Update 2: Forget it. I'm back to supporting Meg for VP!
One of the few talk show hosts I still listen to, Michael Medved, has written a very nice summary of McCain's possible VP choices. Michael is a very strong supporter of Bobby Jindal, the new governor of Louisiana, for VP. I like that idea, but I'll go one step further.
I had originally thought that the ulitimate VP would be a self-made, hispanic businessman. Someone who had leadership and character and understood what it takes to create jobs. Someone who could reach out to the ever-growing hispanic population and be an example of opportunity siezed rather than complaining about vicitimization. Of course, such a selection would drive the pinheads on the right completely out of their minds. Rush and Sean and Mark Levin and Laura Ingraham would scream about how this was clear evidence that McCain was going to annex Mexico or Mexico was going to annex the US. Then I heard some people suggest Meg Whitman.
I had never heard of Meg, so I looked her up. Former CEO of eBay, Republican, pro-life (as far as I know), she is everything the Democrats fear. Unlike Barack and Hillary, she has real accomplishments, has created real jobs and real wealth for the nation. She would slaughter anyone in a debate about the economy and would represent the new generation as well. With a former POW leading the ticket and the former CEO of eBay at the #2 slot, there wouldn't be much left to criticize.
Obama is already finding that criticizing McCain on military and foreign policy issues is like leaning into a left hook. Could you imagine a lifelong politician like Obama laying into the ex-CEO of eBay about how she doesn't understand economics? How would he go after either of them for having never dealt with adversity? Hillary's made some hay claiming sexism. Meg is the ultimate in overcoming whatever sexism there is. From the Wikipedia article linked above:
Ms. Whitman joined eBay when it was a small auction website with 30 employees and revenues of more than $4 million. With her expertise in brand building at top consumer companies, she helped this Internet pioneer evolve into an unmatched global ecommerce engine that continues to influence and reshape the way people trade, pay and communicate around the world. According to Forbes magazine, Whitman was worth an estimated $1.4 billion in 2007. She is one of only seven women to have been repeatedly ranked among the world's most influential people by Time magazine.What would the Democrats be left with? Attacking her because she's rich? Everyone who has ever used eBay and enjoyed its benefits would be inclined to look on this choice positively.
Lastly, if you want someone who could claim not be part of the Bush White House and who could run against Congress, Meg would be it.
Update: Could you imagine the war of words on the campaign trail between Michelle Obama and Meg Whitman? It would be a massacre. An absolute massacre.
Others blogging about McCain's VP choices include:
The Wizbang blog talking about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
TalkLeft who suggests Rudy
The Saloon suggesting Bobby Jindal is getting support
Procrastinating Politicians with a short list of suggestions
Ann Althouse who suggests that Mitt Romney would be a great choice (Meg was heavily involved in the Romney campaign)
The Whole Bird is rooting for Bobby Jindal
Inside Catholic wants to see Sarah Palin
NY for Mitt wants to see...Mitt, who else?
There’s been noted buzz of late on rising GOP star Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal as a McCain prospective Veep. Certainly Jindal is more than very good, However, I believe there’s some “strategerie” going on here. The “real” beneficiary of the Jindal talk is the other rising GOP star, Alaska Gov Sarah Palin. Palin’s got everything that Jindal has (new/exciting, wildly popular, ethics and spending reformer, core conservative etc.) and more — mother of 5 w/remarkable bio, she’s 8 yrs older than Jindal, Alaska energy issue, and set to garner the disenfranchised female Hillary voter (I don’t believe Dem leaders can dump Obama).
ReplyDeleteGetting Jindal’s name out first — at Team McCain’s BBQ for instance — sets the stage for the obvious choice, Palin. For example, albeit Rush Limbaugh introduced Palin’s name, and later Jindal’s as good Veep choices, of late Rush has been praising the name of Jindal while on his very same shows discussing at great length the frustrated female Hillary voter and the global warming hysteria/need for energy development, without mentioning Palin’s name as the obvious beneficiary of those two issues. Rush walks a fine line, introducing Palin, yet can’t, at least yet, reiterate much, knowing that his praises may be counter-productive to many a swing, moderate and/or formerly Dem voter (who’s against Obama and switching to McCain). Moreover, while I feel that Palin has more real accomplishment, experience and qualification than Obama (and Hillary combined, albeit w/Obama the bar is pretty low), the only potential argument against Palin is she’s a newbie to the national scene. By having Jindal out there first as a VP prospect “passing” the “experience” and “new to the national scene” test, implicitly passes Palin as well. (For that matter Palin’s got as much if not more experience and accomplishment than Florida Gov Crist who’s only been Gov for 2 yrs — and the media has been touting Crist as a VP prospect.)
That’s my thinking at least.
Apologies up front for this looking like a drive-by as I am not endorsing anyone myself, however...
ReplyDeleteWhitman does indeed have an impressive resume' for the VP slot and would be a nice complement to McCain but factoring in the "heartbeat away from the Presidency" consideration gives me pause. Should anything happen to McCain she WILL be the CinC and she simply isn't there yet.
Jindal needs to finish what he promised to get done in Louisiana. There has not been a Republican governor down there in many, many years (if ever) so his governorship represents a mandate for true "change". For him to bail now would be a slap in the face to the citizens of that state who are hoping that Jindal is simply not more of the same those people have endured for ages.
And to be clear, there is no other governor/state situation where I would hold the governor to the same standard should the Veep spot be offered. For reasons we are all aware, Louisiana is different cat altogether.
Both are intrguing choices but I don't think either are there quite yet.
(I will now attempt a word verification that bears an uncanny resemblance to the Duke men's basketball coach's name)
First off, thanks for the link. :)
ReplyDeleteThis was actually the first I'd seen of Whitman. I personally don't think a businessperson would be very good in a veep slot regardless of who they are.
I'll slightly chime in with Ted about Governor Palin, but my big concern is her lack of experience. She's been a governor a short while (in the least populated state) and before that she was a mayor and not of a big city. I give her high marks for her anti-corruption credentials, but I just wonder if she's able to be President. Though the same could be said about Jindal.
Having said all that, I think she'd be a good candidate and good for the ticket.
Meg Whitman is a great idea, and you're dead on about her credentials. But I agree she can't cut it as commander in chief, so it's a not go.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to note that Whitman was a major Romney supporter (national co-chair of fundraising) and is now a major fundraiser and economic advisor to McCain. He would do well to keep her around (and listen to her!), but rather than choosing her for VP, maybe explore a cabinet appointment (or similar post).
I agree that she is a great theoretical pick but she is not quite there for the reality of possibly becoming president.
ReplyDeleteAlso, she will be torn apart by the media, and what they cannot find to criticize, they will manufacter those items along with the help of their colleagues in Washington politics (democrats).
michael, thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteThink of what those attacks would look like to anyone who has ever used eBay. When was the last time you used something Joe Biden or Barack Obama made?
Meg helped create real jobs, real wealth and real choices for consumers. If the Democrats want to attack that, let them do it. I think that for those of us outside the Beltway, thos attacks would seem pretty shallow.
Meg Whitman is a perfect choice for McCain. She is articulate, thinks on her feet, was a good boss and has no negatives.
ReplyDeleteNothing left to criticize about Meg Whitman as VP? How's about the fact that she has no government/foreign policy experience AT ALL??? How's about the fact that McCain needs someone EVEN RICHER than he is to be his running mate like he needs an extra hole in his head? For god sake... McCain is 72 years old and may not live out his first term. What's all this BS about "not ready to lead?" How the hell does being CEO of an outfit that let's people sell their dead cat to suckers over the Internet make Whitman ready to lead?
ReplyDelete