Last Tuesday, February 19th was the Wisconsin Primary. I have a good friend who teaches Social Studies in Wisconsin who wrote before then to shoot the breeze about politics.
“I would imagine it's about time to start placing bets on the Democratic and G.O.P tickets. McCain and Romney seem really grouchy with each other so I don't think they can work together. How about a McCain/ Huckabee ticket?
Obama and Clinton would be a powerful combo but I don't think they'd do well together either. How about an Obama/Edwards ticket? Do you think that with Edwards' populist bent and Obama's fresh ‘outsider’ reputation that this combo could work? Do you think he'd consider Kucinich or Jon Stewart?”
Well, the day I wrote this, Mitt Romney came out and officially endorsed John McCain. I don’t know if he’s fishing for a spot on the ticket or not. I had figured he had got out when he did so that he could run again in 2012.
Conventional wisdom has McCain/Guliani in an all 'Hawk' ticket, although McCain/Huck would certainly bring in the Southern and "Evangelical" vote. Either way, "Mr. Smooth" Romney would be left out in the cold. And in the weeks since Super Tuesday, Huckabee has been pretty adamant that he’s not giving up and that he expects a miraculous win.
Some pundits have thought that he’s trying to force McCain to make him the V.P. News flash Huck, with a temper like McCain’s I wouldn’t try to force him to do anything.
Is there a chance of a "DREAM Team" on the Democratic side? Hillarack or Oballary? I don' think that there's anyway that Hillary accepts the number two post. For her this isn't about transforming the country, it's about personal ambition.
As for Obama, he may be the quintessential post-partisan, coalition/consensus-building, aisle-crosser, but I just can't see anyone getting over the way that Hillary and her husband have treated him. Sure, you can say “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” but he doesn't need to have to be looking over his shoulder to see if the Clintons have his back or if they're about to stab him in the back.
I’m sure that some people think that if he's serious about including Republicans in his administration, he'd ask Ron Paul to be his running mate- but, after that cover article in the New Republic about Ron Paul’s racist rants in his newsletter, that would be like Lincoln running with Jefferson Davis or maybe Nathan Bedford Forest.
Lefties would LOVE Obama to go with Edwards, but Edwards is a class-warrior and Obama is pulling Independents and disillusioned Republicans, he might risk losing them with Edwards.
Needless to say both Clinton and Obama are courting Edwards for his endorsement, but he’d made it pretty clear while he was still running that he wasn’t interested in the Vice Presidency.
I’d like to see Barrack ask Bill Richardson and thereby court the Hispanic vote. Then again, Richardson watched the Superbowl with his old pal William Jefferson Clinton.
One rumor has Obama going with Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine one of the first politicians outside of Illinois to endorse Obama last year. Another puts Tom Daschle former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota on his short list. That would certainly bolster his inspirational speeches with years of Washington experience.
Maybe Obama WILL pick a woman, but NOT Hillary- Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius or Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano thus creating the most difficult to pronounce Presidential ticket in memory- either Obama/Sebelius or Obama/Napolitano!
What if Hillary Clinton gets the nomination? Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, without a doubt the blandest, whitest, plainest, most soft-spoken choice out there. Don’t you think she’d want it clear who wears the pants and who'd in charge and she want to make sure that there's no possible way that her Vice President could be someone anyone would seriously consider as a possible successor to her, thus leaving the way open for a Chelsea Clinton candidacy in 2016.
As much as I love teaching and living in Iowa, I wouldn’t mind a pay raise even if it meant having to pack up and move to the beltway. So once again, I’d like to let all three candidates know that I’m available. I promise not to hog the spotlight and will personally guarantee that I’ll never be as sneaky, scary, or bossy as Dick Cheney. John, Barrack, Hill- gimme a call.
Ted Mallory lives in Charter Oak and teaches at Boyer Valley Schools in Dunlap. Ted first declared his candidacy for the V.P. on August 2, 2007- but his campaign hasn't gotten very far yet. 'Ted's Column' has appeared weekly in the Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper since 2002.
