VEEP Watch

Part Two: Democrats

As I mentioned yesterday, the sheer number of names being floated as possible vice presidential picks for each candidate is staggering. MSNBC did a whole March Madness thing, narrowing down 64 names to a final four and then finally one. Some names seem to be mentioned more often or more enthusiastically than others, but it is entirely possible that the candidates will surprise us with someone completely different.

Some top names on Obama’s list may include Hillary Clinton, Kathleen Sebelius, Sam Nunn, Evan Bayh, Ted Strickland, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, Wesley Clark, John Edwards, Bob Kerrey, Ken Salazar, Chris Dodd, Tom Vilsack, Tom Daschle, Brian Schweitzer, Janet Napolitano, and even Al Gore (not that he’d want the job . . . again). On McCain’s list, top names may include Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Bobby Jindal, Mark Sanford, Tom Ridge, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, and Joe Lieberman.

I looked at the Republicans yesterday. Today, I’ll focus on the Democrats. . . .

Democrats: Question number one, at least among some Hillary supporters, is, “Will there be a Dream Ticket?” The answer is unknown, but conventional wisdom says, “No.” Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is mentioned as an Obama favorite, and Obama himself, generally quite secretive about vice presidential options, has betrayed an interest in her publically. Presidential candidate and Senator Joe Biden is a favorite of many, although there is a contingency of folks who think he would be even better as secretary of state because of his clarity and vision on foreign policy.

One-week presidential candidate and Indiana Senator Even Bayh is also a favorite of many – he is a moderate Democrat and well liked. Also a favorite is the Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland – representing this infamous, swing state will carry some weight. Fiery first-term Virginia Senator Jim Webb was also a favorite because of his strong foreign policy and military experience and know-how, not to mention his incredible campaign including a tight win and his son’s Iraq combat boots that he wore throughout. But Webb recently took himself out of the running. Another Virginian, Governor Tim Kaine has also been mentioned, but he does not have the same high profile as Senator Webb, nor does he have the same, strong military and foreign policy background. And speaking of international affairs . . . foreign policy powerhouse Sam Nunn, former Senator from Georgia, has long been admired for his intelligence on matters of foreign affairs and is a favorite of Democrats.

Interestingly, Nebraska Republican (but vocal critic of President Bush) Senator Chuck Hagel has been floated as a potential vice presidential candidate for Barack Obama. And in case one republican wasn’t sexy enough, former Republican Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell, has been friendly with and publicly supportive of Obama. His military and foreign policy experience and acumen (not to mention his differences with Bush’s policy on the Iraq War and diplomacy generally) make him an interesting pick. Some have mentioned the Republican General’s name as a possible pick for John McCain as well, but, believe it or not, this is the less-likely option.

The Governors: Obama fellow-Kansan Governor Kathleen Sebelius, presidential candidate Governor Bill Richardson, Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, Florida Senator Bill Nelson, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, and Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee. Of course, dreamers in the bunch name another Tennessean as a possible V.P. pick, but Al Gore as V.P. to a “President Obama” is probably more about dreams than analysis.

The Senators (serving and retired): Presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton; Indiana Senator Evan Bayh; Delaware Senator Joe Biden; former Maine Senator George Mitchell; close advisor to Obama and Missouri first-term Senator Claire McCaskill; well-respected and repeat visitor to Iraq Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed; former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle; Colorado Senator Ken Salazar; master-negotiator (from Ireland to the Middle East) former senator from Maine, George Mitchell; former Georgia Senator Max Cleland (this triplegic, Vietnam Veteran lost his senate reelection bid to now-Senator Saxby Chambliss after being targeted in ads as unpatriotic); Virginia Senator Jim Webb (although he has taken his name off the short list); presidential candidate and Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd; and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

The Generals: Former Commander of the Allied Forces in the Kosovo War and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, retired General Wesley Clark; Former Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell; former Chief of the Army, retired General Eric Shinseki who is well-known for being chastised for publicly stating that we would need to put a few hundred thousand troops into the Iraq post-war effort; and Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), retired General Anthony Zinni who has also lead diplomatic missions to Israel and Palestine.

And there are more! Democrat from Texas Congressman Chet Edwards; former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin; Lee Hamilton, the honorable co-chair of the 9/11 Commission have also been mentioned as possible VP picks; and billionaire and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Women, Democrats and Republicans: And in case you like to keep track of these kinds of things, there are 10 women in consideration, 6 Republicans and only 4 Democrats. They are: Condoleezza Rice (R), Hillary Clinton (D), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Kathleen Sebelius (D), Claire McCaskill (D), Sarah Palin (R), Janet Napolitano (D), Christine Todd Whitman (R), Meg Whitman (R), and Carly Fiorina (R).