Who Will Be Number 2?

A pause from the examination of who will top the respective party tickets. Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball is speculating on who might be a good choice to round out the tickets for the Republicans and the Democrats next year.

Sabato starts with what the VP choice should bring to the ticket:

• Disciplined, relatively scandal-free, and cause no major problems at selection time and throughout the campaign.
• Should be able to carry his or her home state. This is important especially if the choice is from a state that would go to the other party otherwise.
• They should complement those talents / experiences of the presidential nominee
• Help to (re)unite the party by being from another faction than the presidential candidate. Sorry, Joe Lieberman, don't wait for the phone to ring.
• If the presidential nominee is too far left or right, then the VP choice should be a centrist.
• A regional balance can be helpful, but it has not proved essential (Clinton/Gore).
• Symbolism - a woman, African-American, Hispanic/Latino, etc., could translate to voters and money
• Personal chemistry between the ticket-mates. Again, good, but not essential (Kennedy/Johnson).
• Finally, is he presidential?

Of course, as the article continues, the number 2 slot often goes to the person who comes in second in the delegate count. They are known quantities but with this field unlikely. Obama is a likely choice, if he can hold on to second. Same for Bill Richardson. Hillary would not be satisfied with number 2 and Edwards has already been there, done that. For the Republicans, Rudy's ego would disqualify him, McCain's age, and Romney brings nothing to the party except things people don't want.

Who Will be the Democratic Number 2?

• Sen. Evan Bayh of IN - Centrist Democrat who could put IN and OH in play simultaneously, good family and media image, broad executive and legislative experience, BUT cannot guarantee IN, not a strong public speaker, low-wattage personality.
• Gov. Phil Bredesen of TN - Executive experience at state and local levels, puts TN in play, moderate Southern/Border Democrat, personal wealth, BUT no foreign policy experience, bland personality.
• Sen. Bob Casey of PA - Moderate Democrat, giant-killer of Santorum in '06, guarantees PA.
• Gov. Jon Corzine of NJ - Executive and legislative experience, strong business credentials, personal wealth, BUT adds nothing electorally, perception that NJ=corruption and Corzine has had more than his personal share of it, another liberal Democrat from the Northeast.
• Gov. Mike Easley of NC - Executive experience, good match for northern liberal, puts NC in play, BUT dull persona, no foreign policy experience.
• Sen. Russ Feingold of WI - Broad legislative experience, strong netroots backing, highly intelligent, clean as a hound's tooth, BUT very liberal Democrat, twice divorced, something of a gadfly, unable to be controlled by nominee or, eventually, the White House.
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar of MN - Keeps MN in D column, woman, good counter-move to Pawlenty, some legislative and law enforcement experience, BUT MN already likely to be D, liberal record, minimal elected office experience, no foreign policy background.
• Sen. Mary Landrieu of LA - Centrist Southern Democrat, woman, may possibly be able to put LA in play, long legislative experience, could make Bush Katrina response a big issue, BUT by no means can she guarantee LA, much less any other electoral votes.
• Sen. Blanche Lincoln of AR - Moderate Democrat, Southern, woman, considerable legislative experience, puts AR in play, BUT AR not guaranteed, and not many electoral votes besides, bland persona.
• Gov. Joe Manchin of WV - Executive experience, moderate Democrat, puts WV in play, BUT WV is a tough sell nationally, no electoral votes outside WV guaranteed, no foreign policy experience.
• Gov. Janet Napolitano of AZ - Western executive, woman, puts AZ in play, BUT no national security experience, unknown nationally.
• Sen. Bill Nelson of FL - Only Democrat who can probably deliver FL and thus the White House, long legislative experience, moderate Southern D, BUT FL not guaranteed even with Nelson, not a strong persona.
• Sen. Mark Pryor of AR - Moderate Democrat, Southern, good political instincts, puts AR in play, BUT little foreign policy or executive experience, bland persona.
• Gov. Ed Rendell of PA - Strong executive experience at state and local levels, key state that GOP always targets, BUT relatively little national security background, PA ought to be Blue anyway.
• Gov. Bill Richardson of NM - He's got it all: The resume of the year, executive and legislative credentials, the only Governor with a credible foreign policy, Hispanic, Western, BUT are the personal womanizing rumors true? We don't know but Richardson has to deal with them so the nominee--if not Richardson--doesn't have to.
• Gov. Bill Ritter of CO - Western executive, puts CO in play, BUT relatively inexperienced, problems with labor unions, too.
• Sen. Ken Salazar of CO - Key Western state, probably puts CO in D column, Hispanic, BUT no foreign policy experience, relatively new, bland persona.
• Gov. Brian Schweitzer of MT - Executive experience, Western, ebullient personality, may put MT in play, BUT adds little electorally, no foreign policy experience.
• Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of KS - Executive experience, woman, Midwest, possibly could put KS in play, BUT unknown nationally, in deep Red territory that perhaps cannot be moved, no foreign policy experience.
• Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio - Executive and legislative experience, moderate Democrat used to running in rural areas, puts the key swing state of OH in play or more, BUT depends on achievements as Governor by '08, low voltage personality, little foreign policy experience.
• Ex-Gov. Mark Warner of VA - Successful executive and businessman, puts VA and WV in play, unusually energetic, personal wealth, BUT only one-term in office, no foreign policy experience.
• Sen. Jim Webb of VA - Moderate Democrat and former Reagan Republican, might put VA in play, giant-killer of George Allen in '06 that switched Senate to D column, netroots favorite, would pound away at Iraq, national security and military experience, BUT new to Senate and elective office, might be loose cannon, certainly impossible to control, doesn't guarantee VA.

Who Will Be the Republican Number 2?

• Gov. Haley Barbour of MS - Solid Southern conservative, sharp strategist, national reputation as ex-RNC Chair, understands the media, BUT adds nothing electorally, may be too conservative for country, has mission to complete in post-Katrina MS.
• Ex-FL Gov. Jeb Bush - Strong record as Governor, critical swing state, 100 percent name ID, BUT his last name is tarnished for a generation.
• Sen. Susan Collins of ME - Moderate-liberal, woman with centrist appeal, could put ME into play, BUT social views would cause consternation among GOP conservatives.
• Sen. Elizabeth Dole of NC - Stellar "brand name" in GOP, solid conservative, woman, wouldn't be controversial, BUT adds little electorally, unexciting candidate.
• Sen. Lindsay Graham of SC - McCain favorite, some centrist appeal, long legislative experience, BUT adds nothing electorally, has irritated many conservatives yet totally pro-Iraq War, brings back Clinton impeachment issue.
• Sen. Chuck Hagel of NE - If Iraq is a total disaster, Hagel is a way for GOP nominee to separate himself from Bush, BUT adds nothing electorally, would split party, strong personality would overshadow presidential candidate.
• Ex-Gov. Mike Huckabee of AR - Moderate conservative, long executive record, weight loss twist, BUT tax-cutting wing doesn't like him. Offers little or nothing electorally.
• Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of TX - Solid conservative except on abortion, woman, long political experience, appeal in South plus West, BUT adds little electorally. Only Texan who could be on the ticket in '08 (sorry, Rick Perry and John Cornyn), but is the Bush-whacked Lone Star State out of the running totally this time?
• Sen. Joe Lieberman of CT - Technically a Democrat-Fusion ticket, long Senate and foreign policy experience, hawk, could put CT in play, BUT his liberal views on economic and social issues would be anathema to GOP.
• Gov. Tim Pawlenty of MN - Conservative with a Midwest twist, executive experience, swing state, McCain favorite, BUT questionable whether he could carry MN after weak 2006 performance.
• Gov. Sonny Perdue of GA - Solid conservative, Southern base, executive experience, BUT perhaps too conservative for the country, adds nothing electorally.
• Gov. Jodi Rell of CT - Liberal on social issues, woman, puts her state in play, BUT so liberal a GOP convention walk-out might occur.
• Gov. Bob Riley of AL - Solid conservative, congressional and executive experience, BUT gains the GOP nothing electorally. No foreign policy experience.
• Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice - Black, female, impressive mind, 100 percent name ID, BUT Iraq, Iraq, Iraq: She owns it too. Bush III when almost no one wants that.
• Gov. Mark Sanford of SC - Solid Southern conservative, executive and legislative experience, 2000 McCain backer, BUT adds nothing electorally, mixed record in Palmetto State.
• Sen. Gordon Smith of OR - Centrist appeal, could make OR competitive, BUT too liberal for most in GOP, likely loss of his GOP Senate seat (up in 2008).
• Sen. Olympia Snowe of ME - Liberal who appeals to center, woman, long legislative experience, could put ME into play, BUT may be too liberal for most in GOP, possible convention walk-out.
• Ex-Sen. Fred Thompson of TN/Hollywood/DC - Solid conservative, McCain supporter--at least until he got the White House bug recently, Reaganesque, great on TV, BUT time may have passed, adds little electorally.
• Sen. David Vitter of LA - Endorsed Rudy, possible Southern VP for him, good media image, could crusade for Katrina relief--separating the ticket from Bush, BUT relatively unknown and inexperienced, adds nothing electorally, hasn't been vetted.
• Sen. George Voinovich of OH - Long executive and legislative experience, could be the only way for GOP to save the key swing state of Ohio, BUT nationally unknown, somewhat quirky in Senate.

Mayor Mike Makes Some Noise

Reports are circulating that New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is thinking about running as an independent for President of the United States. Someone needs to sit him down to contact John Lindsay from the grave (or for that matter, his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani).

Could he do it? One of the reasons that Governor Tom Vilsack withdrew from the presidential race (and endorsed Hillary Clinton) was that he didn't have enough money to sustain his candidacy. Mayor Mike? Not a problem, as Bloomberg currently sits at No. 142 on the Forbes list of the worlds richest people and is reportedly worth at least $5.5 billion. He is also not afraid to spend his money. In his recent reelection bid for Mayor, he spent $85 million against an opponent that was not likely to win anyway.

Who would he appeal to? Bloomberg used to be a Democrat, turning Republican late in life (perhaps it was all that money). So he could draw support from both parties to an independent candidacy.

What about those other people? The two main parties have the process locked up and third party candidacies very rarely get anywhere (see: Ralph Nader, Ross Perot). Bloomberg is publicly silent on the issue, but the idea is coming out from Bloomberg's media empire that he is considering it.

Unity08 was founded to help the "center" gain a voice and is planning to hold a "unity" primary to nominate a bipartisan ticket for the White House. The group was founded by several heavy hitters, including Hamilton Jordan, who served as President Jimmy Carter's Chief of Staff.

The question remains, one that Bloomberg himself is asking, can a "5-foot-7, divorced billionaire Jew running as an independent from New York possibly have a chance?"

For 2008, as we have already seen . . . All bets are off.