Veepstakes: Who does No. 2 work for?
Posted: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 9:20 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
2008
Compiled by NBC/NJ’s Mike Memoli: Giuliani “set out to defend” John McCain’s readiness to be president, but “ended up saying the presumptive nominee is second-best -- to himself.” “I thought I was best qualified, but I thought John was No. 2," Giuliani told CNN.
AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) called legislators for a special session on a gas pipeline.
VIDEO: A Hardball panel discusses the possible candidates for Barack Obama and John McCain to pick as their running mates.
KS Gov. Kathleen Sebelius tells
The Hill that talk of her as VP “reflects well on the work I’ve been trying to do over the last years.” She said she backed Obama early because of “his ability and willingness to reach across party lines.” “He believes as I do that good ideas don’t come with party labels,” Sebelius said. She also disputes that Obama has to pick a woman. “I think that once women focus clearly on the choice at hand … it will be very clear to women across America,” Sebelius said.
Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX) is
still being asked about VP at home. He said he "cannot imagine that many Americans would not consider it a privilege" to be asked.
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)
gets the question at home. "I'm really not in the business of answering hypotheticals like that," he answers.
A GOP strategist says that former Rep. Dick Gephardt (D) is who the party “is
most afraid of.” But Gephardt aides say it’s unlikely.
Offering advice, former VP Dan Quayle said it is important that a prospective running mate be qualified, have a “comfortable” relationship with the candidate, and be someone who could “try to unify the party.” “I think he will select somebody who will take care of the base because John McCain is viewed as more independent,” Quayle said.
John McCain said he was “
outraged” that Obama voted against Sam Alito. But “he seemed a lot less concerned” that Joe Lieberman opposed him as well.
The
Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza makes the case for Mitt Romney, focusing first on his economic credentials, as well as his personal wealth and fundraising potential.
That must be some cheeseburger, NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann points out. At one point, North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley was considered a long-shot veep pick. Here's a window into why many Carolina insiders perhaps scoffed at the notion... The Raleigh press corps is having a good laugh over Easley's comment yesterday that the dollar is so weak in Europe that, "Let's be honest about it, a cheeseburger and onion rings is $60 over there." (Apparently it's closer to $10 in Euros.)
