The conventional wisdom holds that John McCain should lean to his right in making his choice for a vice presidential candidate. This wisdom is completely wrong. Most of the names being bandied about would make terrible choices for McCain. I don't claim to be a political expert in the manner of Dick Morris, but I think the best choice for McCain would be Colin Powell.
Yes, Colin Powell. And here are the reasons why. First, Powell has an independent mind. He is not a captive of the right, and consequently he reinforces the public perception that McCain is not a pawn of Bush. True, Powell served in the Bush administration, but his disagreements with Bush are well known. Obama is trying to portray McCain as a Bush clone. Powell will help McCain convince independent voters--the ones he needs most--that his administration would not constitute a third Bush term.
Second, Powell has experience. The man has served honorably and responsibly in more high positions than Obama and all the other Democratic candidates combined. Moreover, Powell has gravitas while Obama merely has the gift of the gab. So Powell helps to highlight how green and goofy Obama really is. The point is not to contrast one African American with another, or to show how Powell like Obama has immigrant roots. Rather, it is to dissolve the race issue by showing that capability and experience, not race and skin color, are the real issues here.
Finally, who apart from the Obamorons can doubt that Powell would make a capable president? This is especially important given the fact that McCain is over seventy. A Powell choice would also reinforce the big question about the man at the top of the Democratic ticket: Is he ready? I am not going to say that Obama can never be a good president, but I seriously doubt that he is mature enough to climb into the saddle. Who would you trust--Powell or Obama--to better handle a national emergency?
Now all of this could be idle speculation, because Powell may not want to be vice president. I keep hearing about how his wife is so completely against the idea. But this could be one of McCain's first tasks: to persuade Powell to do it. This wouldn't be the first time that this soldier has been asked to put personal considerations second and to take on a great challenge for the future of his country.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 13)
16. Unfortunately, perception is often more important than truth. Powell may be too damaged by his association with the selling of the faulty intelligence used to justify the Iraq war in front of the UN. Questions will be raised about whether he knew what was going on, didn't know and was used, or knew and didn't do anything about it. Any of these scenarios spells trouble for him in some way as a national leader.
Steve at 9:58PM on Jun 15th 2008
17. He might as well pick Powell ... it is just what he needs, another guy like him who could not stand up for his own principles! Who can forget Powell's proof in front of the UN and the world that Saddam had WMD? Yes, Powell did show his independent mind, instead of standing up to Cheney ... he ran. If McCain wants to pick a wuss for VP, then why not Condi ... she sure didn't do any of a worse job then Powell did??!!!
JimCO at 10:01PM on Jun 15th 2008
18. "The point is not to contrast one African American with another, or to show how Powell like Obama has immigrant roots. Rather, it is to dissolve the race issue by showing that capability and experience, not race and skin color, are the real issues here." Dinesh
Yeah, ok Sunshine. Whatever you say. You are a neocon aren't you? There is only 19% of the population that thinks like you now. The majority has started to come to their senses finally and have realized that you and the people that govern with your same ideology has destroyed this Country from the inside out.
Keep it up Genius.
81% of us think you're funny, and it is humerous how desperate you dickheads are.
Dick Rick at 12:27AM on Jun 16th 2008
19. What a laff riot. D'Stupid says it isn't about race, but then makes it ALL about the black guys. At least he didn't make Gov "Exorcisms'r'Us" Jindal the choice. The smell of desperation hangs thick in the air.
My guess is Powell won't come anywear near the folks who Judased him...he'll bide his time and make his move long after these current buffoons are hung out to dry.
T.Brough at 11:26PM on Jun 15th 2008
20. T. Brough, is DoubleD trying to jump start a grassroots campaign to dump McCain?
JefFlyingV at 11:33PM on Jun 15th 2008
21. Colin Powell would make an excellent Vice President; in fact, he would make an excellent President. But if McCain picks him and if he is crazy enough to accept, McCain will lose by a landslide. Larry, comment#2 has it exactly right. The fundies think that McCain is too liberal and he has 100% anti-abortion and pro-gun voting records. Powell, on the other hand, is pro-choice and a card carrying member of what used to be called the "Rockefeller" wing of the Republican Party. Plus, he is black, which goes over big in the Democratic Party, but not so well amongst the Republican right wingnuts.
Logician at 11:51PM on Jun 15th 2008
22. McCain, like Bob Dole and the first Bush, was nominated because he hung around long enough, not for any purposeful vision for this country. We are paying the price economically for borrowing the trillion dollars that have been spent on the war to date, and McCain will stay the course, right over the waterfall. I doubt the voters will go along for the ride. If Obama could get Sam Nunn on the ticket, it's game over.
Bob at 1:16AM on Jun 16th 2008
23. Bob - The federal budget is now $3 Trillion a year and Iraq is costing $80-100 Billion a year. And you liberals tend to be honest, except you greatly understate the number of folks who were being tortured, maimed and murdered by Saddam, you grossly overstate the cost of the war and the number of Iraqis killed since it started and you all seem to understate the number of Iraqis who will most likely die in a bloodbath if we leave precipitously. (Then we really will have no friends over there. And we'll be going back in.)
Other than that, you lefties have this war thing all figured out. And FYI, some of that $80-100 Billion a year goes to military salaries and to American companies producing military hardware, so it isn't all going to rebuild Iraq.
And Sam Nunn? The last pro-national defense Democrat after Lieberman? Good luck with that. I suppose it might work as long as he can deal with the idea of having a deer-in-the-headlights foreign policy novice at the top of the ticket.
Dave at 1:41AM on Jun 16th 2008
24. Ex Christian - Life for you is one big arms-deal conspiracy, isn't it?
Dave at 8:19AM on Jun 16th 2008
25. Obama/Hillary Clinton vs. McCain/Condi Rice
There....boy girl black white...everyone happy?
abbot at 8:58AM on Jun 16th 2008
26. Your choice is not well thought out; it is simply a reactionary/reflex selection to play opposite of what you think the dems are thinking...McCain cannot and should not select a VP choice based solely on his desire to portray himself as the anti-bush/not a clone presidential candidate which you said is what Powell would do for him...that is just absurd. McCain has to make his selection based on qualification and experience and expertise; McCain fills that slot for the war on terror and military based on his own experiences so he does not need Powell for that; Powell has no experience on economical issues so you kill the ticket on that alone; therefore, John McCain must select either John kasich of Ohio or Mitt Romney, both of whom have the gravitas, expertise and experience to lend themselves well to a well-rounded ticket; personally, I think the McCain/Kasich ticket is a real contender....thanks
Nia at 9:24AM on Jun 16th 2008
27. abbot; can't happen. B/O won't want anymore Clinton influence if he's elected and Condi's been too loyal to GWB to ever work alongside McCain.
fanman at 9:24AM on Jun 16th 2008
28. Nia; "...Mitt Romney, both of whom have the gravitas..."
Yes, "who let the dogs out, who let the dogs out, who, who, who..."
gravitas indeed.
Ryan Anderson at 9:31AM on Jun 16th 2008
29. There's another ex-general in contention for VP: I'm a huge fan of Wesley Clark. I like an
Obama-Clark ticket.
Linda at 9:45AM on Jun 16th 2008
30. Dinesh may actually have a point. Powell still commands a lot of respect. Even though it might seem like an obvious play of the race card, it could give the elephants a push.
Mokele Mbembe at 10:00AM on Jun 16th 2008