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

[americanalien]

I have faith that Obama will make the right VP choice. I trust his judgment. Whoever he chooses, I'm sure it's going to be a powerful ticket.

[LeftLeaner]

you sound like a member of a cult.

[bitterspinster]

She lost. You need to get over it and stop slamming in all the Obama posts.

[Kache]

No, no, no. Cult followers are people who blindly follow someone even if there is no connection to reality in doing so. You know what I mean - people like Moonies, Hillary Diehards, Al qaeda, Scientologists, The Fellowship.

[PacificGatePost]

Well there you have it. Let's see more emphasis on military spending because that's what all taxpayers are yearning for. Brilliant thinking.

.... Obama needs some new advisors.

[Kache]

Maybe you don't know who James Jones is..... Maybe you misunderstand the role of the SACEUR.

Reflect for a moment that if Colin Powell had been President in 2003 we would not be in Iraq.

[NoLove4HillaryAnymore]

NO to Hillary for VP Petition --->Sign HERE http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/no-to-hillary-for-vp-vp

[closetodemfection]

Yah, I'm sure O would rather have the support of the 468 people you have signed up than the millions of HC voters that would enthusiastically back him if she was on the ticket.

[rjcrane]

Please, please no military men for Veep. We need to be reducing our military and military expenses including eliminating many bases throughout the world and scaling back the whole military industrial complex to address internal needs and meet the challenges of conflicts that won't require large armies to control territory. We don't need a bigger military, we need a much smaller one.

RJ Crane, topplebush.com

[NotMcCain]

That's why the -right- military man, someone who (1) understands diplomacy comes first and (2) realizes the importance of downsizing the military would have the credibility to do something about it.

Remember that Eisenhower was the one who coined the term "military industrial complex" and spelled the problem out perfectly for anyone who chose to listen.

I think Wesley Clark has the expertise and the philosophy to help Obama accomplish exactly what you're talking about.

[rjcrane]

Since Edwards said he doesn't want the job and so did Strickland those names should not be on anyone's list. But one name that should however be on this list is Chuck Hagel if he would choose to run as an Independent. I would not pick him if he wouldn't do this. Here's why Hagel would make a lot of sense over many of these other names: 1. He's well respected by members of both parties. 2. He's sufficiently anti-war. 3. He brings military cred to Obama to counter any from McCain. 4. He has extensive foreign policy experience. 5. He doesn't remove an important Dem from either their Senate seat or Governorship. 6. He would be of great help in working across the aisle with GOP Senate members. 7. It would demonstrate to the country that Obama was serious in reaching out to the other side to push his agenda through for the benefit of the country and not primarily the Democratic party.

RJ Crane, topplebush.com

[Kache]

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates meets your 7 point criteria too. So does Sen. Orrin Hatch. They are "sufficiently anti-war" in that neither of them would have invaded Iraq in 2003 if they'd been President. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton would have. Perhaps there are other qualities you've left out.

[NotMcCain]

Why is Wes Clark missing from the list?

Being a loyal Hillary supporter is actually a "plus" at this point.

Would McCain really have to salute him? lol. It would be fun just to hear him have to call him "General".

Would McCain still keep trashing Obama's "lack of foreign policy and military experience" with Clark on the ticket?

Surely McCain's own military experience pales greatly in comparison with Clark's--in Clark's case, it is also -leadership- and strong administrative and diplomatic experience at the highest levels. Plus, he too was wounded and heroic in Vietnam.

Why isn't Clark here?.

[tds1273]

Because he called the entire Bush Administration "great" and said we "need them there"?

[freshnotbitter]

I think Sebelius is the type that grows on you and her politics are excellent. However, there isn't much time for a Veep, especially, to grow on the public.

I didn't know Kerry was interested in VP job. He almost seems overqualified. He is a smart guy who did much better in 04 than he is given credit for. He ran against an incumbent "in war time" which is tough.

Normally the convention picks the veep but one has to wonder if the dynamic might be different in the internet/cable news/celebrity culture we live in. Does Obama need an earlier start on picking veep or would that just make things worse? i don't think we have charts for 08.

[Ndw]

I'd think Kerry would be an awful choice. He has the same 'elitism' tag thrown at him as Obama, & he's far less personable.

Sebelius is ok, but I wouldn't mind a military guy, assuming he wasn't rabidly pro-war. It would seem like a very sensible & mature choice to me.

[The Skeptical Cynic]

Ohio is key to an Obama victory. Kerry"bailed out" on those Ohioans who voted for him in 2004, If Kerry became the Dems". VP candidate he would not be just an albatross for Obama but more likely viewed as a dead, rotting carcass of a turkey buzzard. Obama, notwithstanding that he'll be running against a serial amnesiac will need all the help he can garner. In no way would Kerry enhance Obama's chances and very likely would bring seriously, detracting negativity to his campaign with disastrous results not only for the Dems. but for the entire nation.

[larazon]

Sorry, in my post that follows, I was replying to the post that suggested Zinni would make a good VP choice. Wes Clarke is better as a General, and even James Jones is better.

[larazon]

Based on the following statement I would rule him out completely. It's statements like these that justified GWB's war:

On March 15, 2000, Zinni testified before Congress that "Iraq remains the most significant near-term threat to U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf region.

[GERIATRIC]

JUST REMEMBER THAT OBAMA KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE HIS BUSINESS AND HE HAS SHOWED THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND IF THOSE OTHER FOLKS DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIS SKILLS, THIS WILL BE THEIR CHANGE TO vote for McCain and drug trading Cindy>>>check bio.
He is not whining just going about his business to win the presidency and move forward, as a senior citizen I am so happy to be still here to experience this change, all the females of my era need to move on and let their children and grandchildren have a better future-it may be slight, but it will be better than what we did back in the 60,s. BURNING YOUR BRA WAS NOT A SOLUTION-JUST REACTION. LADIES GET OVER THE ANGER AND GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE FOR OBAMA WITHOUT THE CLINTONS(WHO REPRESENT THE PAST, NO MATTER HOW MUCH SHE DRINKS WITH THE FELLAS)YOU DID NOT SEE BILL TOSSING ONE BACK.
ENOUGH FOR NOW HAVE GOOD DAY
PATTI

[Oblique]

Schweitzer of Montana for VP. He turned Montana BLUE!!!!

[PopulistPagan]

Obama/Clark FTW!!!!

Military/Got Shot/Kosovo (3dead by accident)/1st in class West Pointe/ Rhoades Scholar/ Jewish Ties/ Southern White guy

Great Match UP!

[Kache]

Uhhh... You don't seem to know Wes Clark very well.

He taught economics at West Point. Has a degree from Oxford in economics. His 2004 website devoted more room to economics than anything else. He proposed that income tax for those under 50K should be eliminated. Their entire contribution could be covered by a 3% increase on the top 5%. If the top 5% has the money they buy stocks with it, which is a phony way to grow an economy. If the bottom 30% have the money they buy goods and services with it - which is the ONLY legitimate way to expand an economy. Want to appeal to those under-educated white hard working Hillary voters out in Pennsylvania? NO TAXES, AT ALL, would do it.

[curly2]

Biden would be the perfect complement to Obama-- he is an expert in foreign policy and is known for reaching across the aisle to get things done.

[Kache]

And used to be Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee - he's the one who borked Robert Bork. Repugs are going to lose no matter who O picks, but they would fester something terrible over Biden.

The only problem I can see with Biden on the same ticket is that he and O have a different sense of humor, a different sense of irony. Both are great in their own way on that, but there may not be good chemistry.

[Johnnn]

Tom Daschle does absolutely nothing for the ticket. Why is he on the list? South Dakota is going for
McCain.

[Kache]

Because Tom can pass the Obama agenda in the Senate. What, you want to leave that up to Senator Hillary to do.

[ramal]

Poor choices all the way around. Sam "Don't ask, don't tell" would be the kiss of death for the campaign. If he is smart Obama had better start desperately ringing up Senators Webb, Dodd, Biden and Clinton.