Club for Growth

Welcome to VP Watch

July 14, 2008

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• Will Pawlenty's emphasis on a new energy policy help or hurt him in the VP hunt?
• The Florida Sun-Sentinel says Charlie Crist should focus on Florida, not McCain.
• The New York Daily News thinks McCain has plenty of options.
• Naftali Bendavid at the Chicago Tribune wonders: Could it be Joe Biden?
• Ed Rendell likes Mitt Romney for McCain and former Senate Democratic Leader George Mitchell of Maine for Obama.
• Red County is enamored with Bobby Jindal.
• Rhode Island Democratic Senator Jack Reed says he is not interested in being Obama's VP.
• The Baton Rouge Advocate urges Bobby Jindal to listen more.
• McCain gets some help from Mitt Romney in Michigan tonight.
• MSNBC wonders if John Kerry is being considered for VP.

Posted at 3:00 PM, July 14, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Huckabee's Plans

Nachama Soloveichik

Forget the VP slot. The Politico says Mike Huckabee is in talks with Fox News for his own show. I would love to see the Club's President, Pat Toomey, go head-to-head with the former governor. My money's on Pat.

Posted at 2:38 PM, July 14, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

More Anti-Pawlenty Fervor

Nachama Soloveichik

Conservative blogger and major Republican activist in CaliforniaJon Fleischman has an important piece up - "Plenty of Reason for McCain not to Put Pawlenty on the Ticket."

Posted at 9:30 AM, July 14, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 11, 2008

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• According to U.S. News and World Report, 55 percent of Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters want to see Hillary Clinton as the party's VP.

• The Politico looks at the different ways in which VP candidates try to fix their respective flaws, from cutting their hair to getting married.

• Chris Dodd is being vetted for VP.

• And Kathleen Sebelius refuses to say yea or nay whether she is being vetted.

• At Conde Nast, Matt Cooper has three female names that aren't going to happen.

• National Journal has a new Insiders Poll on VP picks. Clinton wins on the Democratic side with 35% of the vote and Mitt Romney wins on the Republican side with 25%.

• Pawlenty and McCain hang out together in Minnesota.

• Charlie Crist defends his taxpayer-funded $255,000 trip to Europe.

• Mark Sanford has $1.7 million in his campaign account.

• The Wall Street Journal says Michigan is in play. Will this help Romney's chances?

• Bobby Jindal vetoed a disclosure requirement bill that would have applied to elected officials, including the governor. More on the veto here.

• The Economist is not so kind to Bobby Jindal.

• Howard Wolfson says Clinton is not being formally vetted for VP.

Posted at 10:52 AM, July 11, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Can I Say I Told You So?

Nachama Soloveichik

Bobby Jindal signs a universal pre-kindergarten bill.

Posted at 10:31 AM, July 11, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Veepstakes at the Fix

Nachama Soloveichik

Chris Cillizza at The Fix reexamines the veepstakes line.

For the Republicans: Mitt Romney, Time Pawlenty, Tom Ridge, Bobby Jindal, and John Thune.

For the Democrats: Tim Kaine, Evan Bayh, Kathleen Sebelius, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton.

Posted at 9:57 AM, July 11, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 10, 2008

Novak on the VP Options

Nachama Soloveichik

Yesterday's Evans-Novak Political Report has an analysis of the VP options.

Posted at 6:05 PM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Jindal Defends McCain's Economic Plan

Nachama Soloveichik

Here is the video of Bobby Jindal on Fox and Friends this morning:

Posted at 12:02 PM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Blurgh!

Nachama Soloveichik

With all due respect to my fellow right-of-center bloggers, they really missed the boat on this one. There is no way Bobby Jindal is more awesome than Tom Coburn or Jim DeMint. In fact, I challenge you to name, off the top of your head, one courageous act of principle/leadership demonstrated by Jindal during his three years in Congress.

Posted at 11:38 AM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• The Los Angeles Times has some criticism for Carly Fiorina.

• The National Interest on picking the number two guy.

• Rob Portman and McCain together in Portsmouth, Ohio.

• Carl Leubsdorf at the Dallas Morning News advises McCain to play it safe. His suggestions include Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney.

• Obama flies to New York with one of his VP vetters and Hillary Clinton in tow.

• Florida radio host Burnie Thompson tells McCain to forget about Charlie Crist in the Washington Times.

• Senator John Thune on the VP slot.

• A new poll surveyed Republicans on what kind of vice-president they want.

• McCain says he has buried the hatchet with Romney.

• Tim Pawlenty will be the keynote speaker at an energy conference in St. Paul today.

• Bobby Jindal was on Fox and Friends this morning responding to Newt Gingrich's gushing article.

• Sarah Palin emerges unhurt from a small car accident.

Posted at 11:36 AM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Money Talks

Nachama Soloveichik

According to The Hill, many of Romney's fundraisers have not yet jumped on the McCain train, making a Romney pick all the more appealing.

Posted at 12:49 AM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Even the Media Thinks Ridge is a Bad Idea

Nachama Soloveichik

Chuck Todd and Chris Matthews discuss the repercussions of McCain picking pro-choice former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge on Hardball. Todd thinks conservatives will revolt.

Posted at 12:39 AM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Crist's Chances

Nachama Soloveichik

The Palm Beach Post says Charlie Crist's engagement boosts his VP chances.

Posted at 12:34 AM, July 10, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 9, 2008

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• Rob Portman will be speaking at a McCain rally today in Ohio.

• Mitt Romney on the ticket might help McCain in Michigan.

• Chris Cillizza at The Fix makes the case for Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.

• Chris Cillizza talks to Virginia Senate candidate Mark Warner on presidential politics and the VP slot.

• Another cynical article on Charlie Crist's engagement from the Orlando Sentinel.

• The Boston Herald: Mitt Romney dialing it up for veepstakes

• From the NY Daily News: A grassroots group is pushing the NAACP to back Condi Rice for VP.

• Michael Barone on why vice-presidents are important to governing.

• The American Prospect likes Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano for Obama's VP. The magazine also has a transcript of its interview with the AZ governor.

• Steve Kornacki at the New York Observer says McCain's outside-the-box VP options are dwindling.

• Ouch. WDSU in Louisiana says Governor Jindal's office ranks dead last in the country in transparency.

Posted at 11:41 AM, July 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Mitt Romney Practices for the VP Slot

Nachama Soloveichik

Mitt Romney was on Hannity and Colmes last night. Watch part 1 and part 2 below.

Posted at 9:54 AM, July 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Give It Up Already

Nachama Soloveichik

According to CNN, John Edwards would "seriously consider" the VP offer--again.

Posted at 1:01 AM, July 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

It Won't Be Crist

Nachama Soloveichik

Columnist Joe O'Neill at the Tampa Tribune says Charlie Crist won't be McCain's veep. I concur.

Posted at 12:57 AM, July 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Sanford Has a Fan in Virginia

Nachama Soloveichik

The chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, Jeffery Frederick, told the Washington Times that "he would like to see Mr. McCain choose Mark Sanford as his running mate because the South Carolina governor could appeal to conservatives not enthralled with Mr. McCain."

Posted at 12:54 AM, July 9, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 8, 2008

John Kerry Stays Mum

Nachama Soloveichik

John Kerry is silent on whether or not the Obama campaign is vetting him.

Posted at 6:10 PM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Gingrich on Jindal

Nachama Soloveichik

Newt Gingrich has a gavomit-inducing article on Human Events on Bobby Jindal. It is filled with the typical oohing and ahhing that has followed the new governor around:

Governor Jindal is leading a revolution of conservative reform in Louisiana. He is the most transformational young governor in America today. The principles that motivate his Louisiana Revolution are the same pro-innovation, pro-competition, anti-bureaucracy and anti- big government principles that I urge each week in this newsletter - the same principles that are so desperately needed in Washington, D.C.

The rest of the article is more of the same. For my thoughts on the Jindal craze see here, here, and here.

Posted at 2:29 PM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

John Kasich

Nachama Soloveichik

Michael Novak at NRO likes John Kasich for veep.

Posted at 1:22 PM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Sarah Palin: Coming Soon to a Newsstand Near You

Nachama Soloveichik

The Anchorage Daily News is reporting that its governor and sometimes VP candidate, Sarah Palin, will be featured in two major, although very different, publications: People Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.

Posted at 1:10 PM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

A Risky Pick

Nachama Soloveichik

Dana Milbank at the Washington Post thinks Carly Fiorina would be a risky, but possibly rewarding VP pick.

Posted at 10:15 AM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Touting Tim

Nachama Soloveichik

Minnesota attorney Scott Johnson has an article at NRO touting Tim Pawlenty for veep. The article focuses on Pawlenty's personality and public image as a working-class, blue-collar guy who can help McCain in swing states, and doesn't address complaints about Pawlenty's alleged conservatism:

Pawlenty’s relatively conservative credentials come with a genuine blue-collar background that gives him a tremendous personal appeal. He grew up with four siblings in South St. Paul, where his father supported the family as a truck driver. Pawlenty’s mother died of cancer when he was 16. Pawlenty fulfilled her wish that he would be the first in the family to attend college (he put himself through the University of Minnesota for undergraduate and law school).

Posted at 9:55 AM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Surrogate Tim Does Squawk Box

Nachama Soloveichik

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was on Squawk Box this morning as a surrogate for the McCain campaign. Watch here.

Posted at 9:42 AM, July 8, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 7, 2008

Carly Fiorina on VP Qualifications

Nachama Soloveichik

From USA Today: Carly Fiorina thinks private sector business experience is sufficient qualification for VP. Could she be talking about herself?

Posted at 4:35 PM, July 7, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Webb Says No to VP Slot

Nachama Soloveichik

From Marc Ambinder, Virginia Senator Jim Webb sent the following statement around:

"Last week I communicated to Senator Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate, where I believe I am best equipped to serve the people of Virginia and this country. Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for Vice President. "A year and a half ago, the people of Virginia honored me with election to the U.S. Senate. I entered elective politics because of my commitment to strengthen America's national security posture, to promote economic fairness, and to increase government accountability. I have worked hard to deliver upon that commitment, and I am convinced that my efforts and talents toward those ends are best served in the Senate. "In this regard, the bipartisan legislative template we were able to put into effect through 18 months of work in order to enact the new, landmark GI Bill will serve as a prototype for my future endeavors in government. This process, wherein we brought 58 Senators from both parties to the table as co-sponsors, along with more than 300 members of the House, gives me renewed confidence that the Congress can indeed work effectively across party lines and address the concerns of our citizens."

"At this time I am also renewing my commitment to work hard to make sure that Senator Obama wins both Virginia and the presidency this November. He is a man who speaks eloquently about our national goals and calls for the practical solutions that must be put into place to obtain them. I will proudly campaign for him."

Posted at 3:25 PM, July 7, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• South Dakota's Argus Leader considers a McCain-Thune ticket.

• Bloomberg says Mitt Romney is McCain's "Logical Choice."

• Salon's Walter Shapiro profiles Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

• The Tallahassee Democrat says Crist is an unlikely VP for McCain.

• Dick Polman at the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks Mitt Romney is the most likely pick via the process of elimination.

• The Wilkes-Barre Times Leaders argues Rob Portman is McCain's best pick and Kathleen Sebelius is Obama's.

• The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan has a rather cynical take on Charlie Crist's recent engagement.

• According to the Star Tribune, MN Governor Tim Pawlenty has a very short paper trail. Will this be a good or bad thing for his VP prospects?

• In the Wall Street Journal, Quin Hillyer makes the case for a strong conservative running mate for McCain

• Eric Cantor speaks out.

• Romney is raising money for McCain. Jonathan Martin has the details.

Posted at 11:10 AM, July 7, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

The Nation Weighs in on Bobby Jindal

Nachama Soloveichik

Even the uber left-wing magazine, The Nation, is ga-ga over Bobby Jindal. But author Deepa Fernandes goes on to argue that, Jindal's sunny image and sweeping popularity aside, "Jindal has stood firmly with the religious right, has never wavered from the privatization mantra of the GOP, and has been lockstep with the neocons on foreign policy. I cannot speak for Jindal's record on social and foreign policy issues, but as for his record on economic policy, my response is: I wish.

Fernandes argues that "Jindal's slim record as a Congressman from 2005 to 2008 is a window into his staunch conservatism." On the contrary. Those three years are a window into Jindal's weakness as a staunch economic conservative. With respect to Jindal's record, I think both the right and the left are missing the boat. So far, he has been neither the conservative superstar the right has made him out to be or the extreme ideologue the left is painting him as.

Posted at 10:38 AM, July 7, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 4, 2008

Huckabee Will Not Help McCain

Nachama Soloveichik

Writing for Townhall.com, Kathryn Lopez declares Huckabee "No Savior for McCain."

Posted at 5:35 PM, July 4, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 3, 2008

VP Watch: Charlie Crist Engaged

Nachama Soloveichik

To 38-year old Carole Rome.

Posted at 9:30 PM, July 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Politics Up Close

Nachama Soloveichik

Lloyd Grove has a in-depth article on the politics of choosing a VP in Men's Vogue. His advice:

Beware of insiders, in other words, who claim they know what's going on; the secrets are too tightly held. One veteran of the process, Bush guru Karl Rove, says that whenever he sees a new unknown "strategist" on cable television, he e-mails Ken Mehlman, the former White House political director and ex-chairman of the Republican National Committee, and asks, "'Have you ever heard of this person?' And we e-mail each other back and forth and try to plug their names into Google to see where they've been strategists and nothing comes up."

Posted at 6:02 PM, July 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Who is Kathleen Sebelius?

Nachama Soloveichik

Andrew Romano at Newsweek profiles Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Posted at 5:51 PM, July 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Sanford on the Trail

Nachama Soloveichik

According to the AP, SC Gov. Mark Sanford will be joining John McCain in Colorado in August for a fundraising event.

Posted at 4:58 PM, July 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

The Case Against Mitt Romney

Nachama Soloveichik

After making the case for Mitt Romney for VP yesterday, Chris Cillizza at The Fix makes the case against. His points:

• Personal animosity
• "The Mormon thing"
• His inability to close the deal with voters
• Romney's days at Bain Capital
• Romney's 2012 aspirations

Posted at 11:05 AM, July 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Novak on Powell

Nachama Soloveichik

On Fox and Friends (via RCP) this morning, Robert Novak thinks Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama is a given. Hopefully that will put a stake in the silly notion that McCain should pick Powell for VP.

Posted at 9:57 AM, July 3, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 2, 2008

Pushing for Huckabee

Nachama Soloveichik

Mike Huckabee might have antagonized most conservatives with his endorsement of Don Young, but he still has some fans left. According to the the AP, conservative evangelical leaders are considering putting aside their previous differences with McCain and endorsing him. The catch? They would like McCain to pick Mike Huckabee as his vice-president. The group signed a letter urging McCain to tap Huckabee, but Phil Burress says it's a "suggestion, not a demand."

Posted at 9:24 PM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

What Does Pawlenty Bring to the Table?

Nachama Soloveichik

Mike Madden at Slate goes through all the reasons Pawlenty would make a good VP pick--his political success in light blue Minnesota, his blue-collar roots, his youth--but argues that it's not a slam dunk.

But on closer examination, some of Pawlenty's strengths may be overblown. His reputation in Washington is as a pragmatic -- he's picked some high-profile issues to break from Republican orthodoxy on, like global warming and prescription drug importation from Canada. But he's clashed frequently with Democrats in the state Legislature, and critics say some of his splashiest ideas have fizzled out because he's been unable to push them into reality . . . Moreover, if McCain is hoping that selecting Pawlenty as his running mate would help shift Minnesota's 10 electoral votes his way, that may be a stretch.

Posted at 8:58 PM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Choose Your Own Running Mate

Nachama Soloveichik

Slate has an interactive feature that lets you choose a running mate for Obama and McCain based on characteristics like gender, age, experience, etc.

UPDATE: A friend points out that Slate includes such dark horses as Gale Norton, Donald Rumsfeld, and Alberto Gonzales, but more plausible picks like Eric Cantor don't make the cut. HT: Ginny

Posted at 12:33 PM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

NTU Blogger Bashes Pawlenty

Nachama Soloveichik

Guest blogger Sam Batkins at the National Taxpayers Union blog has a post up on Pawlenty's fiscal record, and it's not pretty. According to Batkins, Pawlenty's spending record started off strong but went downhill from there:

Like Governor Romney, Pawlenty’s spending record started off strong. During his first year in office, Pawlenty was actually able to cut general fund spending by 1.2%. This penchant for fiscal probity waned in later years, however. In the next four years, general fund growth averaged 6.6%. This rate in government growth is average when compared to the rest of the United States. From FY 2004-07, spending increased 17.2% (from $13.6 billion to $15.9 billion). Unfortunately for taxpayers, government employment in Minnesota grew 27.7% (from 33,279 state employees to 42,515) during Pawlenty’s tenure.

On taxes, Batkins is more harsh:

Pawlenty’s record on taxes can rightly be characterized as a disaster for Minnesotans. There have been no broad-based tax cuts in Minnesota and the largest reduction during Pawlenty’s time in office is only $28.7 million.

Overall, during Pawlenty’s tenure, taxes have increased $1.74 billion (with a b). Some supporters might attempt to describe these increases as merely fees, but consumers and corporations nevertheless have to pay the bill. To his credit, Pawlenty has proposed a modest $77.3 million reduction in sales taxes for FY 2009, but this is more than offset with $138.7 million in other tax and fee hikes.

Batkin's conclusion:

Rumors are abound that Pawlenty is the front-runner for McCain’s VP slot, but with over $1.7 billion in tax hikes to his name and even more on the way, McCain might think twice about choosing Pawlenty.

UPDATE: NTU has added this reminder to the blog post: "Administrator’s Reminder: The opinions of Guest Bloggers do not necessarily represent the views of National Taxpayers Union or National Taxpayers Union Foundation."

Posted at 11:53 AM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

The Case for Mitt Romney

Nachama Soloveichik

Chris Cillizza at The Fix makes the case for Mitt Romney. His key selling points are:

• It's the economy, stupid

• Romney's Momonism could help in Nevada and Colorado, and his Michigan roots might help in the Wolverine State as well

• Money, money, money

• Already vetted

• Can play the attack dog

Posted at 10:32 AM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• Dem. Senator Jim Webb tells McCain to "calm down" about his military record.

• From the AP: Joe Lieberman doesn't do much for McCain in Connecticut

• Gen. Wesley Clark wins CQ Politics' Democratic vice-presidential contest, beating Joe Biden 51% to 49%.

• Human Events has a list of top veep contenders for Obama: Evan Bayh; Kathleen Sebelius; Ed Rendell; Sam Nunn; Wesley Clark; Jim Webb; Hillary Clinton; and Bill Richardson.

• The Hill's Sam Youngman looks at Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius

• A local FOX affiliate in Virginia looks at Eric Cantor as a VP possibility (video included)

• Gov. Bobby Jindal is dealing with anger in his Legislature over his veto of the pay raise.

• Some Louisiana lawmakers are claiming Gov. Bobby Jindal told them the pay raise was reasonable.

• Some at the Weekly Standard like Mitt Romney for VP

• Charlie Crist can kiss his VP dreams good-bye: A new Strategic Vision poll in Florida has McCain up 9 points, 49% - 41%.

• Mark Levin probably speaks for a lot of conservatives when he endorsed McCain with this caveat: "I'm going to vote for John McCain for president. I am not a big supporter of this man . . . I think he is, in many ways, destructive to the conservative movement and the Republican Party, but I cannot bring myself to allow a Marxist to become president . . . I am extremely unhappy with John McCain and he damn well better pick a conservative running mate or I might change my mind, and I'm not kidding." Listen here.

Posted at 10:19 AM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

McCain on Romney

Nachama Soloveichik

From the AP: John McCain on Mitt Romney as a VP candidate:

"Mitt Romney is a great person and he's done a great job for us and we're really pleased at the cooperation and help that he's given us and he won millions of Republican votes so there will be a big place for him in the Republican party in the future, but obviously we're not talking about specific candidates."

Posted at 9:45 AM, July 2, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

July 1, 2008

How Often Did a Potential VP Vote with Harry Reid?

Nachama Soloveichik

My partner in crime, Andy Roth, has a great blog post up about how often each senator has voted with Majority Leader Harry Reid this year so far. Let's look at how the common VP names stack up? Six senators have been mentioned as possible veeps, some more serious than others. These are: Senators Jim DeMint, Lindsey Graham, Chuck Hagel, Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Thune, and Joe Lieberman. Here are their scores:

Of these, Senator John Thune is most often mentioned. According to the Politico, Thune is in McCain's top tier. This is a little sad. Among the GOP Caucus, Thune ranks 20th in terms of voting most often with Reid--that's not so impressive. And Lieberman voted with Reid 72.8% of the time--that's more often than Ted Kennedy!

Posted at 5:38 PM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Jindal Video

Nachama Soloveichik

Here is a video from NBC News in Louisiana of Jinal's press conference announcing his veto of the legislative pay raise.

Posted at 2:05 PM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

More Jindal Love

Nachama Soloveichik

KLO at National Review has a glowing article on Bobby Jindal. She writes:

Bobby Jindal’s move on Monday wasn’t some procedural goo-goo move, it was about honesty and leadership. As conservatives keep an eye out for rising stars and Americans hope for a future of responsible leaders, Jindal’s star this week continues to shine bright and hang high. His move on Monday also reminds Republicans, ironically, why he is the wrong choice for John McCain’s running mate this year: Louisiana needs him to keep raising its political standards. And conservatives need him to show that conservatism can work, even in a state that’s a political basket case.

While I applaud Jindal for finally vetoing the legislative pay raise and admitting he made a mistake, I find the praise disproportionate to Jindal's accomplishments and record so far, as I have already written ad nauseam.

Posted at 10:47 AM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

A Bi-Partisan VP Pick?

Nachama Soloveichik

Clyde Haberman at the New York Times discusses the prospect of a VP Bloomberg--as in Michael Bloomberg, media mogul and mayor of NYC. He writes:

Why don’t both make him their nominee for vice president? A colleague raised the idea in a throwaway line in a column a couple of weeks ago. Why not examine it seriously? As an avatar of postpartisanship, the mayor would be a fine choice for Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain. Both fancy themselves as results-oriented types able to reach across political divides. By both picking the mayor, they would signal they mean business in this regard.

Okay, the minute someone suggests a particular politician as a viable VP candidate for both McCain and Obama, I stop taking him or her seriously. This is the case with Michael Bloomberg, Colin Powell, and Chuck Hagel. Neither of these figures are blank slates that can simply be rewritten by the nominee. Each of them have their own ideologies, positions, and opinions. For example, Bloomberg's positions on social issues and many economic issues would be unacceptable to McCain and his base. Similarly, Chuck Hagel's general conservatism would be a non-starter with Obama. There are sufficient differences between McCain and Obama such that there is probably no politician--real or imagined--that would be a suitable vice-president for both of them.

Posted at 10:29 AM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• Investor's Business Daily on whether McCain should play it safe or tap a risky pick

• The New Republic thinks Romney makes sense as a VP pick

• The New York Times on the timing of the VP announcement

• Orange County Register columnist Frank Mickadeit rejoices over sticking a fork in Charlie Crist

• McCain is asked by the Allentown Morning Call if he would consider former PA Governor Tom Ridge for VP. McCain demurs, but he has, for all intents and purposes, ruled out Ridge on Hardball back in April.

• Tim Pawlenty is assuming the chairmanship of The Education Commission of the States. The chairmanship rotates every two years between Democratic and Republican governors.

• More speculation about Bill Gates for VP.

• Gerald Seib at WSJ looks at Joe Biden and Al Gore as two security-minded VP picks for Obama

Posted at 10:14 AM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Meet Rob Portman

Nachama Soloveichik

The Wash Times has a profile on former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman. Portman claims he is not interested in the VP job and is looking at a possible gubernatorial run in 2010.

Posted at 10:00 AM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Pawlenty the Surrogate

Nachama Soloveichik

Pawlenty on Fox News yesterday, via Hotair.com:

Posted at 9:52 AM, July 1, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 30, 2008

Profiling Portman

Nachama Soloveichik

Newsweek profiles Rob Portman as a potential VP for McCain.

Posted at 3:31 PM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

McCain's Untouchables

Nachama Soloveichik

The National Review's cover story (subscription required) on unacceptable VP picks is out. John Miller argues that the VP pick this year is especially important, and given McCain's liabilities with the conservative movement, he cannot pick someone who will antagonize his conservative base. These are: Joe Lieberman, Charlie Crist, Mike Huckabee, and Tom Ridge. The list of acceptable VPs includes: Mitt Romney, Mark Sanford, Tim Pawlenty, Rob Portman, Bobby Jindal, and Sarah Palin.

Posted at 1:50 PM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Pawlenty Interview

Nachama Soloveichik

David Brody has a short interview with MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Watch the video here.

Posted at 1:41 PM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Breaking News: Jindal Vetoes Pay Raise

Nachama Soloveichik

I applaud Gov. Jindal for doing what he should have done from the get go. Unfortunately for the Louisiana Governor, at this point, the veto looks more like a politically calculated move than an act of political courage. I wonder how Jindal will explain this change of heart.

UPDATE: Here is Governor Jindal's press release on his veto of the legislative pay raise. Jindal explains his change of heart as follows:

"I clearly made a mistake by telling the legislature that I would allow them to handle their own affairs,” Jindal said. “As with all mistakes, you can either correct them or compound them - I am choosing to correct my mistake now. I have said that I was not going to stop legislators from more than doubling their own pay by vetoing this because I did not want to give them any excuse to slow down the momentum of our reform movement here in Louisiana. It turns out this is an unsustainable position. I have come to realize that the reforms I have been fighting for are simply incompatible with this legislative pay raise. I was trying to preserve our reform agenda and our momentum by tolerating this legislative pay raise that I knew was completely excessive. But the two cannot coexist. The bottom line is that allowing this excessive legislative pay raise to become law would so significantly undercut our reform agenda, and so significantly diminish the people’s confidence in their own government, that I cannot let it become law. So, I have vetoed the bill."

Well said, Gov. Jindal.

Posted at 12:47 PM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

What Does Pawlenty Bring?

Nachama Soloveichik

Steve Kornacki at the New York Observer argues against Pawlenty on the GOP ticket, saying that Pawlenty qualifies in terms of the "first do no harm" rule, but doesn't actually bring that many pluses to the ticket: "McCain is going uphill in this race. He doesn’t need a running-mate who won’t hurt him. He needs one who will help."

Posted at 11:53 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Romney at the Top

Nachama Soloveichik

Politico is reporting that Romney is at the top of McCain's veep list. This does not surprise me. While a lot of pundits have made hay out of the personal animosity between McCain and Romney, that factor won't matter if McCain believes Romney can help him win. Two other names are being mentioned by insiders: Rob Portman and John Thune. The second tier of candidates includes: Tom Ridge, Charlie Crist, Tim Pawlenty, and Eric Cantor.

Posted at 10:49 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Pawlenty vs. Emanuel

Nachama Soloveichik

Yesterday, on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Tim Pawlenty and Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) went head-to-head on behalf of McCain and Obama respectively. I'm not a member of the Tim Pawlenty fan club, but I thought Pawlenty cleaned Emanuel's clock. This appearance will only help his VP stock. You can watch the debate here.

Posted at 10:41 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Is Carly Too Risky?

Nachama Soloveichik

Stuart Rothenberg likes former HP CEO Carly Fiorina as a potential VP for McCain but concludes that she might be too risky.

Posted at 10:04 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Gingrich Jumps on the Palin Bandwagon

Nachama Soloveichik

Newt Gingrich, too, has moved on from Bobby Jindal to Sarah Palin for veep. Just two weeks ago, Gingrich was declaring Jindal "far and away the best candidate" for vice-president. Now, on his website, American Solutions, Gingrich writes "John McCain needs to seriously consider selecting Alaska Gov Sarah Palin as his choice for the Vice Presidency."

UPDATE: This post on American Solutions website was not written by Gingrich; it was written by someone who has an account on the website. The post on Palin, therefore, does not reflect Gingrich's position. My apologies.

Posted at 9:59 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Kristol Likes Palin

Nachama Soloveichik

After pushing Bobby Jindal for VP, Bill Kristol has moved on to pushing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for veep:

Posted at 9:52 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

It's a Bird, It's a Plane . . . No, It's Andy!

Nachama Soloveichik

Andy may be too shy to post this, but that won't stop me. Apparently, working at the Club isn't adventurous enough for our blogger-in-chief, because he actually jumped out of an airplane on Saturday. See for yourself:

Posted at 9:47 AM, June 30, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 29, 2008

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• Rob Portman and Ed Rendell do Fox News Sunday.

• John Gizzi at Human Events says many Connecticut Republicans would not mind Joe Lieberman on the GOP ticket.

• The Boston Globe considers Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed for Obama's veep.

• MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty was the keynote speaker at the Prescot Bush Awards Dinner in Connecticut this weekend.

• Fed-Ex founder Fred Smith says he has no interest in being VP.

• Politico discusses longshot candidates for VP: Bill Gates, Meg Whitman, Eric Cantor, William Cohen, Robert Rubin, Timothy Roemer, Donna Shalala, and Colin Powell.

• New York Daily News: Clinton's VP stock is rising

• Bobby Jindal spoke to CNN this morning, says McCain needs to speak more proactively on the economy.

• Human Events has a veepstakes profile on SC Sen. Jim DeMint.

Posted at 12:04 PM, June 29, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 27, 2008

Jindal Faces Recall Petition

Nachama Soloveichik

And the backlash continues. I posted yesterday that recall petitions had been filed against some Louisiana lawmakers who voted for the pay raise. Now, Louisiana's Secretary of State's Office says a recall petition has been filed against Governor Jindal. Of course, this doesn't mean much--yet. Forcing a recall election requires getting verifiable signatures from over 900,000 registered voters in Louisiana. In 2006, there were approximately 2.9 million registered voters in the state.

Posted at 4:34 PM, June 27, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Pay Raise Backlash, Cont.

Nachama Soloveichik

The local newspapers have not been so kind to Bobby Jindal on the pay raise issue.

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune: Gov. Bobby Jindal says that he won't veto the Legislature's excessive pay raise no matter how popular it would make him with the public. He fears, he says, that lawmakers will use the veto as an excuse to derail badly needed reforms. That is a false choice. Any lawmaker who tried to derail reforms almost certainly would face the wrath of Louisiana voters. Surely the governor sees that. Infuriated constituents have launched recall petitions against House Speaker Jim Tucker and several other legislators who voted for the pay raise and those constituents are promising to file more . . . He also needs to realize that resisting public pressure on this issue is not a noble act. He promised voters he wouldn't allow lawmakers to raise their pay in this way, and that promise is more important than any promise he made to the Legislature. Refusing to veto will make him seem ineffectual and out of touch.

From the Alexandria Town Talk: The pay raise Louisiana's legislators have approved for themselves is absurd. If it takes effect, taxpayers will pay more than twice as much for the same part-time help. Just as absurd is the position Gov. Bobby Jindal has staked out. Despite his campaign promises to the contrary, he will not veto this outrageous money grab.

From the Baton Rouge Advocate: When he said he would violate the spirit, if not the letter, of his campaign promise to “prohibit” pay raises that don’t meet basic standards of decency, the governor made a mistake. As a young man — particularly, perhaps, as a young man — he is proud, and it is difficult for him to admit error. The post-legislative news conference showed his pride a bit humbled, but not much. “I have learned my lesson going forward,” he said. As contrition, it was a half-hearted effort . . . The public blames you, Gov. Jindal, when you — Mr. Principle on the campaign trail — act without regard to your promises or to the expectations you raised.

From the Monroe News Star: Jindal ought to seize this moment. He ought to “man up,” as one New Orleans publication suggested, and veto this affront to taxpayers across Louisiana who feel — justifiably — as if their lawmakers have picked their pockets clean. Jindal himself has created a firestorm by refusing to use the power of his high office to veto the raise. Although the governor campaigned in 2007 with a published plan that promised he would keep legislators from enacting such big-bucks pay raises, Jindal as governor has meekly declined to veto the raise. Instead, he has offered only cryptic suggestions that if he used the veto power, the Legislature would somehow crush his plans for reform. Go figure.

From the Houma Courier: As a candidate, Jindal promised to prevent the Legislature from passing itself a pay raise. We see this as an easy fix. If your loyalties are split between the people you work with and the people you work for, your bosses should win. And we, the residents of Louisiana, are Jindal’s bosses. Not only do we deserve that he help safeguard our money and our interests, we deserve for Jindal to live up to his campaign promises -- the reason many Louisiana voters supported him.

Posted at 10:22 AM, June 27, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Pay Raise Backlash

Nachama Soloveichik

There has been a lot of talk about Bobby Jindal's refusal to veto a legislative pay raise despite a campaign promise to do so. As I wrote yesterday, there has been some backlash. Now, there's more. The Louisiana House Speaker Jim Tucker released a statement giving Jindal leeway to veto the bill:

It is an honor to serve the people of House District 86 as State Representative and Speaker of the House. Since final passage of Senate Bill 672 on June 16th, the issue of legislative compensation has overshadowed all of the substantial gains and reforms the legislature has accomplished in only six months.

I am grateful for the many calls of support and I will continue to communicate with my constituents on all issues.

I will respect whatever Governor Jindal elects to do with Senate Bill 672 and remain committed to working with him to bring about the positive changes that all citizens of Louisiana deserve.

Will Jindal blink as well?

Posted at 9:56 AM, June 27, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

McCain-Powell? I Don't Think So

Nachama Soloveichik

Fox News political correspondent Juan Williams suggests McCain-Powell as the winning ticket. Yes, that would be Colin Powell, the septuagenarian former Secretary of State who is considering endorsing Obama.

Williams argues that Powell will not actually endorse Obama and that he will help McCain will over the Independents he is losing in the current polls. "With Powell by his side," Williams writes. "McCain further moves away from the damaged brand of GOP politics and captures the energy surrounding the idea of pragmatic, bi-partisan political actors with a history of achievement and knowledge of world affairs."

There are several problems with this analysis. For starters, Powell is only a bit younger than McCain. At 71 years of age, the combined age of the ticket in November will be 143. In a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, 30% of voters saw McCain's age as an obstacle. Picking a 71-year old VP is not going to help and will probably hurt. (Just in case you're wondering, Nancy Pelosi is next in the presidential line of succession.)

Second, Williams acknowledges Powell's problems with the GOP base but dismisses it because of his popularity with Independents. But picking Powell would not just be a nuisance that conservatives would eventually overcome; it would be tantamount to a slap in the face. Can McCain win in November without an enthusiastic base, or a base at all?

Finally, Williams does not address the fact that Powell is at odds with McCain on his signature issue--the war in Iraq. It is hard to believe that McCain would pick a VP so opposed to his core beliefs.

In short, John McCain will not pick Colin Powell.

Posted at 12:34 AM, June 27, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 26, 2008

Jindal on Radio

Nachama Soloveichik

Bobby Jindal was on the Glenn Beck radio show this morning. He talks about the recent Supreme Court death penalty case among other things. You can listen here.

Posted at 5:46 PM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Rumblings Beneath the Surface in Louisiana

Nachama Soloveichik

I know some people have played down Bobby Jindal's refusal to veto a pay raise (despite a campaign promise to do so), but it's possible this decision could come back to haunt him. Already, recall petitions have been filed against four Republican state lawmakers who voted to double their base pay.

In Pennsylvania's 2006 elections, a similar movement reaped success. After the Pennsylvania Legislature approved a significant pay raise, local businessman Russ Diamond launch PA CleanSweep with the intention of knocking off every incumbent who voted for the pay raise. The results were startling. In the May primaries, 17 incumbents were defeated, including two Senate leaders, in addition to 30 lawmakers who retired following the public outrage. Reason had a great article on the PA purge.

Posted at 3:08 PM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Mark Sanford: A Different Kind of Republican

Nachama Soloveichik

If you want to see why Mark Sanford is different from a lot of the other Republican names being bandied about for VP, take a look at what just happened in South Carolina's local elections. While other governors are shy with the veto pen or refuse to fight for conservative policies, Sanford is not the type to sit silently and let the Legislature steamroll him.

It is important to note that although South Carolina's Legislature is controlled by Republicans, these are anti-reform Republicans who like to keep government big, spending high, and their pork flowing. Some of the most powerful of these Republicans were former Democrats who switched parties when the South turned Republican (see Fred Barnes excellent article in the Weekly Standard).

After several years of tangling with his Legislature, Sanford, along with the South Carolina Club for Growth, took active steps to move the Legislature in a new direction. In other words, they targeted incumbent Republicans with pro-growth, conservative challengers.

And they were remarkably successful. In the State Senate, Governor Sanford endorsed four incumbent-challengers and won three of those races. The loss to GOP incumbent Sen. Jake Knotts might have had something to do with the fact that he was endorsed by the highest elected Democratic official in the state and Democrats came out in droves to vote for the Republican-In-Name-Only. In total, Sanford endorsed six Senate candidates, five of which won their elections.

Life would certainly be easier for Sanford if he just sat on his hands and played nice with his Republican Legislature. While you occasionally see politicians fighting for conservative principles, rarely do you see the kind of conviction and determination that you get from Gov. Sanford. It is thoroughly refreshing.

Posted at 2:23 PM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Forget Minnesota

Nachama Soloveichik

A new Quinnipiac poll in Minnesota further confirms my insistence that Pawlenty can't carry MN for McCain. Obama is winning 54% - 37%.

Posted at 1:23 PM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Cato on Pawlenty, Cont.

Nachama Soloveichik

Michael Tanner at Cato clarifies his original blog post on Pawlenty. He remains decidedly unimpressed.

Posted at 11:43 AM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Watch: Jindal Signs Castration Law

Nachama Soloveichik

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, often touted as a VP candidate, reacted strongly to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the death penalty for a New Orleans man convicted of raping an eight-year old. In a statement he said: "I am outraged by the Supreme Court's decision. It is an affront to the people of Louisiana and the jury's unanimous decision in this case."

The same day, the LA Gov. signed the Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill, authorizing the castration of convicted sex offenders. According to the press release, the law:

"Provides that on a first conviction of aggravated rape, forcible rape, second degree sexual battery, aggravated incest, molestation of a juvenile when the victim is under the age of 13, or an aggravated crime against nature, the court may sentence the offender to undergo chemical castration. On a second conviction of the above listed crimes, the court is required to sentence the offender to undergo chemical castration. This bill also provides that a court may instead order a physical castration instead of the chemical castration. Convicted sex offenders who undergo castration must still serve their full sentence, as their treatment will not affect their sentencing. Under the bill, if a convicted sex offender fails to appear for their chemical castration, they will serve an additional sentence of three to five years."

I find this fascinating from an intellectual/constitutional perspective, and I wonder if the Supreme Court will uphold this law. In 1942, the Supreme Court overturned Oklahoma's Habitual Criminal Sterilization Act in Skinner v. Oklahoma. The act sentenced compulsory sterilization for individuals who had been convicted three or more times of crimes "amounting to felonies involving moral turpitude." The defendant in the case, Jack T. Skinner, had been convicted of one count of chicken stealing and two cases of armed robbery.

There are important differences between the two laws. The purpose of the Oklahoma law was not so much preventative as eugenic. It was seen as a way to prevent people with immoral characteristics from propagating and passing on those traits to their offspring. The Louisiana law, however, seeks to prevent further sexual crimes. Also, the Court did not rule out all compulsory sterilizations. It did not overturn a 1927 case, Buck v. Bell, that upheld a statute instituting compulsory sterilization of the mentally retarded. One of the reasons for overturning the Oklahoma law was that it violated the Equal Protection Clause by making exceptions for certain crimes. Writing for the majority, Justice Douglas argued: "Sterilization of those who have thrice committed grand larceny, with immunity for those who are embezzlers, is a clear, pointed, unmistakable discrimination. Oklahoma makes no attempt to say that he who commits larceny by trespass or trick or fraud has biologically inheritable traits which he who commits embezzlement lacks." The Louisiana law doesn't seem to suffer from this inequity.

Posted at 11:39 AM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

VP Watch: Around the Web

Nachama Soloveichik

• The Wall Street Journal has a short profile on Mitt Romney

• Politico looks at VA Gov. Tim Kaine. Another plus: He speaks fluent spanish.

• The Boston Globe offers McCain advice on the VP front. Its choices are: Tim Pawlenty, Charlie Crist, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Mike Huckabee, and Rob Portman.

• The Wall Street Journal looks at Charlie Crist's positions on the environment and energy.

• Reuters: Obama on the kind of VP he wants

• Real Clear Politics: The Perils of Picking a Running Mate

Posted at 11:09 AM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Rob Portman Speaks

Nachama Soloveichik

Former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman on Hannity and Colmes last night:

Posted at 10:12 AM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

McCain's Man in Ohio

Nachama Soloveichik

Salon has a profile on former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman and possible VP for McCain.

Posted at 12:06 AM, June 26, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 25, 2008

Palin on Kudlow

Nachama Soloveichik

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was on Kudlow & Co. today, talking about drilling for oil in Alaska. About McCain's opposition to drilling in ANWR, she says:

"Well, it will work, and Senator McCain's wrong on that issue. He's right on a whole lot of other issues though. Thanks goodness that he's understanding and evolving with his position on OCS, so that's encouraging. I think he's going to evolve into eventually supporting ANWR opening also. Obama is way off base on all that."

Kudos to Palin on the drilling issue, but she is far less persuasive when she talks about her tax hike on oil companies.

You can watch the video here.

Posted at 11:39 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Unacceptable Veeps

Nachama Soloveichik

The upcoming issue of National Review has a cover story ruling out Joe Lieberman, Mike Huckabee, Charlie Crist, and Tom Ridge as acceptable running mates for McCain. I am making a prediction: None of them will be McCain's running mate. [HT: JMart]

Posted at 11:00 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Well, Duh

Nachama Soloveichik

U.S. News and World Report writes that Sen. Chuck Hagel's VP prospects fall as Hagel's conservative views on other issues come to light.

Posted at 10:48 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Portman Chips In

Nachama Soloveichik

From Politicker: Rob Portman is practicing being helpful, raising more than $100,000 for McCain for a fundraiser in Cincinnati tomorrow night. Portman's help should be especially appreciated since some top Cincinnati donors are snubbing McCain.

Posted at 10:42 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Evan Bayh on Being VP

Nachama Soloveichik

From MSNBC: Senator Even Bayh (D-IN) says he would accept the VP slot if offered. Video is here.

Posted at 5:48 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Crist's Climate Summit

Nachama Soloveichik

Charlie Crist kicks off his climate summit in Miami today, according to the AP. Here is an excerpt from his speech:

"Florida can once again launch America into the coming green technology business boom. In the past it has produced in us the talent, the desire and the resolve to make spaceflight a part of everyday life. Now it can also helps us solve the most difficult challenges of our time: How to address global climate change and how to satisfy our fuel and energy needs."

Posted at 1:36 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Thoughts on Pawlenty and the Making of a Conservative VP

Nachama Soloveichik

I received an interesting email this morning from Bob Schroeder, Governor Pawlenty's former Deputy Chief of Staff. Schroeder's email addressed the points made in Michael Tanner's post on Cato's blog yesterday, "A Big-Government Running Mate for McCain," which I linked to.

Schroeder makes some valid points and some invalid points, and I would like to address some of the specifics. I would also like to talk about a general model for how conservatives should approach the veepstakes discussion.

I believe Schroeder is correct that Pawlenty has never staked out a position on Bush's veto of the SCHIP bill or how the bill should be funded. But Pawlenty did support renewing SCHIP, and was part of a bipartisan coalition of governors urging Congress to pass the bill, which included increases in government spending and government-run healthcare. His silence on the tax increase in the bill is not all that comforting. I am also doubtful that Pawlenty would have opposed the tax increase since he imposed a cigarette tax increase of his own in Minnesota in 2004.

Schroeder goes on to argue that Pawlenty did not support price controls on drugs offered through Medicare but a proposal to "allow common-sense market-based practices that would permit government to negotiate bulk drug prices through Medicare." What Schroeder doesn't mention is that this "common-sense" practice is tantamount to government-imposed price controls since the government has enormous leverage given the amount of drugs it purchases and the amount of power it yields. It is not that hard to imagine the government saying, "We'll buy the drugs at that price, but next time one of your drugs is up for a trial at the FDA, you might find it a little tough going," or "have fun trying to get a patent for your new drug." A Weekly Standard piece by Robert M. Goldberg describes what happens when the Veterans Administration "negotiates" prescription drug prices: "Far from negotiating drug prices, the VA imposes them. Federal law requires companies to sell to the VA at 24 percent below wholesale price. If they won't they are banned from selling medicines to Medicaid, Medicare, and the public health service." The rest of the article is well worth reading.

Posted at 12:05 PM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

What Does Kansas Think?

Nachama Soloveichik

A new Rasmussen poll in Kansas looks at Governor Kathleen Sebelius' VP prospects. The survey found that 34% of Kansans think Sebelius will be tapped as VP while 53% consider it unlikely. If she is picked, 28% say they are more likely to vote for Obama while 35% say they are less likely to vote for the Democratic nominee.

Posted at 11:49 AM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Another VP Shortlist

Nachama Soloveichik

Redstate has a shortlist of its own.

Posted at 9:40 AM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

McCain Likes Martinez

Nachama Soloveichik

From the Tampa Bay Tribune: If you want a clue as to the kind of VP McCain would like, look at Florida Senator Mel Martinez. According to the Martinez, "He didn't say I would offer you the job, he just said it's a shame you're not eligible." Martinez was born in Cuba and is ineligible for VP.

Posted at 9:37 AM, June 25, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

June 24, 2008

Jindal Speaks

Nachama Soloveichik

Bobby Jindal spoke to reporters today at the end of the legislative session in Louisiana. Watch here.

Posted at 11:28 PM, June 24, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Not That Edwards

Nachama Soloveichik

Nancy Pelosi thinks Rep. Chet Edwards (TX-17) should be considered for Obama's VP. Edwards has been in Congress since 1991, representing a district that includes Crawford, Texas.

Posted at 11:09 PM, June 24, 2008 | Trackback | Print | #

Jindal Profile

Nachama Soloveichik

The