Kathleen Sebelius Not Hillary Clinton more likely to be Obama's VP
Barack Obama has fought the past 6 months against Hillary Clinton and the close has become increasingly heated. Recently, the Clinton campaign suggested that Obama would be Clinton's choice of VP and Obama vigorously rejected this offer from the "second place candidate".
Political commentators have said the two most important attributes of a VP candidate are shared values with the President and the ability to help win support from areas or groups not attracted to the Presidential candidate.
Barack Obama is running against George W Bush's policies and the bitter partisanship in Washington. In his fight against Hillary the Clintons have been included in this group for being in Washington too long and supporting some of Bush's foreign policies. Obama's frustration at the Clinton campaign has shown in his distaste for being accused of plagiarism for borrowing a quote from one his chief campaign organizers, and the 3 AM Ad distances the two candidates further. Obama is not just running against the republicans but also Hillary and her win at any cost strategy. He has repeatably said a close win is not good enough and for real change to occur democrats need to form a broad coalition to make the change they want.
The second objective for choosing a VP candidate doesn't apply to Hillary either. The Democrats will easily win New York if Hillary is on the ballot or not. If Obama wants to gain states next election a VP from the Midwest or the South is more advantageous.
Obama's most likely VP candidate is someone from this area of the country who also is pushing for change and is not changed by years in Washington. Kathleen Sebelius is the most likely candidate. She is the same age as Hillary Clinton and has experience in a leadership position as a Governor. Unlike Clinton she has earned her political fortunes and not relied on her husband's political legacy. Days after she endorsed Obama in Kansas he won the state handily with over 70% of the vote. Barack Obama is likely to return the favour a loyalist not his fierce opponent.
posted by canadianwild.ca @ 3/11/2008 09:19:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I was much later to this recognition of Kathleen Sebelius as the proper VP selection for Obama (mostly because I just watched her endorsement of Obama online today) but I agree with you that she is the proper selection.
I wonder; it has been a little more than a month since you made this post. Has your thinking changed at all on the VP selection?
I don't think she will be Obama's VP. He recently said he wants someone with military experience to be his running mate.
Sebelius would be an asset on several levels - a woman, a Midwesterner, a state executive - but I think Obama's going to want someone with more foreign-policy (not necessarily military) experience. Although both are old Beltway pros, either Bill Richardson or Joe Biden would fit the bill. Richardson has the added advantage of being a Latino, a Westerner, a former ambassador and Energy secretary, and the popular governor of a state (New Mexico) with a large Republican presence and a relatively strong economy. On the downside, he has longtime Clinton ties (despite his recent endorsement of Obama), can come across as pompous and arrogant, and didn't exactly set the crowds ablaze in his recent abortive presidential bid.
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