The Pursuit of Happiness
columnist: Colette von Hessen

Topic: Election 2008
McCain's Vice Presidential Countdown

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A close-up analysis of ten of the top vice presidential choices for John McCain.

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by Colette von Hessen
(Conservative Libertarian)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Mitt Romney: One of the better choices for McCain. He's got money, he managed to convince most of the conservative media that he was not just a flip-flopper and was a bona fide proponent of limited government. He can hold his own in debates; he's got a good grasp of the major issues of the day. Seems to have a squeaky clean background; looks the part, certainly. He would likely have strong support in important, blue-trending Michigan. Drawbacks: he can come off as smug, pompous, and a bit plastic. The Mormon thing could be a factor for some people, as unfair as that is.

Charlie Crist: Another good choice. He's an extremely popular governor of all-important Florida at a time when Republicans are anything but extremely popular. At 51, he's neither too young nor too old for anyone to make a fuss about. He is personable and well-liked. Whoever is president needs Florida to win. Drawbacks: he's still a bit green, and may not have as much national name recognition as some of the other veep possibilities do.

Bobby Jindal: Jindal was just invited to McCain's Memorial Day barbeque bash, which many think implies he has been shortlisted as one of Senator McCain's more serious contenders for running mate. McCain claims that it was a yearly friendly gathering, and ten couples were invited over the weekend. Still, it seems interesting that he, along with Charlie Crist and Mitt Romney, were there in the mix. Bobby Jindal is a very popular southern governor who passes just about any conservative's test for being the real thing -- no flip-flopping here. Being the nation's first governor of Indian extraction would also be attractive to people looking for a change from the white bread candidates who are the norm in both parties. Drawbacks: at 36, Jindal may not be seasoned enough to be taken seriously for the job of V.P. Besides, as he says, he is quite happy enjoying himself as a hugely popular governor of a recently traumatized state.

Condi Rice: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would one-up either Senator Obama or Hillary by being both black and a woman; that's clear. She has the foreign policy experience both Democrat candidates basically lack, but her ties to the Bush administration and the unpopular war in Iraq quickly negate this advantage. Still, she is a very intelligent, graceful, polished woman who happens to be fluent in Russian and at one time aspired to be a concert pianist. Drawbacks: her involvement with the Iraq war, and she isn't the most charismatic person compared to some of the other choices.

Mike Huckabee: Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is anything but lacking in charisma (is this an Arkansan thing?). He was quite popular in most of the televised debates, and despite his dismal fundraising efforts, he appealed to a lot of voters with his down-home jokes and folksy, accessible style. His win in the Iowa caucus, which many thought would go to the well-funded Romney machine, also impressed. Conservative star Chuck Norris traveled around the country with him to boot. Drawbacks: he's not a conservative, and has a dismal fiscal record in Arkansas, purportedly having outspent his Democrat predecessor Bill Clinton while governor. It also doesn't help that he favored allowing illegal immigrants to receive state dollars for "scholarships" to attend Arkansas state universities. These are not exactly winning conservative credentials designed to appease the base McCain has already too often distanced himself from.

Tim Pawlenty: As governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty is governor of a certified blue state, and seems to show no signs of slowing down. The first in his family to graduate from college, Pawlenty's background is one of determination and ambition, great anecdotes surely in tow for the conservative base. Pragmatic Pawlenty has also warned the GOP that it needs to return to its conservative ideals, which would go over well with disgruntled GOP voters. Drawbacks: he has little national name recognition. Apropos names, his last name may not be perceived as traditionally "presidential" by some. However, one Barack Hussein Obama seems to be proving that this does not matter one bit.

Paul Ryan: Another midwesterner in an important swing state, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan is both physically attractive and one of the most Reaganesque members of Congress. A rising star in the GOP among the Goldwater crowd, Ryan champions limited government at every opportunity, and is affable and well-spoken on the C-SPAN circuit. Besides, "McCain-Ryan" has a nice ring to it. Drawbacks: few, if any. Only a year older than Bobby Jindal, Ryan is admittedly young, but would make a nice balance on the ticket with McCain's 71 (72 by November) years.

Colin Powell: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell's name still gets thrown around some, but conventional wisdom says he would have run by now if he was going to. Being a former military man and successful foreign policy leader is a plus, as is being black in this election when it seems that everyone is trying to outdo each other in the not-being-the-old-white-guy front. Drawbacks: few. Colin Powell is known as being a political moderate, however, which McCain doesn't need more of in the general. If he doesn't choose someone more conservative than himself, many conservatives and civil libertarians will stay home in November.

Ron Paul: Congressman Ron Paul outmavericked John McCain himself in the GOP debates throughout the season with his anti-war rhetoric, and is actually still running. Although McCain has secured enough delegates for the presidential nod, Ron Paul is still quietly collecting his own delegates, and recently won 16% of the vote in Pennsylvania's primary. His vocal supporters have catapulted him to the top of the Amazon and New York Times bestseller lists with his aptly titled The Revolution: A Manifesto. Drawbacks: they disagree too sharply on foreign policy, and Paul himself has said he would not join a ticket with no intentions of ending the war yesterday. It also doesn't help that they are about the same age.

Sarah Palin: Alaska superstar Governor Sarah Palin has unbelievably high approval ratings in firmly red state Alaska, with upwards of 80-90% in polls taken since she took office. Firmly pro-life, having just given birth to a child with Down's syndrome, her fifth, this spring, Palin is also fiscally conservative. She has even graced the cover of Vogue. A hot, popular female on the ticket would be a plus should Obama join forces with Hillary on the Democrat ticket. Drawbacks: relatively unknown outside of GOP circles, has only been governor for a short time.

Bottom line: McCain needs someone conservative and likeable, someone who has executive experience. There's a reason he's not looking at other senators for the job: senators don't often become presidents, historically. This year, one will. John McCain should choose wisely if he would like to be that senator.

This article first appeared in CrucialPolitics.com.

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2008 Colette von Hessen, all rights reserved.
Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Last modified: Thursday, May 29, 2008

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