Another VP Shocker

"WOW!!!" and "Holy Crap!!" are the two things that came to mind when I read the headlines this morning about McCain's VP choice. Has anyone else heard of Sarah Palin?? Does anyone else remember that we even have a state in the Union so far north? In a surprise move (huge surprise because most political analysis mediums did not consider her a top pick much less in the running for VP spot), McCain again shows his independence from mainstraim Republican Conservatism and chooses a strong running mate who, at times, defies the party lines (like McCain).

The good news is that she is a good balance for McCain (who my wife likes to describe as "the grumpy old man"). She is a relative greenie to the front of politics but has gained some important experience as the chief executive of our northernmost state. She opposes corruption as evidenced by her attacks on her Republican counterparts in Alaskan government (both state and national) who have been shown to be corrupt. Oh yeah, and she is young and female, which is something McCain has hard a hard time attracting in his campaign, as voters ;)

She seems to be pretty conservative and Christian, which will help him in the South. McCain doesn't need much help in the national security realm, but she does have executive experience as the commander-in-chief of the state's national guard and reserves. The question with national security and McCain is whether he will listen to anybody else on the subject. They are both from the West, which could be the region that plays a huge role in this election. Personally, I think that McCain will win Utah (regardless of Romney being on the ticket), but Obama will put up a strong fight and may even get a quarter of the vote.

In the end, this could be exactly what McCain needs to maintain his conservative base and reach out to the fence-sitting independents (like myself) for support. We'll see how she does in showing herself "ready to lead," as McCain has ridiculed Obama of not being ready to do.

What do you think? Has McCain shot himself in the foot with his "ready to lead" argument by choosing someone with limited experience (granted it is executive experience which legislators often lack)? Or is McCain just plain arrogant enough to think that he won't have to worry about his VP choice actually becoming President of the United States?

McCain VP Prediction

I want to put in my vote before it actually is announced. I predict that John McCain will choose as his running mate ....


Mitt Romney.



Now that Obama chose Biden, I am convinced that it will be Obama/Biden & McCain/Romney. Romney will help with the Western States and be a huge boost for McCain's economic policies. The two biggest issues in the campaign are economic situation at home and national security. If McCain does not choose Romney, he's too proud and stubborn to acknowledge that his economic policies are weak and that he's too focused on national security to be a well-rounded president.

And the VP goes to... Joe Biden??

Was anybody else surprised by this move? I didn't like Biden in the primaries because he was loud and obnoxious. If Obama was going for someone who was the exact opposite of everything that Obama is and stands for, then Biden is the perfect choice. He's been around for 36 years in the Senate representing everything about the "broken Washington" that Obama is campaigning against.

But I must say that if Obama wanted someone who's strengths would balance out his own weaknesses, he sure got it with Joe Biden!

P.S. My guess is that with the Edwards scandal (which could have been brought to light because of Obama offering him the VP spot) Obama couldn't have Edwards, so he went with his second choice. I prefer to think of Biden as second choice, then it doesn't feel like such a bad call on Obama's part.

USA all the Way!!!

I'm sure that most of you have seen this (or at least heard about it by now). This was the most incredible swimming race I have ever seen!! It was flipping amazing!!!! Enjoy! and good luck Phelps!

Make sure you watch the whole thing and pay attention to the last 50 meters and the way that Lezak (probably by shear will) just pummels his way toward the gold medal!

Veepstakes at a Glance

So, here are some of the more well known choices (in no particular order)

Democrats
John Edwards: Lovable, friendly guy who's goal (in spite of not being President) is to rid America of poverty. He would fit well with Obama's message of Change because he was only a Senator for 1 term. This adds to attacks on Obama's limited experience as an executive. But Edwards is liked and would have done really well in the Primaries if Obama and Clinton weren't in it. Now that Clinton isn't in anymore, he may bring more to the table for people who wanted to vote for him and Obama.

Hillary Clinton: She's Hillary Clinton. Need I say more? Though, I will. She would definitely be a huge roadblock for McCain getting the Whitehouse. She brings a lifetime of experience, knowledge, and ability to get things done. However, she brings extra baggage with her (Bill Clinton) and she is the exact opposite of what Obama is campaigning against: Washington Politics. I say that if Obama picks her, it will be because he wants to win, not because he wants to make change in America.

Bill Richardson: He would bring in some of the Clinton supporters, though admittedly not the female vote. But he brings something else: the Hispanic perspective. How monumental would it be to have an African American President and a Hispanic Vice-President? Richardson brings the executive experience that Obama lacks and potential for added influence in the West, which Obama really needs.

General Wesley Clark: He would bring immediate national security and foreign policy strength to Obama's campaign, which he desperately needs. He would be a force to reckon with regarding military expertise, a useful combatant (no pun intended) against McCain and his military background. But he doesn't seem to be a good campaigner and not very politically savvy. However, Obama has strength enough for both of them in those categories. The real question is what would happen when there is a military decision that they disagree on?

Republicans
Mitt Romney: Brings executive expertise, economic genius, and the appearance of youth (even though Romney is older he doesn't add to the "old man" image of McCain). His economic experience would be really helpful coupled with McCain's national security expertise. Romney would probably not do well in the South because of religious differences between evangelicals and mormons and his economic principles which appear to help the rich more than the poor, but his Christian religion would really help McCain in the West, where Obama is expected to do well. Michigan would probably swing towards McCain with Romney on the ticket (and perhaps since the DNC snubbed Michigan last Spring). The biggest difference would be whether McCain could actually get along with Romney (and vice versa) given their heated differences in the primaries. It seems that Romney would be more of a team player (given that he backed out of the race to help McCain secure the nomination quicker). But, McCain really, really dislikes powerfully rich people, but perhaps he can ignore that if Romney is putting his money towards McCain's campaign instead of against it.

Mike Huckabee: Would clinch the Southern vote for McCain but may not help him in the West, which will be a "battleground" in the general election. He brings youth, vitality, and a genuineness that McCain lacks. However, Huckabee's "liberal" past (raising taxes in order to grant more rights to immigrant families) as a governor may not be what McCain needs to secure the conservative base of the GOP, with which McCain is already struggling to hold.

Charlie Crist: McCain needs youth and he is not it! He would bring in much needed votes from Florida, but not from other conservative GOP voters anywhere else.

Condaleeza Rice: She is smart, competent, politically savvy, and would bring youth to the campaign. Her foreign policy expertise is not something that McCain absolutely needs in his campaign, but she does offer a link to female voters and African American voters within the GOP. The double-edged sword with Rice is her connection with the Bush Administration's foreign policy agenda, but the right kind of spin would easily put that issue to rest. She has a great number of strengths as an executive but may not be the right choice with some GOP bloc voters if there should come a time when the President is not able to fulfill the duties of his office (and given McCain's age and chronic health problems, should be taken into consideration).

Joe Lierberman: He's a democrat, even though he calls himself an independent. That will not help his GOP stalwarts, no matter how much strength and expertise he brings.

Bobby Jindal: He is new and exciting and may appeal to the younger generation, which is something McCain needs to do. He doesn't have a lot of experience, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. He will bring credibility into McCain's campaign in the South, especially to Hurricane Katrina victims and their advocates, and may help turn things around for the GOP in regards to the emergency relief debacle from the Bush Administration (which would help McCain separate himself more from the Bush Administration).

Choosing a Vice-President

I'm not surprised that it is taking so very long for Obama and McCain to choose their VP candidates. This is a monumental political race and therefore a monumental political choice. I couldn't imagine having to make this choice. To have so many qualified individuals to choose from it's easy to understand that this process takes time. My opinion is that they already have in mind who they want to pick, they're just waiting for the opportune moment.

However, it could also be that Obama and McCain are waiting to see what choice the other one will make so that they can ensure that they have the best "arsenal" against the other ticket. In any case, they should have their picks out before the national conventions (or at lest at the national convention - but that is too risky) which means that we should have a choice within a month. If they wait too much longer it might damage the campaign rather than help it.

Unfortunately, it seems that the choice is going to be a political one. The VP spot has almost always been given to someone who will "balance" the ticket and therefore, almost always has been a political choice (chosen because of political viability). This year will probably be no exception.

Unless...

Obama may be the one to choose someone for reasons other than political balance. McCain has been playing politics ever since he came back from near-campaign-suicide in summer of 2007. It is clear that he wants to win, and win at any cost. Obama may be the one to step out of the mold, as he has been claiming he will do, and choose a VP that will be helpful to him past the first Tuesday in November. We'll see.

Of course, the VP spot has always been one of campaign convenience rather than presidential performance. Besides, historically the VP hasn't done much besides stand beside the President as they make speeches and decisions. But with GWBush having delegated huge amounts of responsibility to Cheney (for good or bad is another discussion), the VP spot may be evolving into something more than showmanship. That may be more likely to continue with Obama rather than McCain. McCain has proven to be a power-hungry man who doesn't back down (this can be good and bad). Obama, on the other hand, seems to be more open to options rather than one-sided decision-making. But no one seeks the office of President of the United States without wanting more power to influence more people. Anyone that says otherwise is a fool.

The Veepstakes Results Are In...

And the winners are:
McCain & Romney vs. Obama & Edwards/Richardson

(*note this is only the results of the online poll at this blogspot, not an official announcement from the candidates)

For Republicans:
Mitt Romney - 4 votes (50%)
Condaleeza Rice - 3 votes (37%)
Mike Huckabee - 1 vote (12%)
Charlie Crist - 0 votes
Bobby Jindal - 0 votes
Tim Pawlenty - 0 votes
Joe Lieberman - 0 votes

For Democrats:
Bill Richardson - 3 votes (37%)
John Edwards - 3 votes (37%)
Wesley Clark - 2 votes (25%)
Hillary Clinton - 0 votes
Sam Nunn - 0 votes

Thanks to everyone who voted!

Only 15 More Weeks!

I completed my last final exam last night for summer semester (yep, that's right, Friday night - torturous isn't it). Anyway, following the 3 hour ordeal I was able to send off the exam to my professor and raise my arms in triumphant Rocky-like fashion. The most exciting part when I was able to tell my 2 1/2 year old son, Alex, that his Daddy didn't have to go to "class" anymore for at least 3 weeks. I think he might have been more excited than I was. It was so heartbreaking to have to say goodbye every Monday and Tuesday night and have him tell me "Daddy no go class." But now, there is only 1 more semester, a mere 15 weeks, that stand between me and graduate degrees. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looks bright and pretty!

It seems like only yesterday Shiree and I were packing up with our then 7month old Alex and moving to Salt Lake City with the idea that we were going to spend 3 years here while I went to school. I didn't have a job and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my two masters degrees. But through a set of amazing experiences ("tender mercies of the Lord" in the truest sense of the word) it has been almost 2 years later and even though I still don't have a job (at least a paid one - my internship at the VA is unpaid), I have a clear direction of where I want to be in a year and a pretty good idea what I want my career path to look like. The irony is that when we moved here, we did it mostly on faith because I had no idea what possibilities there were for me with an MSW and an MPA. That combination seemed almost illogical at the time. But now that we are getting ready to launch into the "real world" or post-education life, I can look back now and see the path that God has led us through has been the one that fits perfectly into my life, my wants, my desires, my abilities, and my strengths. He has led me up to this point because of my faith and now I am telling Him that it's my turn to take over. The irony is that I was so willing to let Him lead me when we moved here, and now that I have become "learned" (2Ne 9:28-29) I am wanting to lead myself. In reality, I have learned nothing. If I cannot learn to trust in God now that I have my accelades and degrees moreso than before I had them, then my two degrees mean nothing. I think the difference before was that I had no idea what I was going to do, but now I have some idea what I want to do. I am letting my wants get in the way of God's will and that's where the rubber meets the road. My "real" education begins now that this test is upon me. I just hope that I can do better on this test than I did on my last final exam.