So who is the crotchety old SOB going to pick as his VP? Mittens? The Huckster? Joementum?
Open Thread
by John Cole| 80 Comments
This post is in: Election 2008, Did You Know John McCain Was A POW?
Open Thread
Reader Interactions
80Comments
Comments are closed.
4tehlulz
Is Curtis LeMay available?
rob!
the corpse of Ronald Reagan?
“Well, Sen. Biden, there you go aga…BRAINS!!!!”
cleek
Buck Turgidson
cleek
Gen Jack D. Ripper
John S.
Please, let be any of those three.
I think it will be even more awesome if McCain announces his co-sacrificial lamb today to try to steal some of Obama’s thunder (Zeus-quality, of course) and nobody gives a shit.
DMurphy
CNN just said it’ll be Guy Smiley, another flip-flop flim-flam man.
cleek
i hate that sometimes you make a post and it doesn’t show up. so then you make a new post and then the first one shows up too. it’s even worse when you were glad the first one didn’t show up because it was a mistake, and then it shows up and then you think people will wonder if you’re just going to name all the characters from Dr Strangelove.
Rome Again
Schwarzeneggar, that way he can rest assured that if he dies, he’s totally left the country fucked with a second in command who is not allowed to succeed the throne. That would be the last drops of the water emptying out Norquist’s bathtub, would it not?
Rome Again
Gee, and I thought it was just me who suffers from this malady.
Bootlegger
Walter Matthau if was still alive, or maybe even still.
Serious pick: Pawlenty to try and bag Minnnesota. If its Mittens or the Huckster he will have the primaries thrown back into his face like he did to Clinton and Obama. It can be G.I. Joe because his right wing would saw the wing off in mid flight.
SpotWeld
I wonder if anyone has considred Dick Cheny?
nightjar
Lieberman. The most Mavericky choice by far and sure to cause Limbaugh to go critical mass along with the other pro life wingnut mobsters. And for one reason, he likes Joementum and feels comfortable with him. Of course it could be someone else entirely.
TCG
I would say Willard Milton Romney because Mittens is awesome.
But Redstate informs me that:
patrick
can’t be Ahnold, he’s not a natural born citizen.
I don’t know now, I bet it was Romney until the housing gaffe. but with blue-collar Biden on the ticket for the dems, two out of touch, multi-millionaires on the repub ticket is probably not a good strategy, considering the current economic outlook. Romney _might_ make MI more competitive (a lot of people still like his dad) and shore up colorado (mormom population), but I think he’ll go “safe” and maybe towards a Pawlenty, which I don’t think will help in putting MN back into play. Joe would eat Tim alive in the VP debate…I honestly can’t think of a good repub choice…
nightjar
It’s fun to try the first post and when it doesn’t go through, then make changes to it before sending it out again. And guessing if they both make it, which one arrived first. Kinda like Vincent Price sending himself through his contraption and coming out with compound eyes or just claw hands, or something.
dewberry
Isn’t it amazing how there’s really no one that seems to enhance the McCain ticket? It’s all meh-meh-and-doublemeh.
I keep hearing people throw out Kay Bailey H. as a wildcard, but I don’t think so. You don’t wait and finally have children in your late fifties to spend no time with them.
Let’s hope this doesn’t double post.
cleek
do those Republicans know this ?
zzyzx
I can’t believe there’s a real shot that McCain is going to be suckered by his own sockpuppet PUMA organizations to choose KBH in an attempt to get the Clinton supporters.
Paul Weimer
I think it won’t be Romney or Pawlenty.
If McCain is smart, its a woman, to try and work the PUMA angle to his advantage.
JL
My guess would be Kay Bailey Hutchison to try to capture the female vote. My dream pick would be Brownback.
jeff
P.O.W. Jones.
vice president engraved handgun
I’m 90% certain it’ll be Huckabee, based on the fact that he’s barely been mentioned in the press. I’m sure McCain keeps winking at everyone on the tire swing and they keep winking back at their big secret which is so fun and mavericky.
Bobzim
Joe Scarborough
TR
Can he pick all of them? There’s so much to mock in each, I’d hate to have to settle for just one.
Face
If he does take Minny, that might give him the election. Almost surely if O loses Ohio and FL too.
Lee
Please dear God make it Mittens or Lieberman.
Hutchison for the entertainment value of watching the wingnuts go ape shit with her pro-choice stance.
Xenos
Bud Day?
The lack of talent and oomph on the GOP side is so severe that it would have to be a complete wild card to come up with someone even slightly not DOA.
My best guess is Pawlenty, who will have to dramatically exceed expectations to be better than an utter mediocrity.
greynoldsct00
I agree with Nightjar… Lieberman would be the most “mavericky” thing to do, provided he even has a shred of that left in him. I find myself both dreading the choice (as a CT resident I REALLY hate the bastard); and welcoming it for all the hilarity that would ensue. Dream sitch: he picks Joe and they lose, BIG. Then there would be justice.
zmulls
I absolutely think he should pick Cheney. It would ensure continuity with the Bush administration and save millions in shredding fees.
And wouldn’t you like to see that VP debate? Remember Biden talking about seeing Bush and Cheney in the Oval Office, and telling Bush (to their faces) that he should fire Cheney?
JL
Lindsay and Crist might make a good partnership. Maybe they can take along nieces and nephews for photo ops.
4tehlulz
It’ll be Mittens for his ability to access cash, which is all McCain has been about.
cuzco
Lieberman would be the most mavericky pick, would give him some claim to “bi-partisanship” (Joe is a Democrat in a lot of his votes) and would give him someone who doesn’t come across as an absolute idiot. Much as I detest the guy, Lieberman is a scrapper and could go toe to toe with Biden on foreign policy.
Lieberman would also serve as a foil to Democratic attacks on various domestic issues.
I think he’ll take a chance and go Lieberman.
chopper
i think that idea is fading after the clinton’s speeches in the last two days. not that i wouldn’t mind seeing the aftermath of a KBH pick on the crazy right wing. that would be great – mccain picks KBH thinking he can peel off the PUMA vote, then finds out that the PUMA vote is miniscule compared to the pissed-off gooper stay-home-rather-than-vote-for-a-pro-choice-VP vote.
oops!
SpotWeld
I think it all boils down to this.
McCain must win Ohio. Which VP will get him Ohio.
Mikado
My money’s on Rob Portman. He’s an Ohio native son, which would partially explain the big show McCain is getting ready to put on in Dayton on Friday. Plus, Portman is not terribly objectionable, and his selection would put Ohio in play.
Mikado
My money’s on Rob Portman. He’s an Ohio native son, which would partially explain the big show McCain is getting ready to put on in Dayton on Friday. Plus, Portman is not terribly objectionable, and his selection would put Ohio in play.
thomas
cuzco – joementum is a scrapper???? That roll-over he did in the debate w/ darth vader was so embarassing that I knew Gore was toast. joe rolled and darth didn’t even look to scratch his tummy – just did the sneer.
joe knows how to bring a nerf ball to a knife fight. dear gods i hope its him!
cleek
here’s a whole list of people he could choose.
i think Col. Hogan would be best.
Rome Again
No, it’s not about that. It’s about the fact that Spooge really LIKES Liarman and wants his BFF in the White House with him. I honestly think he might do it. ;)
limbaugh's pilonidal cyst
I’ve heard about Portman (former congressman from Ohio and former Bush budget director)as well.
But sweet Jeebus, please, please, please pick Ruuuddddyyyy!
That would bring me to an immediate , earth moving orgasm.
NYT
Pat Lang reckons it will be Gen Petraeus. You could just imagine how the MSM would go orgasmic on that
cleek
i agree. Droopy does seem like the obvious choice.
Keith
For my own amusement, I’m crossing my fingers it’s Lieberman. After the “Clinton vs. Obama” meme of this convention falling rather flat in reality, I think a Lieberman nomination would be civil war at their convention. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Romney in there as well.
Picks that worry me as being helpful to McCain’s cause: KB Hutchinson (but not vetted AFAIK) and Huckabee (likable and witty…good for debating Biden)
Darkness
Perfect! Two non-native citizens on one ticket!
Rome Again
Whoops, quoted wrong post. Oh damn! Apologies.
thomas
cleek
winner!!
Knocienz
He’s going to pick Duke Cunningham; a man who can’t be criticized because he’s a war hero!
Imagine the drama of a live pardoning at the convention. The Media will eat it up and talk about McCain’s Maverickness in picking someone convicted by his own President’s Justice Department!
Rome Again
::throws her broken BJ on the floor and cries::
Uncle John, FIX IT! It’s BROKEN!
Rome Again
I think after Obama cornered Lieberman in the senate, and knowing his BFF needs a VP (and how lovely to be up on stage again and in the spotlight) that Lieberman wouldn’t dare give up the chance to be VP (even if it would screw the R party) and he’s looking forward to this opportunity (he’s probably sitting by the phone right now waiting for it to ring).
DBrown
Schwarzenegger would be a great VP pick but McCain has shown contempt for poor muscle boy and I don’t think he would consider him.
Sorry but the VP does NOT need to be natural born – read that bush/cheney trashed piece of paper called the consitution (I did and no where does it require that for VP.) However, that said, muscle boy can not take the office of Pres if said pres leaves office for any reason. The Specker of the House becomes Pres and that works.
Rome Again
Portman would never accept the VP position after she was once an Empress! (sorry, I couldn’t resist) ;)
Krista
Yeowch. Nothing worse than a broken BJ.
Is it just me, or does it seem somewhat fitting that this group of utter reprobates hangs out at a site whose acronym is “BJ”?
And hey, from the looks of things, we might be going into an election in the fall as well. It’ll be interesting to see how the entire dynamic between our countries will change.
cuzco
Key difference here is that Darth Cheney is a Republican. Joe is in awe of Republicans.
I’m basing my scrapper comment on his defeat of Ned Lamont and his bucking the Democratic party. Continuing on after Lamont’s primary win was, regardless of propriety, the action of a scrapper and his defiance of Democrats is also seen as scrappy by some Republicans I know, not least of which is my own parents.
My parents aren’t social conservatives, but are very much fiscal and defense conservatives. They love Lieberman and are apprehensive about McCain, primarily because of his age. I think they could live with Lieberman as V.P because he’s younger and supports their basic world view.
Rome Again
Damn, an actor from California, seems I remember they liked that combination. He would bring out the entire R party, he’s got rock star appeal.
CaseyL
Racists, misogynists, and bed-wetters are already a lock for the GOP.
So I think it’ll be Lieberman, to pull in the “low information voters” who’ll think that means McPOW is being non-partisan.
The Moar You Know
Joe Lieberman may be the most hated man in the United States at this point. After the convention, the Dems are going to HAVE to strip him of his assignments. He’s absolutely hated by the Dems and well loathed by the Republicans.
McCain should pick Huckabee for the best chance of success, but he won’t – that’s not Mavericky enough. He’ll pick an inoffensive unknown with the proper credentials. Losing is pretty Mavericky.
Don
Huckabee is the smart choice. It would generate enthusiasm for the ticket among his base (which McCain has been lacking) and Huckabee is the one guy who can hold his own against Biden. Not in a toe-to-toe scrap, of course, but that’s not his way. He has a disarming folksy charm which would match up well against Biden. I’m not really sure why the GOP bigwigs dislike him so much. He’s also very un-Bush-like, which helps a lot.
Lieberman could create a totally off-message convention in which the abortion issue dominates all. Joementum also has all the charisma of Gollum.
Romney and/or Pawlenty are the safe choices. They don’t really help, but they don’t really hurt either. Pawlenty isn’t going to carry Minnesota, and he’s dull to boot, but unlikely to do actual harm to the ticket. Romney has a sort of reptilian charisma and can debate, but his big-business ties are a marketing opportunity for the Dems. It reinforces the “out of touch with the economy” narrative that they’ve been pushing.
The Moar You Know
Not here in California – the state Republican party is pretty well ready to kick him out. He is the Lieberman of the GOP here, hated for selling out their Neanderthal platform (rural California goopers are a scary, scary breed) and I really don’t see any way that he’s going to win the next gubernatorial election here regardless of what party label he chooses to run under.
rasta
Eldon Smith is rested and ready.
greynoldsct00
Joohhhhnnnnn! Word Press ate my comment!
Trying again…crossing my fingers
As one pissed off Nutmegger, I don’t know if I’d say scrappy. Hugely egotistical with deep sense of entitlement, definitely. I tend to think of scrappy as a fighter, he was just plain offended. Anyway, that’s my feeling.
Rome Again
TZ asked me to post this because his BJ is broken too:
Especially among women.
He is a PUMA dream.
cuzco
You know him better than I do, but as an outsider, (New Hampshire) he seemed scrappy.
Some of that may be due to the fact that Lamont was a fairly weak candidate and didn’t know how to respond when Joe appropriated his anti war stance. That was pretty much Lamont’s whole appeal as far as I remember and when Joe came out saying he would work to end the war, it left Lamont with little to differentiate him.
patrick
insert foot in mouth, my bad…it’s been a while since I’ve read that section of the constitution, but I thought both pres & VP had to be natural born.
another mavericky choice would be Carly Fiorina…not a politician, a woman, etc…
Scruffy McSnufflepuss
He should pick Obama!
greynoldsct00
Yeah, you’re not too far off there. But I still thought Lamont would have been breath of fresh air. Speaking of scrappy, how about those bloggers that followed Lieberman’s campaign around with the “kiss” float. Hope they still have it, it might come in handy if McCain picks him.
Rome Again
John,
This is an attempt to implore you to take the deal to get the proper equipment to fix this website. If you don’t, I will be leaving soon (I spend more time getting this site to load than I do reading it anymore) and I probably won’t be the only one.
TZ is about ready to give up too, according to conversation we had recently.
OriGuy
You didn’t get as far as the 12th Amendment:
Delia
Riverdaughter. Because the current choices just aren’t crazy enough.
tBone
Clearly John McCain’s pick for vice president should be Word Press Error. Word Press Error is tireless and indefatigable. By his mere presence, Word Press Error can instantly silence Democrats and other filthy hippies. Unlike Joe Biden (or, indeed, John McCain), Word Press Error always has a consistent message. Word Press Error is friendly, helpful, and non-threatening to regular folks. Word Press Error will never get caught humping a staff member or forgetting how many houses he owns. Word Press Error abides.
Paul in KY
I’m thinking it will be Pawlenty. Worse choice, from a Dem. perspective would be Crist (which would ensure FL).
I can’t see him picking a pro-choice person.
I pray to God that he picks Liebersuck.
limbaugh's pilonidal cyst
Word Press is teh suck.
Xenos
Word Press Hate Me.
Darkrose
Actually, he can’t run again. CA has a 2-term limit for governors now. That’s why Ahnuld can say stuff like calling Prop 8 a waste of time and money–he doesn’t have to suck up to the right.
I live in Sacramento and work in Davis. I laugh when people talk about how all of California is full of crazy liberal hippies.
cleter
KBH told the Houston Chronicle that it’s not her.
I would like to see him pick Lieberman. Maybe there would be booing and walk-outs. But I wouldn’t be surprised by Portman.
Delia
People who think California is full of crazy liberal hippies need to spend some quality time in Fresno.
tBone
Not really. John’s just outgrown his current hosting plan.
Rome Again
John,
TZ and I discussed the situation with your crashing website and wondered if the archiving is taking up too much space on the server?
Perhaps you can send those archives over to a blogspot site to lighten the load? Atrios had a blogspot site for years, and was getting a huge amount of hits and comments and I’ve NEVER had trouble with his site loading. Granted, I didn’t visit it as often as I do here, but I have never had a site load problem there. I noticed just recently that he has moved from blogspot to his own site, but, for years blogspot served him well. Perhaps just sending your archives there and linking them would help? Possibly?
Darkrose
True story: The Friend Wot Is a Girl and I went to the Giants’ “Until There’s a Cure” AIDS benefit game in June. A guy who’d just come up from the minors was at bat, and he swung at a couple of bad pitches. Behind us, someone yelled, “Remember–nobody likes Fresno!”
Not only is that some of the best baseball fan chatter ever, but it has the added virtue of being very true.
posttoasty
A noun, a verb and 9/11, of course (Googli-awni) to go along with McCain’s new stump speech of: A noun, a verb and P.O.W.
DMD
If McCain doesn’t pick Hillary Clinton, it will be a slap in the face.
Seriously though, the Maverick is dead. McCain has been embracing the GOP establishment ever since winning the primary. That means supply side tax cuts, smears, and warmongering. No Liebermann or Huck. It will be Stepford Reagan himself, Mitt Romney, or dark horse Rudy Giuliani.