Obama’s Running Mate

The talk of an Obama/Clinton ticket just won’t shut up. Let me break it down as I see it:

If you remove just one of these would-never-vote-for categories, I believe that Obama can win against McCain. By choosing a male running mate, Obama would eliminate two of these categories, but that would leave many supporters of Hilary Clinton disgruntled. Choosing a woman would help keep peace among the Democrats, and would also help salvage some of the “swing” voters who like the idea of voting for a woman, but aren’t completely comfortable with Obama.

The person on my mind is Janet Napolitano, the governor of Arizona. Would she, could she, run with Obama?

As is customary on the Web, I sought out articles in support of the proposition, and ignored any with a contrary position. I found this article by Ed Tubbs: And the Democratic ticket is . . .

In Tubbs’ analysis, McCain must also select a woman as a running mate, or risk confirming that the GOP truly is what many believe: the party of “rich white country-clubbing men.” I think I agree with his logic. Tubbs even predicts McCain’s choice for veep will be Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska.

The [Democratic] party is suffuse with highly qualified, double-X chromosomed members; representatives, senators, and governors. So it’s got to be just the right one; not too liberal, and one with “executive” experience to balance that which Senator Obama lacks, and from a state and region the party must carry, if they’ve a hope of winning.

Arizona’s Governor Napolitano meets every imaginable criterion, demographic and résumé based. A former no nonsense prosecutor, she’s articulate, mentally sharp and the fact she is not—as is Sarah Palin—a former beauty queen, her presence and responses on the debate stage will bring home to the American electorate and disappointed Hillary supporters precisely why she won every county in a state that no Democrat should have won. Say it again, aloud this time, “every county” in a very red state.

What Tubbs doesn’t address is what would become of Arizona, which has no office of Lieutenant Governor. The governorship would fall to Republican Jan Brewer, the current Secretary of State. If there’s a reason that Napolitano isn’t on Obama’s short list, that must be it.