Running Mates: Obama's Best Vice Presidential Picks

Governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano is perhaps the most implausible of all. As the governor of the state where the Republican nominee hails from, she has absolutely no chance of doing anything other being a drag on the ticket, no matter how high her popularity is in her own state. Also, as with Richardson, having a joint African American/Woman ticket, no matter who the running mate is, (Senator Claire McCaskill comes to mind), might make some types of folks less like to vote.

Even the names of three prominent Senators have been thrown around, they are Wisconsin extremely popular Russ Feingold, the famous co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform bill, and former candidates Joe Biden of Delaware, and the retiring Chris Dodd of Connecticut. These names are speculative at best. Dodd brings little to the ticket but liberalism, which Obama has plenty of; Biden offers legitimacy on subjects such as Iraq, terrorism, and Pakistan, but no electoral votes; and pundits probably mention Feingold just for fun. Sure, he’d do well in Wisconsin, but further than that? Doubtful.

Who Will Obama Pick?

In the end, it may turn out that Barack Obama picks none of the candidates suggested here, either because he felt that someone else could better fill that role, because he perceived that having Hillary Clinton as a close ally is better than having her out on her own, or because the best choices aren’t always willing to do the job.

Within the coming weeks, the Obama camp will make an announcement, and it will send the campaign into overdrive. A new level will be achieved as McCain and Obama quarrel over who has the better VP, and the best running mate with the broadest appeal, may win the election. Indeed, 2008 is a year when the “bottom of the ticket” may outweigh the top.

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