Most Americans know little or nothing about the conflict over the western Sahara or the self-styled “liberation” group the Polisario Front (originally backed by the former Soviet bloc). The Obama administration and Congress are focused on other problems in the Middle East. But the conflict that has ensnared Morocco, Algeria, and tens of thousands of Sahrawi (natives of the disputed territory) refugees warehoused in camps in Algeria poses a humanitarian crisis and creates another hotbed of terrorism and the narco-smuggling that accompanies it.
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McCain’s VP must essentially hold, solidify and rally the base. He does not have the luxury of selecting someone who can gain a state for him. In contrast, Obama does. Even a lackluster candidate like Kaine could provide the edge in a weakening red state. Bayh could do the trick in Indiana and Richardson would bring in New Mexico, and more importantly, hold, solidify and rally the Latino Democratic vote, making McCain’s situation very precarious in Florida, Texas and Colorado.
What’s interesting is the Obama camp doesn’t seem to have any other play-book other than the one they used against Clinton. Both times they used racial politics. Both times they’ve used the same attack–that their opponent is getting donations from ‘Big Oil’, after being pressured on energy (in the Dem primary, it was Hillary’s talk of gas tax holiday). There was an exchange about this in one of the Dem debates. It’s the same script.
What are the chances of Senator Jim Webb of Virginia as Obama’s choice for VP?
He comes with good patriotic and military credentials, real experience in govt, and even a foot in the Reagan administration.
First guy to arrange a photo-op with T Boone Pickens wins that day.
McCain picking a nobody would be clever. He may not realize it, but he doesn’t need to appease the extreme, religious RW. They have the same problem as the extreme L(iberal)W… no place else to go and the alternative is completely unacceptable.
Obama picking anyone but Hillary merely highlights the fact it is NOT Hillary… and he is stuck not being able to take her in the first place. Rock and a hard spot for him.
Eric Cantor is a rising star in Republican and Conservative circles. Members of the Republican Jewish Committee have early on spotted his intellect and political savvy, as have Congressional Republican leaders, who promoted him to Deputy Whip, into the inner power circle. That he is a Virginian is a nice surprise to some. Very bright, and ambitious.
He would make a terrific V.P. in some future election, but we need Mitt Romney in this one.
Knowing what happened to JFK the Catholic back in the day, what happened to the Mormon Romney in evangelical circles (which, as an evangelical myself, completely disgusts me, as Romney is a good man and a good leader who would make an excellent president), and what happens on the fringes when Obama and Islam are in the same sentence, I can just imagine what’s going to be said when Cantor, a Jewish guy, gets some publicity as potential veep.
“divided loyalties”, anyone?
I love that Mitt is finally getting so much respect. I sincerely hope McCain picks him. Mitt gives me something to vote for on election day instead of just voting against the greater of two evils. I’m a conservative so consequently not a big fan of McCain but there is no way I can vote for Obama, I don’t care who he picks for a VP. Its been said elsewhere but I will say it again; I would rather have a 3rd rate fireman than a 1st rate arsonist. But, with Romney on the ticket McCain just became first rate.