Webb Out of VP Mix; Now Only One Virginia Contender Left
This post has it right: No one saw this one coming. Senator Jim Webb, the former Republican and Reagan-era Navy secretary who has been touted as the perfect tough-guy complement to Barack Obama, unexpectedly and very publicly withdrew his name from VP consideration today.
The most immediate beneficiary of this could be Tim Kaine, the first-term governor of Virginia, which has emerged as perhaps the preeminent swing state of this cycle. Republicans have carried it in every election since 1964, but the Old Dominion's demographic evolution strongly favors the Democrats. Polls this year have shown Obama even with -- or even slightly ahead of -- John McCain.
Originally, Obama had three viable VP options from the state: Webb, Kaine and former Governor Mark Warner, who seems to be on cruise control in the race for Virginia's open Senate seat. But Warner, easily the most popular of the three, withdrew his name from the VP hunt a while back, and with Webb's departure, Kaine is now the last Virginian standing.
Still, Kaine, who will be forced from office by Virginia's stingy one-term limit next year, is not without liabilities: He lacks a national profile and isn't a particularly charismatic figure. Perhaps more importantly, he lacks national security seasoning.
In that sense, Webb's decision probably also boosts the prospects of Joe Biden and Sam Nunn, both of whom offer Obama the same kind of reassuring presence on national security that Webb might have provided.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 45.8
- 42.2
- Obama +3.6
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 51.0
- 35.5
- +15.5
- McCain
- 50.0
- 35.5
- +14.5
One by one Hillary Soprano is making them an offer they can't refuse. In the end only Hillary Soprano will be standing.
VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
ps Obama is the Neville Chamberlain of the Democ"rat"ic Party, and that is "CHANGE" for the worst.
So why am I reading Jim Webb's latest book? I am disappointed to learn that Sen. Webb would not be interested in the VP slot. If ever there were a perfect ticket it's Obama/Webb. I dare say, real courage Senator, is in running.
Good for Virginia, too bad for the rest of us. Sen. Webb, what's the point of your latest book if it isn't to lay the ground work for a national run? I guess you're looking well beyond 2008.
WEBB was less likely (despite the hype) than Govs. Kaine, Rendell or Sebelius, Sens. Biden or Bayh, and Fmrs. Gore or Edwards (quite plausible as AG). That's the short list as I see it.
Sure, I loved the adrenalized fantasy image of Webb during the VP debate sticking a bayonet in the table and challenging Romney to fisticuffs...is that really the "change" we need?
We need focus on Econ 101, macroeconometrics and "Matrix" indexing or this U$A could be in some deep sticky goo. It's the Economy, smarty pants!
We need universal health care to be globally competitive with Europe. We need responsible progressives on the Supreme Court. We need sane foreign policy - not "Adventures of the Crusaders in the Late Imperium"!
Obama needs solidification of support from women and Hispanics. Webb did not particularly assist either. Appalachia was a long time ago...before the Alamo.
md///
We don't need universal health care, we need current costs to be arrested.
Medicare is set to eat up most of our federal budget in the coming years. Where, pray tell, is our government going to get the money to finance universal boondoggle, I mean health care??