David:
Do you have any preference or predictions for Hillary Clinton's Vice-Presidential running mate? Why?
Doug:
I'd love to see Elizabeth Warren on the ticket. She would be a good, progressive voice. However, as a VP, she wouldn't have much power, and she would be missed in the Senate. Who do you think would make a good VP pick for Clinton?
David:
I hope she picks Warren. Although that might be the only way for Clinton to hang onto Sanders' backers, and get them to come out on election day, it moves the entire ticket further left, and likely alienates more independent voters. Although an all-woman ticket would be appealing to people who only care about gender, rather than anything else, I'm not sure that Warren balances the ticket in a significant way. Two older, liberal women from the Northeast? And all of Warren's comments about Hillary's Wall-Street ties will play in campaign commercials from now until the election. It really doesn't seem a good match.
You have hit on a problem for Democrats. Warren may be the only reasonable person Clinton can pick up as a running mate. Many other qualified people, that might balance her on the ticket, can't realistically join her without guaranteeing that Republicans will maintain control of the Senate. Many of the people listed on her "short list" are currently senators in states with Republican governors. If she picks one of them, the governor will be able to appoint their replacement. And their replacement would then be a Republican. That means that Democrats will need to pick up even more seats in this election to have any hope of gaining control of that legislative body.
Even if Hillary gets elected, she'll have a hard time pushing a liberal agenda with all of Congress in Republican hands.
Doug:
We'll see if the Congress stays in the Republican's hands. This could end up causing some big changes across the board.
David:
If Clinton picks a senator like Cory Booker, the Senate will undoubtably remain in Republican control.
Doug:
Cory Booker would be another excellent choice.
David:
But, for the reasons I mentioned, can't be her pick. Winning the Senate has to be part of the bigger plan. It's more complicated than just getting a VP pick for Clinton.
Who would you pick for Trump, and do you think he'll follow anyone's advice for this pick?
Doug:
I doubt Trump would pick anyone that would be seen to have too much of a better political profile than himself. He is too narcissistic. He'll want someone to be his underling. Chris Christie seems to be a fine lapdog. But maybe he'll continue to buck the system and go with another wingnut. Maybe Clint Eastwood. Or Sarah Palin.
David:
Interestingly, he met with Mike Pence from Indiana last weekend. From reports I've heard, interviews with Mrs. Pence, and from other people he's met with, it appears he is a much different person in private than he is on the public stage. This matches what he's said about himself, that he can be a different person if needed, and he's created somewhat of a persona for the public. I don't like it if that's true, as it makes it appear that this is all an act, but it opens up a lot more venues for him in his VP choices.
This week he met with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. I think she'd be a good compliment to his style, and is certainly qualified. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin would also be a good choice. Either way, I believe he needs a woman on his ticket that he can work with. It would go a long way to quell some of the criticisms against him, and there are plenty of excellent candidates, including several governors.
Which means he probably won't do it.
Doug:
Sounds about right.
David:
Are you prepared to make a prediction before the conventions?
Doug:
I'll make my predictions afterwards; I find that my accuracy is better after the fact. But, I'd be willing to say that Trump will pick someone weird and unconventional, and Clinton will pick someone exceptionally boring and standard.
David:
I believe that may be one of your best predictions yet.
I don't know about the weird part, but Trump will probably have a pick that will give us much to blog about in the coming months. Christie is the most likely candidate for the job. We'll hear a lot more about Benghazi, the Clinton Foundation, and email law-breaking from this former prosecutor. But for me, he's too much like the bombastic side of Trump. He'll get the job done, but I'd prefer someone a bit more statesman-like.
Once again, I think we agree wholeheartedly. Something new and different will challenge the old, status quo. We'll have to see how many people are really ready for something unconventional.
Do you have any preference or predictions for Hillary Clinton's Vice-Presidential running mate? Why?
Doug:
I'd love to see Elizabeth Warren on the ticket. She would be a good, progressive voice. However, as a VP, she wouldn't have much power, and she would be missed in the Senate. Who do you think would make a good VP pick for Clinton?
David:
I hope she picks Warren. Although that might be the only way for Clinton to hang onto Sanders' backers, and get them to come out on election day, it moves the entire ticket further left, and likely alienates more independent voters. Although an all-woman ticket would be appealing to people who only care about gender, rather than anything else, I'm not sure that Warren balances the ticket in a significant way. Two older, liberal women from the Northeast? And all of Warren's comments about Hillary's Wall-Street ties will play in campaign commercials from now until the election. It really doesn't seem a good match.
You have hit on a problem for Democrats. Warren may be the only reasonable person Clinton can pick up as a running mate. Many other qualified people, that might balance her on the ticket, can't realistically join her without guaranteeing that Republicans will maintain control of the Senate. Many of the people listed on her "short list" are currently senators in states with Republican governors. If she picks one of them, the governor will be able to appoint their replacement. And their replacement would then be a Republican. That means that Democrats will need to pick up even more seats in this election to have any hope of gaining control of that legislative body.
Even if Hillary gets elected, she'll have a hard time pushing a liberal agenda with all of Congress in Republican hands.
Doug:
We'll see if the Congress stays in the Republican's hands. This could end up causing some big changes across the board.
David:
If Clinton picks a senator like Cory Booker, the Senate will undoubtably remain in Republican control.
Doug:
Cory Booker would be another excellent choice.
David:
But, for the reasons I mentioned, can't be her pick. Winning the Senate has to be part of the bigger plan. It's more complicated than just getting a VP pick for Clinton.
Who would you pick for Trump, and do you think he'll follow anyone's advice for this pick?
Doug:
I doubt Trump would pick anyone that would be seen to have too much of a better political profile than himself. He is too narcissistic. He'll want someone to be his underling. Chris Christie seems to be a fine lapdog. But maybe he'll continue to buck the system and go with another wingnut. Maybe Clint Eastwood. Or Sarah Palin.
David:
Interestingly, he met with Mike Pence from Indiana last weekend. From reports I've heard, interviews with Mrs. Pence, and from other people he's met with, it appears he is a much different person in private than he is on the public stage. This matches what he's said about himself, that he can be a different person if needed, and he's created somewhat of a persona for the public. I don't like it if that's true, as it makes it appear that this is all an act, but it opens up a lot more venues for him in his VP choices.
This week he met with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. I think she'd be a good compliment to his style, and is certainly qualified. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin would also be a good choice. Either way, I believe he needs a woman on his ticket that he can work with. It would go a long way to quell some of the criticisms against him, and there are plenty of excellent candidates, including several governors.
Which means he probably won't do it.
Doug:
Sounds about right.
David:
Are you prepared to make a prediction before the conventions?
Doug:
I'll make my predictions afterwards; I find that my accuracy is better after the fact. But, I'd be willing to say that Trump will pick someone weird and unconventional, and Clinton will pick someone exceptionally boring and standard.
David:
I believe that may be one of your best predictions yet.
I don't know about the weird part, but Trump will probably have a pick that will give us much to blog about in the coming months. Christie is the most likely candidate for the job. We'll hear a lot more about Benghazi, the Clinton Foundation, and email law-breaking from this former prosecutor. But for me, he's too much like the bombastic side of Trump. He'll get the job done, but I'd prefer someone a bit more statesman-like.
Once again, I think we agree wholeheartedly. Something new and different will challenge the old, status quo. We'll have to see how many people are really ready for something unconventional.
Update:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2016/07/07/politics/hillary-clinton-vice-president/?iid=ob_lockedrail_bottomlist