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Sen. Jim Webb

Va. Gov. Timothy Kaine

With Nomination Close,
Obama’s Running Mate
Has Pollsters Guessing

Leonard E. Colvin
Chief Reporter
New Journal & Guide
 
   By June 3, when the last of the Democratic primary contests are held, Illinois Senator Barack Obama is expected to be his party’s nominee to run for President of the United States, against the presumptive GOP nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona.
    According to the Washington Post, the Obama camp is considering among its possible choices for a running mate Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and former Army General Wesley Clark, who is from Arkansas.  
Some even have called for an Obama-Clinton ticket, but others say a ticket with an African American male and a white woman would be too much political change.
   Further, the hostility that has been generated between the Clinton and Obama camps may strain a winning campaign against GOP forces.
Also, questions about the role of former President Bill Clinton may further dampen the chances of Clinton-Obama ticket. Former President Clinton, who was held in high regard among African Americans before the 2008 primary season, has  lost some regard among a large segment of the black community, the most reliable Democratic voting block, during the past months as he has campaigned for his wife.
   NSU Political Science Professor Carol Pretlow looked back at the 1960 presidential campaign to show how two rival campaigns, which were hostile toward each other during the primary season, could merge for success.
    “John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson did not get along very well,” said Dr. Pretlow.  “Kennedy had his base of support and he needed Johnson’s, who was the powerful Leader, who was a master power broker in the U.S. Senate,  to carry the South.
“They smoothed over their differences and won a close election against Richard Nixon.  In the case of Clinton and Obama, there would have to be a lot of  bridge mending. There are some up and down downsides to such a marriage.  But in the long run, Obama would do best by selecting a white man who could deliver the same constituency as Clinton.

   I think a ticket with a white woman and a black man is just too much change for this country at this time.”
   David Bositus, the Chief Political Analyst at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, in Washington, D.C., said that with all of her claims of  having such a broad base of support,  he is “not sure that Clinton could deliver the white working class vote.”
    “The Republican brand is so weak these days that a lot of people are identifying with the Democrats anyway and I think there will be a lot of those working class Whites who will vote for Senator Obama because they do not want the Republicans to regain the White House,” said Bositus. 

Posted May 21, 2008

  
   “I think that Senator Obama  could find a stronger politician to run against John McCain  this year.  He needs a balanced ticket that will expand his base of support among the Democrats and Independent Whites this fall.”      

   At the top of Bositus’ list of eligible politicians is current Virginia Democratic Senator James Webb, who is in his first term in the U.S. Senate.
    Webb, he says, is looked on favorably by working class conservative Whites. He was Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of  the Navy and he has strong defense credentials.
  “Webb could help Obama out in these areas where he is perceived as weak,” said Bositus. “Plus, he would help the Democrats carry Virginia for the first time since 1964.”
    Early last week, former Senator John Edwards, who dropped out of the primary race in late February, endorsed Senator Obama. With that endorsement come the 18 delegates Edwards won during his bid for the nomination. Pretlow said that Edwards would bring a great deal of credibility and support among working class Whites and Independents to the Democratic ticket this year because of his advocacy of ending poverty.
   Dr. Ron Walters, a nationally known political analyst, agrees that a moderate white male is needed to balance out the racial and political dynamics  of an Obama-led ticket.  Walters said that Senator Obama should choose Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel,  who is a moderate Republican Senator with strong credentials among white working class voters, defense and foreign affairs issues.
  Senator Hagel also has a strong and respected position against the war in Iraq.
   “That would be a surprise and it would be a strong counter balance ideologically against John McCain, who is perceived to have strong credentials in the area of defense and national security,” Dr. Walters said.  “Hagel has the national standing and the gravitas in the Senate to overcome any questions people may have on those issues.”
   Another Democrat whom Dr. Walters has on his list is current Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine, who was one of the first high level Democrats to endorse Obama.
   “Kaine is a moderate and he is a very popular governor in his state,” said Dr. Walters.  “With Kaine on the ticket it would give the Democrats an advantage in Virginia. Hagel could help Obama in the Midwest. There would be great balance.”

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