Obama's VP List: MSNBC Gathers Names

From NBC's Chuck Todd and Domenico Montanaro:

So you think you know who's on Obama's veep short list? Well, think again. According to sources on the Hill, Obama veep vetters -- specifically Jim Johnson and Eric Holder -- have been asking Dem members of Congress this week their input about potential running mates. The conversations are free-flowing but one name the vetters are inserting in the conversations is one that is not a household name... Ret. Gen. James Jones, the former Marine-turned-NATO Supreme Allied Commander. ...

Besides Jones, the other names on the list bandied about with congressional Dems include (and not in any order): Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards, Evan Bayh, Kathleen Sebelius, Ted Strickland, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Jim Webb, Bill Nelson, Jack Reed, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Tom Daschle, and Sam Nunn. You'll notice a few names NOT on this list (that's not my exclusion -- hint hint). Besides Jones, I'm told the two other names that invited extended discussion were Biden and Strickland.

* * *

The Huffington Post recently published profiles on two of the top names on the list: Jim Webb and Kathleen Sebelius. For more on Obama's veepstakes, check out HuffPost's rundown list of the pros and cons of the potential vice president candidates.

Comments

[inwonderland]

A outside the box guess...maybe a wish from an Obama supporter?

CHUCK HEGEL, CHUCK HEGEL AND CHUCK HEGEL.

Stranger things could happen, but maybe nothing better.

Think about it.

Republican and Democrat
War hero, and political hero
Right and Left
Black and White
Two unexpecteds
Long experience and proven judgment
Political shock and awe amidst

Unity, Unity, Unity and more Unity.

Only Obama could do this, unless McCain chooses Lieberman, but they are both Republicans no matter the Lieberman seating in the Senate. Lieberman with Gore AND with McCain!!!
Zero credibility for Joe and
Joe.... we hardly knew ya.

[bosse]

Boy it looks like, your list do not include any real winners. For shameful reasons, many do not like women in leader positions. Dachle, even tho a great man, could not even win his state.
Nunn is so unattaracive, and old, and not well known except by Wshington press., and educated people.
Bayh of Indiana, is better, if Hillary is rejected/
Napolitano, will give Mc Cain afight for his money, and will be interesting. Will bring in many Catholics.
But if we can geta great Ohioan, or Florida leader, the ticket will be unbeatable

[MrXfromplanetX]

Dennis Kucinich is the only Democrat who ran on the platform of restoring the Constitution. Dennis Kucinich voted against the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act.

Let's look at who voted for it, and hold them accountable
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2006-29
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2005-414

Kucinich is the only person in office who keeps calling for Bush and Cheney to be impeached.

Check out the videos of his speeches on Youtube.

I would gain a great deal of confidence in Obama, if he picked Dennis Kucinich.

[bosse]

I agree, but many women vote for good looking men! Shame you.
Ron Taul will be a great asset too ktb

[MrXfromplanetX]

One Democrat ran on the platform of restoring the Constitution . . . only one: Dennis Kucinich.

I would have no reservations over voting for Obama if he picks Dennis Kucinich.

Who is the only man who keeps trying to impeach Bush and Cheney? Dennis Kucinich.

Check out the videos on Youtube. The man is awesome.

[rfstevens]

Yes! Bloomberg! Who better at a time when the nation's number one concern is the economy?

[Kache]

This whole question about the VP pick is not about who's going to help Obama get elected. Obama will get elected no matter who he picks as long as it's not Mickey Mouse (actually he could probably win with Mickey, Goofy would be a problem though)

The question is, who does he want to govern with? Who do you want him to govern with?

There is a famous photo of John and Robert Kennedy standing out on the Oval Office veranda, alone in discussion during the Cuban missile crisis. Someone, from somewhere, somehow is going to test Obama the way Khrushchev tested Kennedy. Who do you want out there on the veranda with him??

[serenegeezer]

Thank you, Kache, for making THE important point. Now if we could just get the so-called expert talking heads to understand just how crucial your point is........­..........­..........­..........­.

[closetodemfection]

Really? Why is he only a few points over 72 year old stiff shouldered Mc-cain with 5 dollar gas and GWB's approval ratings and repub membership is in the tank? The conservatives don't even like their own candidate! O should be in the mid to high-50's for the landslide victory that you predict. Why has O's small bounce already gone down? Why is FL going red this year? Why is CA considered a possible swing state by the repubs? Why are 15% of people still undecided? Why are you in denial that this will be a very close election because the dems have shot themselves in the foot?

His VP pick will be key to him winning.

[bosse]

I agrree to this comment. It will be such a shame, if for whatever reason, we DO not elect OBAMA, The whole world, is looking at us anxiously and with great hope, that we choose a man, for his quality and reject prejudices, and rumors( the only way other side may win)
I just returned from Europe , Russia and India, and people there seem to be more interested than people here in the USA, who says, they have not decided, they do not know Obama, and his policies!!
Please dear patriotic friends and countrymen, be educated, in this election, know the facts, use your brain power, if you have any doubts please contact Obamas, people, every where or write to me, I will explain, any questions you may have why OBAMA and democrats are needed to bring this country back to greatness. Or evn better read News Magazines( not just LIMBAUH) and Huf Post
Thanks ktb

[InkpeninMD]

No, governing with Obama is not what picking a VP candidate is all about. The Vice President has few constitutional duties:

"The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. "Article 1 Section 3

To sum it up, the constitutional role of the Veep is to beak ties in the Senate and to inquire daily as to the health of the President.

Also when that famous photo was taken Robert what Jack's brother and the Attorney General. The ship on Obama's brother has already sailed, and the VP and the AG can't be the same person at the same time.

Senator Obama's desire to alter the style of political discourse not withstanding, the choice of a running mate has been for all of recent history been precisely about getting elected. Uniting the party and getting elected.

[meltingpot101]

General Wesley Clark was on MSNBC this am, and he only made me belive more that he would be a great addition to the ticket. Clearly he is auditioning, IMO, he is impressive.

Clark said that McCain is untested and untried. That dispite his honorable sevice to this country, that McCain has never been in a position to make the decisions, only to follow orders. The General pointed out that he has had to make the decisions. Clark outranks McCain and I don't think he would let him forget it.

Since McCain says that foreign policy is where his strength lies, Obama should debunk it. More importantly though, with the state of the middle east Wesley Clark could prove to be invaluable.

[karmax]

Seriously, what happened to the BIG bump Obama was supposed to get in the polls?? He was top of the heap, king of the hill, saviour to all and now he is running neck and neck or darn close to McCain.....now I have joined up because I want a Democrat in the White House and it looks mediocre....it looks like it is limping along....there does not seem to be any excitement on either side. There is something missing I don't care what anyone thinks. Something needs to stir this up. Democrats need to win...I DO NOT CARE HOW THEY DO IT, BUT DO IT!!!
It is unbelievable to me that after ALL this idiot, monstrous president has done to this country, how could McCain even be close to a Democrat???? This is troubling, very much so. Obama looks limpy himself. Since he claimed his winning of this primary.....I expected fireworks. I am definitely on his side, but now he seems to have flamed out a little bit. What is wrong???

[serenegeezer]

Relax a bit. I think Obama and the Dem apparatus are taking a little needed breather. A brief period of relative inactivity will be good to continue to ease the HRC controversy into the background and then allow HRC to emerge as an Obama campaigner.

[nickmantas]

What is wrong is the underline issue of Billary's campaign. For the majority of our otherwise glorious country, Obama is still "too black for the White House" even after a moron, criminal, murderer and the biggest disgrace of a human being in history occupying that office in the last 8 years. I would like though to see Bill Richardson as a VP. He has by far the most complete resume of all possibles I have seen so far.

[SpringDoc]

Hey Nick, I'm with you on Richardson. It seemed to me he was the most qualified presidential candidate to ever run for president. BUT... over the last 2 weeks of blogs, opinions and political talk shows, it seems his name has not been mentioned at all. Is it that he has already been offered Sec of State... and accepted? Insiders say he would take the VP or Sec of State positions... otherwise he planned to stay on as Gov of NM.

Another name that would bring interest is Senator Boxer, CA as a VP. Everyone likes Boxer, it would get some of Hillary's supporters approval and we would have DK like energy in the Exec Branch. I'm all for having Dennis in a cabinet position, who couldn't agree with it. I would be pleased with Biden, Boxer or a qualified Gov as VP.
Hillary, not so much. Her campaign staffers were just too desperate and dirty. Even Hillary sounded desperate during the last months of her campaign.

[libcharisma]

Karmax, you must understand the nature of polling. It is(in this election cycle especially) a truly imperfect measure of political will. First, pollsters think that by getting an equal amount of every demographic group, they are able to accurately gauge the national mood. This is fallacy from the outset. Our very own U.S. Census tells us that population is concentrated in some demographics as opposed to others. If Obama has a "problem" with suburban women, wouldn't you assume that urban women outnumber them? Second, there is the generation gap. Younger voters don't use landlines which is what pollsters use to communicate with their subjects. Trust me on this one............

Conventional wisdom in an unconventional time is just educated foolishness. Don't panic!

Obama '08

[WaveFunction]

Actually, he's not running neck and neck. If the election were held today Obama would win by a solid 6 points in the popular vote. But the electoral vote is what matters and various sites have him leading from 15 electoral votes to 83 electoral votes. Nobody has them running neck and neck, so I don't see where you are getting this information besides maybe a MSM that wants to ignore the data and play it like it's close and exciting, which is OK with me because it sets expectations low.

[closetodemfection]

Where on earth are you getting that information? He is barely up by 3 in every poll I've read. Even on fivethirtyeight - a pro O electoral map site the popular vote is tied. And he's only up by 18 electoral votes assuming he wins Pennsylvania which HC won.

[LeftLeaner]

As Obama is a weak candidate, who garnered slgithly overy 1/2 the vote, he will need Hillary supporters to take him over the top.

With all of the Hillary bashing that was endured by her and her supporters, he better play nice or he'll wind up like McGovern.

He needs more than the liberal wing of the party to clinch the nomination in November.

Everyone knows that the blue collar vote has gone Red for several years, and only Hillary can draw them in.

Otherwise, they'll go to McLame.

This is statistically a strong possibility.

[EvoMan]

He needs someone who will increase his electoral count. Senator Clinton doesn't do this, since Senator Obama will take New York without her.

Only the noseless (cutting it off to spite their face) among Clinton supporters won't vote for him. The rest are pretty much already on board.

[cuomofied]

Thank you for saying it. People who bought into Hilary's position that Obama can't win without her are just as ill-fated as those who think GWB is still doing a heck'uva job, and I'm a Paul supporter.

80% of the people who voted for her will vote dem anyways. Take into consideration the approx. 1.1 million votes that Ron Paul got. A good 60% of them will be voting for the anti-war candidate, which means Obama, if not more. And if you look at the statistics in Iowa, the votes he got were about 2,000 over what Bush had to secure the electoral votes in 04.

My point? There is already good crossover. Hilary detracts from that.

He needs to garner support, not lose it. Hilary will surely bring out independents and republicans, but against her, not for her.

It's really her own stubborn fault.

She would have won the primaries by Super Tuesday if she had said one thing: I was wrong when I voted to authorize the war in Iraq, and I recant that vote.

I can't believe that I'm actually saying this, but because she is not the nominee I think I safely can: I am so happy to know that the democratic candidate is poised to win.

Ouch, my pride.

[derik]

All this is getting more and more surreal. It seems that recently there was a massive holy people gathering to "drum" up the holy masses votes and at the same time another find a vp gig. So, basically we now have a King Isabelladon looking for a vp while dancing with all the popes. Me thinks, this whole campaign has descended into a religious pit where secular humanists will get burned at the stake, so to speak.

[LeftLeaner]

Where's Hillary on it?

[Oilygarch]

Blooomberg??

[Oilygarch]

...as in Mayor...

[cfern]

Why was Weasley Clark's name not on this list. I think a strong progressive military man like Clark would be a big asset, because that is all McCain is running on, he is incompetent in every other facet of government.

[microsrfr]

If Obama truly wants to bring unity to the new administration, he should consider Chuck Hagel. Not only is he in full agreement on the Iraq war, but he illustrates what a Republican straight talker really looks like as opposed to McCain.

[EvoMan]

Chuck Hagel agrees with Democrats on one issue: the war. Otherwise he's a staunch conservative. Not a good choice.

[Mariel]

Why should Obama pick a Catholic to balance the ticket? Well, might get a few Catholic votes but not many.

Picking a pro-lifer--now there's an irony, since Obama seems to have the most pro-abortion stance possible, supporting partial birth abortion--if he chose a Catholic, the Catholic should wince every time Obama says something about no limits on abortion. They say Sebilius is a pro-choice Catholic, a contradiction in terms, although it matters a lot whether she's for partial birth abortions or not.

Why not go ahead and pick the handsomest guy--Evan Bayh! He's got a great smile!

I really love Senator Dodd, so from an emotional point of view he would be it for me. He might even get me to vote for Obama. As it is now, I'm not voting.

[Honour]

Part I - To all who would withhold their votes, I must respectfully say: Choosing (or threatening) to not vote is not only selfish, irresponsible and shortsighted, it dishonors your country, your citizenship, your species, your children (EVERYBODY'S children, and all descendants to come), your precious EarthHome, and all women everywhere (maybe even your God) - because the only alternative is a corrupt and pathologically violent misogynist who stands to continue the eventual and torturous (pun intended) destruction of everything we hold dear. That's no exaggeration. Think about it.

Please be honorable - I say this truly without sarcasm or disrespect, but with the hope that you can receive the reasoning and advice that I offer in the highest interest of yourselves and all beings -and realize that this, of all the elections you might live to see, is probably the most critical ever - not just for America, but for the World! Why do you think every nation on Earth is watching so closely?

See Part II

[Honour]

Part II - Forget about political parties, Washington’s rules, or any ego-attachment to what might have/could have been. The larger overview is very clear: The imperative to protect our Constitution from those who would pervert it beyond recognition, and in so doing, retain our ability to avoid irreversible damage to the planet and possible self-annihilation. We simply cannot continue this arrogant posturing over Weapons of Mass Destruction - there is NO other more important issue – all others are moot before this one is addressed. And to begin to resolve this problem, we must use our VOTES.

Unless you believe that this election is not important, or that it isn't all about World War III (in the most modern and terrifying sense of WAR) - and the resultant bankruptcy of our treasury - please reach into your reserves of courage and trust, and cast your hard-won votes. If you care about doing the "right thing" - or about ANYthing - you must vote your conscience this November. It has never mattered more.

Presidente Obama 2009! - Viva Obama!

[Kache]

Right on Mariel!

Go ahead and don't vote. If McCain wins you will have blood on your hands. Which will make it real easy for us to hunt you down. You want the blame for McCain's wars - be my guest missy! Not voting has consequences too! This election isn't about you. It's about what happens after Nov 4th.

[nickmantas]

You are a typical Billary D-bag. It's people like you that might get McBush in the White House and get a few more thousands of our soldiers and a few hundred thousands Iraqis killed. I hope you and your cohorts burn in hell if McBush ends up in the White House.