Veepstakes: Jindal meeting canceled
Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 6:50 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
THE SHORT LIST. Per Adam Aigner-Treworgy,
McCain was asked his feelings on Gov. Tim
Pawlenty (R-MN). “He’s a great, fine person. Reelected in one of the toughest reelection years in the history of the Republican Party. He comes from a -- his father I am pretty sure -- drove a truck. He has pretty successfully been able to work across the aisle in Minnesota with the Democrats. And I think he is, he, Bobby
Jindal and a number of governors, I think are the future of the Republican party. The next generation of leadership.”
Earlier today, McCain mentioned his “
beloved friend” Tom
Ridge at a Pennsylvania fundraiser today, adding: “I think he’s one of the ideal Americans that I have ever known.”
VIDEO: Former New York City mayor and one-time presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani joins Hardball's Chris Matthews to talk about John McCain's V.P. search and Barack Obama's overseas trip.Jeff Sadosky, a McCain aide, said
predictions of rough weather Wednesday night, including strong thunderstorms, led the campaign to cancel the McCain trip to New Orleans. McCain’s camp says they’ll reschedule the meeting with Jindal.
Marc Ambinder offers some details on McCain’s veep preparations, with a full time staff dedicated to the eventual pick. He also downplays McCain’s mention of Pawlenty in a meeting with NH supporters, and reports that
Romney supporters are suggesting he make his pick sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile,
Bob Novak updates his take on VP: “The identity of McCain's running mate, whenever he is named, still is unknown. But former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney now leads all speculation. He is getting a boost from private polls that show his presence on the ticket puts McCain ahead in Michigan -- changing that state from Blue to Red.”
ON THE RECORD. Fox News takes Jindal at his word when he says he’s not going to be VP. “Let me be clear: I have said in every private and public conversation, I’ve got the job that I want. And I’ll say again on air: I’m not going to be the vice presidential nominee or vice president. I’m going to help Senator McCain get elected, as governor of Louisiana,” he said this morning.
Talking about the importance of Pennsylvania, Rudy Giuliani said on “Hardball”: “I think Tom Ridge is a very strong candidate.”
WHAT THEY’RE UP TO. Mike Allen reports that McCain had a private breakfast with Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) in the Hamptons this weekend.
Mike Huckabee, who is traveling with Cindy McCain apparently had his own airline mishap yesterday in Rwanda.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is expected to return from the Middle East tonight.
Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) touted Obama at her weekly press briefing. “When you think about it, when Clinton became president in 1992, he had less experience than Obama has,” she said. “Some would say that, when George W. Bush came into the presidency, he didn't have much foreign policy experience, either. And he surrounded himself with people who had tons of experience, and look at what's happened over the last seven years."
Joe Biden’s staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was on Obama’s Mideast trip.
Michael Bloomberg will speak at the Independence Party of Minnesota’s fundraiser.
Hillary Clinton stood right behind Pres. Bush as he signed a legislation on 911 services.
There will be a fundraiser for Obama and Clinton’s behalf this week in Wisconsin.
John Edwards’ poverty crusade continued in Houston today.
An LA Times blog, meanwhile, looks at the National Enquirer rumors. Per Drudge, Edwards has responded: “I don't talk about these tabloids. Tabloid trash is full of lies.”
BUZZ METER. Reuters takes a big picture look at the veepstakes, and finds that both sides have succeeded in keeping things out of the headlines.
Newt Gingrich doesn’t want any more boring white guys, and would like either Jindal or Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK).
Michigan Democrats have a new Web ad attacking Mitt Romney’s record on jobs in Massachusetts. The tag line: “John McCain might trust him on the economy. But you can’t afford to.”
The Louisiana GOP releases a poll today promoting Jindal’s popularity in the state.
Former Rep. Vin Weber (R-MN) says the names he keeps hearing are Romney, Jindal and Pawlenty.
ObamaBayh08.com, which once redirected to Obama’s Web site, now redirects to the DNC Web site. The Obama camp said the domain isn’t controlled by the campaign. Yes. That’s what this has come to.
VEEP VETTING. Wall Street Journal reminds that McCain once said his party wouldn’t tolerate a pro-choice VP.
Today’s hearings on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” could provide a “delicate moment” not only for Obama, but possible running mate Sam Nunn.
The mini-scandal for Sarah Palin continues as her pick for state Public Safety commissioner denies harassment allegations. She released another public statement to debunk what she calls the “latest falsehoods.”
CHATTERING CLASS. Chris Cillizza now makes the case against Evan Bayh: that he either is committed to bipartisanship or “a sign that he doesn't believe in much of anything”; his selection might be seen as a slap at the liberal left; he may be too safe; he is on the record bashing Obama as a former HRC surrogate.
Wall Street Journal online also profiles the Indiana senator, and wonders: “Would picking Bayh as No. 2 undercut Obama’s message of a new political era, or would it be the best way to consolidate the Democratic Party without Clinton herself on the ballot?”
National Review’s Geraghty thinks Carly Fiorina will be on the final list, pointing to her work as a surrogate, unique business experience, outsider status, and appeal to HRC backers. Says she’s been vetted from her years in business world.
