Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I think I can do so when the two choices for Vice President were on my publicized short list of hopefuls.
"Compelling Choices for Vice President" July 21, 2008
OK, some of my short list were not really going out on a limb. But find others who thought publicly that Joe Biden and Sarah Palin would be chosen and we would be in a very small group.
Now you are asking why Palin and Biden.
Governor SARAH PALIN:
As I stated in the above mentioned posting....
"Governor Palin's reputation is quite unique. She is a reformist Republican Governor in a male dominated state. She knows a bit about the environment and energy exploration (pretty much what Alaska is). She adds a youthful vigor, is attractive, and (from what has been read) she can throw on a pair of boots and hang with the guys anywhere; anytime. While Alaska is not large in electoral votes, and there are no immediate coattails, Governor Palin solidifies Senator McCain's environmental and energy stands and offers a youthful and down home contrast."
Back in January when I was volunteering in NH for the McCain campaign I asked a colleague about vice presidential choices. He asked me to go first. I said I think he needed a woman or an unconventional choice. Being from the NYC area I thought of Jody Rell. He said "Nice but I think Sarah Palin from Alaska is better. She would be fantastic"
My curiosity sparked, I did my research and I had to agree Governor Palin was/is a quite intriguing choice. For all the reasons I mentioned above and more. She answers all the questions that have followed Senator McCain and she adds a new spark and a luster to what is already a pretty dynamic campaign. Since that time she has always been on my short list and I think she is the ultimate compliment to Senator John McCain.
Senator Joseph Biden:
As I stated in the above mentioned article:
"We have seen much of Senator Biden on the Sunday morning talk shows and in Senate hearings where he is tough and partisan. We have also seen him speak at neutral locations (like the LBJ Library) where he was much more thought provoking and intuitive. At the LBJ Library his arguments were well thought out and convincing. It is this out of Washington-Biden that makes him so compelling. This Joe Biden would solidify an Obama candidacy."
Honestly, I was never really a fan of Senator Biden's from watching him on the Sunday morning talk shows and such. But when he came to the LBJ Presidential Library in 2006, I got to see a different Joe Biden; the one we all saw at the Democratic Convention. He was challenging and he was thought inspiring. He was just good..
I took away three quotes from his talk...
1 - "[America] is good at projecting power; we are not so good at staying power."
2 - "The American people have never let their country down when faced with adversity... What has been asked of us [during this 'war on terror']?"
3 - "To tell me what you value; show me your budget."
So Senator Barak Obama and Senator John McCain, now that you have evened out your tickets, lets make this a heck of a campaign. Now maybe "A Presidential Election that Could Have Been" might just be. Glad I was able to pick your VP's now if you need help on anything else....
Comments? Questions? Feedback?