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McCain's War Room On Target with VP Announcement: Democrat Convention or Reruns of Law and Order?
Report just out indicating McCain has picked his VP and will announce on Friday. Really good timing since Obama and the Democrats decided to play it safe and skip the roll call vote for "historic" nomination by acclamation from an "adoring" crowd [ed...could this writer get any more sappy?]. I call it "safe" because they did it at four something in the afternoon when, even somewhere back on the East Coast, two hours ahead, very few people would be watching the convention yet and the evening news would be over. That, my friends, is a sign of fear. The DNC and Obama campaign was not sure exactly what would happen if they left it to a roll call. The DNC did not want even a possibility of any left over mourning for a lost Hillary presidential bid. Better to hide it within the folds than to tempt fate.
That is where McCain's announcement comes in. At the Democrat Convention, tonight is the party for some and the let down for others. There was no long build up of momentum and joy where everyone goes back to the hotels happy and barely able to sleep waiting for that final speech. There are likely a lot of delegates who don't see Obama's nomination by acclamation as "historic", but, instead, feel like they were stiffed. Probably a lot of viewers, too, who were waiting to see if anything "interesting" happened at the convention with the rumors about the Clintons and their potential luke warm hand over of the DNC to Obama.
Are they going to tune into see Obama's speech now with the let down? And, while some news media is gushing all over the nomination, the major networks are probably thinking they just got stiffed, too. What are they going to show now? Long, panning shots of convention goers with long winded commentators in the middle of prime time? Guess what's happening with those remote controls right about 8pm?
*Click* Reruns of Law and Order.
The corporations who bought advertisement in those prime time time slots are probably kicking themselves while the early birds are thinking they just got a steal.
McCain's campaign announcement regarding the VP pick was timed perfectly. Somebody at McCain headquarters was paying attention. The media pundits are only going to be able to regurgitate "historic proclamation" and "Bill and Hillary" so many times. They'll be chewing over McCain's announcement tonight and tomorrow morning, chipping away a little from Obama's "historic" speech as they attempt to contrast, compare and ferret out McCain's choice.
His campaign, per the media, has been extremely mum on the subject since floating several potential choices the last few weeks and causing some serious interest among the conservative base who had been rather lack luster on McCain's candidacy. Even floating Joe Lieberman and talking about "pro-choice" candidates for VP, getting the conservative base riled up a bit and chipping away at potential Hillary supporters, was actually good politics because everybody is talking about it even if its because they dislike the choices.
As they say in Hollywood, even bad publicity is sometimes good publicity. Considering that McCain is up against the latest Hollywood offering, its not a bad stance to take when faced with a hostile media.
So, who are the possibilities? Everybody is talking Pawlenty, Romney and even Palin. One name that mysteriously appears out of nowhere on the 27th is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas), she of the three names (hint, hint). She can actually wear a cowboy hat with a suit and look natural doing it. The pundits are lukewarm on her, too, and spent a lot of time mentioning that she is a "she", but isn't particularly articulate; one of McCain's potential downsides against Obama and Biden. They do mention her many years in the Senate that, in reality, out does Hillary and Obama put together, but is a little less than Biden.
The pundits think that Hutchinson's place as a key note speaker on energy at the convention, along with a few other future scheduled Texas campaign gigs, puts her out of the running, but I wouldn't bet on that totally. Further, these pundits seem to miss some of the other potential benefits she would bring to the VP slot.
First, her selection as the key note speaker on energy is spot on since she's a senator from Texas and everyone associates Texas with "oil". Of course, the Democrats are going to try to play on that association one way or the other, but Huthinson has some chops on this subject. According to her website, she sponsored a 50% tax credit for refineries that increase their capacity by 5% day over day. She recently worked with Kit Bond, (R-Missouri - YES!) to twist the Department of Treasury's arm to get the new tax regulations fleshed out and was pressing the Democrats to address offshore drilling through the recent Department of Interior bill that was sidelined by the congressional recess. Finally, on the energy score, she is well rounded in suggesting proven, alternate energy like nuclear power. Texas is about to be the first state to build a new nuclear energy plant in the last 30 years. She would put the icing on McCain's "everything, but the kitchen sink" energy plan and re-enforce the separation between Obama's "air up your tires and tune up your cars" plan.
Second, she would shore up McCain's lackluster immigration image while still maintaining some gravitas with the Hispanic voters. McCain was a supporter of Bush's plan on immigration and then came around on "border security first". However, he also tried to play it with the Hispanic voters and didn't get much traction with either the immigration and security crowd or the Hispanic voters because neither feel like they can trust McCain on the issue.
Hutchinson, on the other hand, has both credentials sown up. She's acknowledged that the Texas population is set to become largely Hispanic in the next twenty years and that the poor performance of Hispanic students is detrimental to both the Texas economy and the Hispanic work force that is earning far less over their lifetime than any others. To that, she's pushed a number of initiatives to improve High School performance and cater to the Hispanic populations including outreach for college.
At the same time, she's pushing immigration reform, border security and guest worker passes, but worked to strip amnesty out of those bills insisting illegal aliens have to return to their home countries to start the process for citizenship. She's been selling it to her constituents as security from crimes and safe guarding jobs and the Texas economy. South Texas by the Mexican border is on the front of the "war on drugs" and various other criminal activities that often turn violent.
Another plus is that Texas' economy is booming since NAFTA was signed into being and is one of the reasons that people are moving to Texas from north and south of the border. Even with the slight downturn in the economy, Texas unemployment is still below the national average with new industries like wireless broad band adding jobs and value for corporations. She might be able to target such places as Ohio where NAFTA was blamed by Obama and Clinton for the down turn in jobs and economy. She might be able to turn it into "what we did for Texas, we can do for you".
Of course, she's strong on defense serving with McCain on the national appropriations committee for the military. Then there is that whole "candidate from Texas" thing that has, for the last several national campaigns, solidified the mid-west bellwether and swing states to straight republican.
Finally, she's a woman, as they note, and maybe able to mix it up Biden and Obama on the diversity factor and gather up remaining Hillary supporters.
In the end, whatever the issue is with Hutchinson, the reader will kindly keep in mind that the campaign is suggesting a "pro-choice" candidate and Giuliani has not been invited to speak at the convention as a key note speaker. Which, sometimes indicates a potential selection for some other important position.
On a last note, driving into work this morning, Talk Radio 980 made a seeming slip up while talking about the secrecy of the McCain selection. One commenter said (paraphrasing) "It would seem that even she has not been notified yet."
That is where McCain's announcement comes in. At the Democrat Convention, tonight is the party for some and the let down for others. There was no long build up of momentum and joy where everyone goes back to the hotels happy and barely able to sleep waiting for that final speech. There are likely a lot of delegates who don't see Obama's nomination by acclamation as "historic", but, instead, feel like they were stiffed. Probably a lot of viewers, too, who were waiting to see if anything "interesting" happened at the convention with the rumors about the Clintons and their potential luke warm hand over of the DNC to Obama.
Are they going to tune into see Obama's speech now with the let down? And, while some news media is gushing all over the nomination, the major networks are probably thinking they just got stiffed, too. What are they going to show now? Long, panning shots of convention goers with long winded commentators in the middle of prime time? Guess what's happening with those remote controls right about 8pm?
*Click* Reruns of Law and Order.
The corporations who bought advertisement in those prime time time slots are probably kicking themselves while the early birds are thinking they just got a steal.
McCain's campaign announcement regarding the VP pick was timed perfectly. Somebody at McCain headquarters was paying attention. The media pundits are only going to be able to regurgitate "historic proclamation" and "Bill and Hillary" so many times. They'll be chewing over McCain's announcement tonight and tomorrow morning, chipping away a little from Obama's "historic" speech as they attempt to contrast, compare and ferret out McCain's choice.
His campaign, per the media, has been extremely mum on the subject since floating several potential choices the last few weeks and causing some serious interest among the conservative base who had been rather lack luster on McCain's candidacy. Even floating Joe Lieberman and talking about "pro-choice" candidates for VP, getting the conservative base riled up a bit and chipping away at potential Hillary supporters, was actually good politics because everybody is talking about it even if its because they dislike the choices.
As they say in Hollywood, even bad publicity is sometimes good publicity. Considering that McCain is up against the latest Hollywood offering, its not a bad stance to take when faced with a hostile media.
So, who are the possibilities? Everybody is talking Pawlenty, Romney and even Palin. One name that mysteriously appears out of nowhere on the 27th is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas), she of the three names (hint, hint). She can actually wear a cowboy hat with a suit and look natural doing it. The pundits are lukewarm on her, too, and spent a lot of time mentioning that she is a "she", but isn't particularly articulate; one of McCain's potential downsides against Obama and Biden. They do mention her many years in the Senate that, in reality, out does Hillary and Obama put together, but is a little less than Biden.
The pundits think that Hutchinson's place as a key note speaker on energy at the convention, along with a few other future scheduled Texas campaign gigs, puts her out of the running, but I wouldn't bet on that totally. Further, these pundits seem to miss some of the other potential benefits she would bring to the VP slot.
First, her selection as the key note speaker on energy is spot on since she's a senator from Texas and everyone associates Texas with "oil". Of course, the Democrats are going to try to play on that association one way or the other, but Huthinson has some chops on this subject. According to her website, she sponsored a 50% tax credit for refineries that increase their capacity by 5% day over day. She recently worked with Kit Bond, (R-Missouri - YES!) to twist the Department of Treasury's arm to get the new tax regulations fleshed out and was pressing the Democrats to address offshore drilling through the recent Department of Interior bill that was sidelined by the congressional recess. Finally, on the energy score, she is well rounded in suggesting proven, alternate energy like nuclear power. Texas is about to be the first state to build a new nuclear energy plant in the last 30 years. She would put the icing on McCain's "everything, but the kitchen sink" energy plan and re-enforce the separation between Obama's "air up your tires and tune up your cars" plan.
Second, she would shore up McCain's lackluster immigration image while still maintaining some gravitas with the Hispanic voters. McCain was a supporter of Bush's plan on immigration and then came around on "border security first". However, he also tried to play it with the Hispanic voters and didn't get much traction with either the immigration and security crowd or the Hispanic voters because neither feel like they can trust McCain on the issue.
Hutchinson, on the other hand, has both credentials sown up. She's acknowledged that the Texas population is set to become largely Hispanic in the next twenty years and that the poor performance of Hispanic students is detrimental to both the Texas economy and the Hispanic work force that is earning far less over their lifetime than any others. To that, she's pushed a number of initiatives to improve High School performance and cater to the Hispanic populations including outreach for college.
At the same time, she's pushing immigration reform, border security and guest worker passes, but worked to strip amnesty out of those bills insisting illegal aliens have to return to their home countries to start the process for citizenship. She's been selling it to her constituents as security from crimes and safe guarding jobs and the Texas economy. South Texas by the Mexican border is on the front of the "war on drugs" and various other criminal activities that often turn violent.
Another plus is that Texas' economy is booming since NAFTA was signed into being and is one of the reasons that people are moving to Texas from north and south of the border. Even with the slight downturn in the economy, Texas unemployment is still below the national average with new industries like wireless broad band adding jobs and value for corporations. She might be able to target such places as Ohio where NAFTA was blamed by Obama and Clinton for the down turn in jobs and economy. She might be able to turn it into "what we did for Texas, we can do for you".
Of course, she's strong on defense serving with McCain on the national appropriations committee for the military. Then there is that whole "candidate from Texas" thing that has, for the last several national campaigns, solidified the mid-west bellwether and swing states to straight republican.
Finally, she's a woman, as they note, and maybe able to mix it up Biden and Obama on the diversity factor and gather up remaining Hillary supporters.
In the end, whatever the issue is with Hutchinson, the reader will kindly keep in mind that the campaign is suggesting a "pro-choice" candidate and Giuliani has not been invited to speak at the convention as a key note speaker. Which, sometimes indicates a potential selection for some other important position.
On a last note, driving into work this morning, Talk Radio 980 made a seeming slip up while talking about the secrecy of the McCain selection. One commenter said (paraphrasing) "It would seem that even she has not been notified yet."
No, really. I'm a bit of a political junky, and I've never heard of this woman before.
Just checked out her Wiki page, and ... ennnh. I don't see anything for which she would be considered notable. Hell, she's already finked out on her two-term limit pledge.
Vodkapundit says it's Eric Cantor, who is even less preposessing. On the other hand, someone over there mentioned John Kasich. Kasich at least has 9 congressional terms under his belt, was considered a possibility for the GOP in 2008, and has been considered a contender for the Ohio Governor's race in 2010. He was deeply involved with budget work while he was in the House, and even managed to work across the aisle.
I know, I'm from Ohio, so I'm prejudiced {g} but consider the alternatives. Romney the Republican-Obama, Pawlenty the mediocre. Pawlenty, in fact, barely carried his state in 2006 by a margin of 21,000 votes (1,028,568 vs. 1,007, 460).
I can't believe you've never heard of Kay Bailey Hutchinson.
The "star" of the GOP cornvention is likely to be Hurricane Gustav. Sorry about that, sportz fans, but if a Cat 3 blow hits ANYWHERE on the Gulf Coast, it will overshadow McCain's show, the MSM will see to that.
Not lookin' good, troops.
If it's bad, I recommend transforming it into some sort of fund raiser/campaign.