June 09, 2008
A Washington State Democrat for Obama Running Mate?

David Postman reports on some amusingly implausible suggestions (emanating from grassroots Democrat blogs) that Obama is considering Patty Murray or other local bigwigs for his running mate. Yeah, Obama + Osamamama, that's a winner.

I posted a comment on Postman's blog with my own suggestion for Obamessiah's best bet for a local running mate:

I remember when the first George Bush selected Dan Quayle as his running mate. This was a sensible choice, because at the time Bush was perceived to be a lightweight, but next to Quayle, Bush appeared to have more gravitas. On the other side, Dukakis made a mistake by picking the experienced and statesmanlike Lloyd Bentsen, who only appeared more presidential than Dukakis and reminded voters of Dukakis' weaknesses.

Similarly, Obama is also perceived to be a lightweight (and way more so than Bush pere), and he has even more political/cultural left-wing baggage than Dukakis (but without the executive experience). So it would be a mistake for him to select a strong, experienced running mate, who would only remind voters of Obama's own inadequacies.

Therefore Obama should select a weak running mate who makes Obama look good by comparison. I recommend Darcy Burner. She's the only federal-level Democrat in the state with a thinner resume than Obama and next to whom Obama looks like a serious statesman.


Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 09, 2008 12:18 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Obama and Patty... OH Please God! YES!

Can we start a petition? A grassroots effort? I'll wear my tennis shoes!

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on June 9, 2008 12:03 PM
2. Not to mention the signs:

Obama Burner 08.

Has a certain ring to it, don't you think?

Posted by: Hinton on June 9, 2008 12:05 PM
3. Stefan, please link Postmans blog so we can ALL post our support!

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on June 9, 2008 12:05 PM
4. One big problem, Shark, Murray was a Clinton supporter. If Obama picks from this state, his first choice would be of his own supporters (like Adam Smith), or past politicians (Gary Locke, anyone?).

Although, I am sure many Republicans would be thrilled to have Obama pick Murray, or more thrilled if he picked Gregoire, making it impossible for the later to run for Governor and VP at same time. While we are looking at odd-ball, no-chance VP picks, how about McDermott (I could use another term, but chose not to). It would be one way of getting rid of him.

Posted by: tc on June 9, 2008 12:07 PM
5. Stefan, please link Postmans blog so we can ALL post our support!

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on June 9, 2008 12:08 PM
6. Sorry for double...but not the thought

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on June 9, 2008 12:10 PM
7. LOL. Stefan is back. Perfect.

Microsoft VP Darcy is just what Obama needs. They can combine his street organizer experience with her Ames Lake Homeowners Association experience.

Can anyone imagine a foreign policy team with more depth? Kissinger would be jealous.

Posted by: Jeff B. on June 9, 2008 12:17 PM
8. Murray would be perfect. Just the kind of dim-bulb, head-nodding idiot you'd expect from the Dimocrats.

Posted by: Saltherring on June 9, 2008 12:25 PM
9. Actually, to unite the party, it would make sense for Obama to choose a supporter of Hillary Clinton as a running mate. Or at least a neutral. And there are strong reasons for him to choose a woman as a running mate. Though perhaps even stronger reasons for him to pick someone who looks serious on national security.

Incidentally, though I didn't think Quayle was a great choice in 1988, I think that -- judging by their accomplishments -- Dan Quayle looks over-qualified, compared to Barack "Arugula" Obama.

Posted by: Jim Miller on June 9, 2008 12:46 PM
10. Murray would make a the perfect Tweedle-Dumber to Obamas Tweedle Dumb

Posted by: Pacicfic Grove Phlash on June 9, 2008 12:51 PM
11. She was a Clinton supporter, not going to happen.

Posted by: Dingo Rossi on June 9, 2008 12:57 PM
12. This candidacy already makes a mockery of judging by the content of one's character not the color of one's skin - This idiot Obama would have long ago disqualified himself due to his associations with people who would prove fatally flawed company one voluntarily keeps to any white candidate. It might as well go all the way "affirmative action."

Posted by: JDH on June 9, 2008 12:59 PM
13. OT, but Joel Connelly has really outdone himself this morning in the P-I. Can you say "obfuscation"? He dredges up every instance of a candidate being criticised about his church, or in John Kerry's case, by his church, as a way of saying "See, other candidates have been hassled about their churches too."

Of course, Joel never gets around to explaining how john Kerry being threated with refusal to take communion because he favored abortion, in violation of his church's dogma, is the same as Obama saying he can't remember all the hate being spewed by his pastor for 20 years. But logic is not required in a Connelly column - it is sufficient that he mentions the outrage was "manufactured" by Fox News, even though he knows it was CNN that broke the story, and the church sold video copies of the hateful speeches for years. Manufactured, Joel?

Joel missed his calling... I can just see him in a fantasy world toiling away at his desk typing "Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.", or "No, I am not a petty partisan hack who writes drivel designed to obfuscate the truth, rather than to expose it."

Posted by: sherlock on June 9, 2008 01:20 PM
14. Well just because Murray WAS a Clinton supporter doesn't mean she wouldn't hop on that Hussein the Inane bandwagon...

There are plenty more parasitic, libtard losers to pick from though if Murray doesn't work out...

Cantwell?

Jim McDermott? Heck! He needs the money to pay off his fine...

Posted by: juandos on June 9, 2008 02:32 PM
15. Well just because Murray WAS a Clinton supporter doesn't mean she wouldn't hop on that Hussein the Inane bandwagon...

There are plenty more parasitic, libtard losers to pick from though if Murray doesn't work out...

Cantwell?

Jim McDermott? Heck! He needs the money to pay off his fine...

Posted by: juandos on June 9, 2008 02:32 PM
16. Well just because Murray WAS a Clinton supporter doesn't mean she wouldn't hop on that Hussein the Inane bandwagon...

There are plenty more parasitic, libtard losers to pick from though if Murray doesn't work out...

Cantwell?

Jim McDermott? Heck! He needs the money to pay off his fine...

Posted by: juandos on June 9, 2008 02:33 PM
17. the only female candidate who makes sense is Kathleen Sebelius. if obama picks a woman besides HRC he needs to explain why not HRC. sebelius has a proven track record of bringing people together and has exec experience.

personally i think a foreign policy expert like biden or nunn is the best choice, but sebelius is a legit option. as a lesser-known (albeit higher-ranking) senator than HRC, murray doesn't make the best choice.

Posted by: mr. smitty on June 9, 2008 03:48 PM
18. Sebelius is being excoriated by the Bishop in her dioces... B-HO won't want to have that come to the attention of Catholics.

Here is the full text of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann's column in today's edition of The Leaven:

My May 9 column, making public my request to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius not to present herself for reception of holy Communion until she had sought to repair the public scandal of her long-standing support for legalized abortion, not surprisingly has initiated quite a bit of discussion in secular newspapers, local talk radio shows and coffee-break conversations.

Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on June 9, 2008 06:22 PM
19. The elder Bush was perceived to be a lightweight? Really? He was Mr. Resume. Mr. Experience. He was certainly seen as lacking the charisma Reagan had, but a lightweight? Not my recollection.

Posted by: stu on June 9, 2008 06:35 PM
20. Also, I think that Quayle was nowhere near as bad a pick as is now commonly perceived. The problem for Quayle is that he was pretty much gang-raped by the media. The one thing that anyone remembers about him is the 'potato' incident, which was repeated ad infinitum by media.

If they did the same thing to Obama over his '57 states' blunder, he'd be just as screwed.

Posted by: russell garrard on June 9, 2008 08:03 PM
21. Re #20: Quayle real sin was that his family had run one of if not about the last conservative newspaper in the US -

Posted by: Bill on June 9, 2008 08:14 PM
22. Kerry took communion...*yawn*. Don't you guys have anything better to bicker about?

Posted by: Dingo Rossi on June 9, 2008 08:18 PM
23. Burner is a perfect pick. I could just see her now looking up at Obama the way she did McDermott. It would only add to his Obamessiah image.

Posted by: TrueSoldier on June 10, 2008 01:15 AM
24. HAH
highly unlikely.
especially considering the fact that Senator Murray STILL hasn't switched over to Team Obama.
she and cantwell are the only two washingtonians endorsing clinton.

Posted by: Miss Politician on June 10, 2008 12:02 PM
25. HAH
highly unlikely.
especially considering the fact that Senator Murray STILL hasn't switched over to Team Obama.
she and cantwell are the only two washingtonians endorsing clinton.

Posted by: Miss Politician on June 10, 2008 12:03 PM
26. HAH
highly unlikely.
especially considering the fact that Senator Murray STILL hasn't switched over to Team Obama.
she and cantwell are the only two washingtonians endorsing clinton.

Posted by: Miss Politician on June 10, 2008 12:03 PM
27. thank you mr postman...you made me laugh, and laugh and laugh.

Imagine taking the dumbest senator, making her VP

Ouch, that hurts...

Posted by: righton on June 11, 2008 06:27 AM
28. Aside from your sarcasim, your facts are off. Darcy Burner still has not endorsed Obama.

Posted by: David R on June 11, 2008 11:08 AM
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