The LuLac Edition #541, August 20th, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: MENTIONED AS VICE PRESIDENTIAL TIMBER, SENATORS JOE LIEBERMAN AND HILLARY CLINTON.

THE VICE PRESIDENCY

WHY HILLARY?

Let’s face it. For all the propping up by the national media (especially MSNBC) and the spending of untold millions of dollars, Senator Barack Obama has not yet been able to close the deal with the American people regarding his readiness to lead. It’s getting late. This week Senator Obama needs to pick Hillary Clinton for Vice President. If he doesn’t, he will lose the election. A recent poll showed Senator McCain for the first time beating Obama. Here are the reasons:
1. She will unite the party and bring in those women and conservative (i.e old school Dems) who felt Clinton was not treated well by the DNC.
2. Clinton won the big industrial states in the primary. At the end she was closing fast. Her campaign’s biggest mistake was not campaigning in the caucus states. Sure, you can say he ran a better campaign than she did and therefore deserves to be President. See 1976, Jimmy Carter vs. Morris Udall. Who in hindsight would have been better prepared to deal with Washington and foreign policy? Campaigns elect a President, they don’t give that person the magic ability to lead.
3. The Senator from New York can readily defend the principles and precepts of the Democratic party in short, pithy JFK finger bursts of speech. Obama’s style is more like the professorial Adlai Stevenson.
4. While the Clinton pick will unite the GOP base, it will also unite the Democratic base and last I looked, it’s supposed to be a Democratic year. No one short of Senator Biden has the charisma and the energy to propel the ticket to victory. And if you think that by picking Clinton you lose the change argument because she’s a Washington insider, what do you get with Senators Bayh and Biden? Same thing. Change won you the primary, good for you Barack but hard ball (with apologies to that loudmouth Chris Matthews) will win you the Presidency.
5. The biggest argument against picking her is what will they do with Bill Clinton? That shouldn’t be a factor. If you are Obama, you put her on the ticket, win the election and make her a strong historical Vice President. Bill Clinton is an ex President. You will be the President. If you want him to have a role, that’s your call. If not, fine. But if you don’t pick Senator Hillary Clinton because you’re afraid of how a temperamental, pouty (and I love the guy) ex President will behave, then you have no business being President. If you can’t handle an ex politico in your own party, how the hell are you going to handle Terrorists who want to kill us? Obama, you need to pick Clinton.

WHY NOT JOE?

There’s also talk Senator McCain is thinking of picking Democratic/Independent U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman. He should not. I know, I know, they’re all talking about a fusion ticket, etc, etc. but this is a bad idea.
1. First and foremost, Lieberman is not a great campaigner. He did nothing for Gore in Florida except make it a cliff hanger. Then during the aftermath of the Florida recount, he kicked the chair right from under Gore with a stupid statement that played into the GOP’s hands.
2. No excitement and a whiney voice that grates on people.
3. Pro choice. You pick him over Ridge? Oh come now! If you’re gonna suck up to the religious right in your party, go full boar. In for a penny, in for a pound.
4. He gives you nothing electorally and half the people in the country can’t even spell Connecticut.
5. McCain has all he can do to distance himself from George Bush. It is true the surge worked. But that was about all. Lieberman’s close association with the current unpopular President will be one more albatross around the Arizona Senator’s neck in the fall campaign. By picking Lieberman, you lose the religious right and the independents who didn’t buy into McCain being a third Bush term. This pick will put them in that frame of mind.

THE 2 MINUTE MAN

10th Congressional GOP candidate Chris Hackett will speak at the GOP convention on Labor Day. The Congressional hopeful was given the slot by the RNC. It seems to me that a big deal is being made about the fact that it’s only two minutes. Here’s my take on it:
1. It’s exposure, an honor and recognition that the RNC is taking him seriously.
2. As far as the time goes and those critical of it, are they going to be addressing a National political convention? Thought so.
Good luck Mr. Hackett.