove Webb from the Senate for VP only to lose it to Republicans. A better choice for Obama is Ted Strickland of Ohio. He is a Clinton supporter and the Governor from a swing state. The chances of me voting for Obama is 50/50, the chances of me voting for Obama/Strickland is about 65/35.
And to the above poster. Webb may have been in the Senate for little more than two years, but he brings military service, including military leadership service. He was once the Secretary of the Navy under Reagan. Webb has the experience that Obama needs, but the risk of losing his seat to a Republican is too high for him to be on the ticket.
Mark Warner will win that seat in a walk.
If you turn your argument around, African Americans are voting for Obama because he is the only black in the race, you see how dumb it sounds the other way around. Webb is so divisive. Obama is better off with Bloomberg or Ed Rendell if he wants to win. I am voting for McCain but realize how difficult Obama Bloomberg would be to defeat. Especially if Obama was careful to make sure Joe Lieberman keeps his post as committee chair. That would ensure the moderate and Independant vote. If McCain lands Condi or Bloomberg, look out for the same reasons.
Afaic Condi is already maxed out viz the Peter Principle (not that that stops a politician). She should have stayed at Stanford.
In McCain vs Obama, I lean toward McCain. McCain-Rice vs Obama-Webb would tilt me the other way.
Chuck Hagel. Has both the (extensive) military and senatorial experience needed to balance Obama; the crossover appeal potential to woo Democrats; and was against the Iraq war from the beginning.
No offense intended, but this is a ludicrous suggestion from my perspective.
The “Born Fighting” slogan and EXTREME partisanship of Webb would completely contradict the campaign themes that have made Obama so appealing to moderates: unity and his “new” kind of politics. Webb would subvert everything that Obama has tried to be thus far.
Furthermore, Webb has even less on-the-job experience than Senator Obama. Although Webb may have some characteristics in his background that would seem to help Obama, especially his military service, his lack of political leadership experience on the national level will only accentuate Obama’s own weakness in this area. What has been Hillary’s main campain boast during her dual with Obama? Her greater experience. Obama faces a much more “experienced” candidate in John McCain, which will require him to address this deficiency. Again, to me, Webb does not seem to fully address this need.
Lastly, Webb barely won his senate election with (.5%) of the vote, which is stunning due to the fact that Allen completely shot himself in the foot with his “macaca” comment. Webb’s outright disrespect of the President, his fighting mentality, and his politics will only serve to galvanize the Republican base against Obama.
Obama would be wise to choose an experienced moderate to conservative candidate, not an inexperienced lightning-rod.
Chuck Hagel. Has both the (extensive) military and senatorial experience needed to balance Obama; the crossover appeal potential to woo Democrats; and was against the Iraq war from the beginning.
I could live with Chuck Hagel.
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