Comments on: Veepwatch Episode 1

By: Hedley

Hedley — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:18:18 +0000

According to 10 U.S.C. § 113(a), “A person may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within 10 years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.”

General Clark retired in 2000 so he would not be eligible to serve as Secretary of Defense until 2010. However, Congress could waive the remaining year and a half as it did for General Marshall in 1950 after he retired in1945.

By: mikefromtexas

mikefromtexas — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:07:26 +0000

When the buzz started over Hagel my first thought was if you’re going to pick a GOPer, go with Lincoln Chaffee. If he would have switched parties his seat would have been his for life.

By: daniel rotter

daniel rotter — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:58:55 +0000

What about the governor of Wisconsin, James Doyle?

By: anotherbozo

anotherbozo — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:06:56 +0000

Clark: never held elected office. A big minus.

By: BuzzMon

BuzzMon — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:32:23 +0000

Bob Graham from Florida would be good, but not great.
Brings more vote fom Florida – Good.
Doesn’t take a Senator from the incumbent ranks – good.
Rght on the Intel prior to the Iraq war, voted against AUMF – VERY GOOD
Not a great campaigner, too wonky – Not good
Health issues??
Fills the experience gap that a young Obama has – Very Good.

Just my take…

By: karen marie

karen marie — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:28:12 +0000

i loved the energy between obama and edwards at edwards’ endorsement, but i like edwards for a cabinet post.

feingold for VP would be excellent, imo.

i don’t like wesley clark for VP because i think it puts too much emphasis on military solutions when what we need are political solutions.

the military should never be a solution, it should be reserved as a tool.

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:14:11 +0000

He’s a political neophyte and he ran a lousy presidential campaign in 2004.

Pffft! Who didn’t?

By: The Reality-Based Dave

The Reality-Based Dave — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:33:31 +0000

Feingold or any other true liberal. That will keep Obama safe from any nutjob that would think of taking him out.
After all, fear of Cheney has kept Shrub safe.

By: Jet

Jet — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:13:48 +0000

I like Feingold, and WI is in play. They love him there and he would bring it.

By: Dr. Squid

Dr. Squid — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:11:18 +0000

Jim Webb is pretty good, but he himself said he’d do more good in the Senate. And really, so would Hillary.

Edwards? Good name recognition and I like him personally, but…

Ed Rendell? Same problem that Joe Lieberman had down south in 2000. (read: Jewish)

Clark to me seems like a good choice. I liked him best in 2004, and I hope to hell he learned from his experience.

But Bill Clinton for SecState. Yes, really. Thanks in part to Bill, Ireland got off their schneid and now they’re the richest country in Europe.

there is probably a good reason you didn’t mention him that I am not aware of, but why not Rahm Emmanuel, and steal Florida away from McCain?

Uh, two people from Illinois not allowed on the same ticket?

By: billy pilgrim

billy pilgrim — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:53:36 +0000

BILL CLINTON.

OK, it’s a goofy idea, but wouldn’t it just drive the wingnuts foaming-at-the-mouth crazy?

By: the squid

the squid — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:13:38 +0000

What about Joe Biden?

And Hagel would take another red Senator off the floor.

I think Obama’s Veep is going to need some real Weight, especially on Foreign Policy.

Not that I would take cues from Little georgie 25%, but Vice President dick added weight to a cattle-less hat with the Right last name.

Who knows? If the Democratic 2004 ticket was flipped, it might just be President Edwards right now.

Put the charisma and charm out front and the weighty old experience behind the scenes. That’s what I say.

GObama!

By: pennywit

pennywit — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:12:01 +0000

Isn’t there a rule about former generals not being SecDef? If so, that would rule out Clark for that position.

Clark, I think, would be an awful choice. He’s a political neophyte and he ran a lousy presidential campaign in 2004.

–}PW|–

By: Quaker in a Basement

Quaker in a Basement — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:46:45 +0000

Here's one located in Montreal. What country is Montreal in Jay?

By: Quaker in a Basement

Quaker in a Basement — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:44:37 +0000

He said it came from the White House and ended up trying to say the call came from a friend at a Muslim think-tank in Canada, except there are no Muslim think-tanks in Canada.

Wrong again, Jay.

He said “Middle East think tank,” not “Muslim think tank.” Let’s see…what other kinds of think tanks could be called “Middle East think tanks”?

By: Retired Catholic

Retired Catholic — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:42:13 +0000

Wes Clark has been my choice for either one of them or Edwardds (if he had won). Across the aisle, Lincoln Chaffee, who was screwed by the GOPer right wing. Edwards is choice #2, although I’d rather see him as AG. Sibelius is a dud. Napolitano won’t bring us much of anything. Brian Schweitzer of Montana is the one governor I would pick.

By: Quaker in a Basement

Quaker in a Basement — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:35:30 +0000

Hickenlooper fever! Catch it!

By: Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle

Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:22:48 +0000

Rheinhard:
Biden is getting Condi’s job. Book it!! Everyone in Washington knows he wants it in the worst way. He wants that, not VP.

Scott Erb:
He’d leave the Montana bench very thin. And he can still be governor for another term. All that said, he’d be a good choice.

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:20:29 +0000

Edwards has had his turn. Same with Kerry. We want real change, we need a new team. Though Wes Clark is appealing.

What about Jack Reed, the senator from Rhode Island?
Sebelius, Evan Byah?

Well, I’m from RI; talk about a snooze fest. Then again, isn’t the office of the VP supposed to be a snooze fest?

Also, BTW, a big shout out to Jim Webb for showing up to work every day during the recess so Bush couldn’t push through his underhanded recess appointments.

By: Scott Erb

Scott Erb — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:40:03 +0000

Clark is my first choice as well. I have read “Waging Modern War,” and used it as a text in a Foreign Policy class. Even though I opposed the Kosovo war, I found his book an interesting read. I think he’d effectively counter the fear that there is no military experience, he’d be more effective than Webb — and more disciplined.

Has anybody mentioned Brian Schwietzer of Montana? He is an interesting possibility. I don’t think he should show loyalty to his supporters and avoid Clinton types — now is time to unite the party, not stay divided into teams.