<p>Alright, I need an argument settled. Some of my friends have raised the possibility of a McCain/Rice ticket. I say absolutely 100% impossible. Two reasons I cited:</p>
<li>It would cause too much unrest among conservative Christians and weaken the GOP.</li>
<li>I don’t see McCain associating himself with anyone from the Bush administration regardless of Rice’s qualifications.</li>
</ol>
<p>Furthermore, they seem to think that a McCain/Rice ticket is more likely than an Obama/Clinton ticket. Agree or disagree?</p>
<p>I doubt he’d want Madame ‘We Don’t Rendition’ Mendaciousness on the ticket, and the fact that she may still be in the closet has nothing to do with it.</p>
<p>I doubt Condi comes anywhere near McCain’s short list for VP. Plus, she has stated over and over that she has no interest in running for public office. It ain’t happenin’, so stop panicking.</p>
<p>I think it would be great. That way, when black voters overwhelmingly vote for Obama, naysayers wouldn’t be able to say it was just because he is black.</p>
<p>Honestly, though, I don’t see it happening. Who would be attracted by such a choice?</p>
<p>Better than a “Losers R Us” ticket which would be Obama & anyone else.</p>
<p>Lose the election or lose the war -that’s the dilemma facing Obama supporters.</p>
<hr>
<p>Name ONE example when Obama has actually shown an ounce of real LEADERSHIP.</p>
<ul>
<li>Not when he voted “present” on legislative bills & avoided actually taking a stand.</li>
<li>Not when he sat in a church pew for 20 yrs. just to establish connections which would further his political aspirations (disagreeing w/ Wright or agreeing w/ him? We don’t really know).</li>
<li>How long did it take him to speak out against Rev. Wright? Did he think he’d be able to “have it both ways” and avoid having to stand against the philosphies of Wright & all his followers?</li>
<li>Was he showing “leadership” when he said wearing a flag pin wasn’t real patriotism? Oh that’s right, when confronted about it, he then started wearing one - I would’ve respected him more if he had stuck to his guns.</li>
</ul>
<p>That is just a couple of examples where Obama has shown the OPPOSITE OF LEADERSHIP. He’s not just weak, he’s impotent!</p>
<p>Surely I don’t have to enumerate all the myriad of examples when McCain has shown true leadership. Just the one example of his FIVE YEARS as a POW refusing to go home precisely because of the bad example it would set for his fellow prisoners is enough to show his STRENGTH as a leader. Yet there is a long history of McCain showing good judgement, rational pragmatism, strength of character & ability to actually accomplish something in government. </p>
<p>Since entering the crucible of leadership schools (USNA) at age 17, McCain has been educated, trained, versed, & grilled in the principles of LEADERSHIP - and then, unlike Obama, he has actually DEMONSTRATED command of those principles. </p>
<p>The choice is clear. These are challenging times - vote for someone who is up to the challenge.</p>
<p>I agree. To me, the most impressive example of McCain’s leadership was bucking his entire party during a Presidential campaign staying firm in his belief that torture is wrong and the United States should have no part of it.</p>
<p>I disagree with him on many issues, but have no trouble voting for him, based solely on his experience and leadership.</p>
<p>id - I have my disagreements w/ McCain too, but I have the utmost confidence in his leadership abilities and being able to handle the incredible amount of responsibility involved in the job of POTUS.</p>
<p>Man, that’s a lot of pressure! Not many are up to the job, but McCain has certainly been around long enough to fully understand WHAT will be expected of him & HOW to fulfill those obligations.</p>
<p>^ Interesting that you were such a staunch supporter of Hillary, yet are not now supporting the candidate that she endorses, and the candidate whose policy statements are very similar to her own. :o</p>
<p>I think it’s really funny people keep talking about unrest from the conservatives. What are they going to do? Jump over a more moderate republican to vote for a very liberal democrat? Likely not. Not vote and virtually assure the democrats a victory? Likely not. Like it or not they will vote for McCain and whoever his running mate is…anyone short of satan himself. </p>
<p>I think it is much more likely that the Hillary-ites would jump to McCain since he is a bit more moderate and has some liberal leanings. I still don’t see a lot of that happening. Let’s face it a few things are at play here:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>We no longer vote for a candiate and their agenda. We vote for the party they belong to. A candidate can’t stray from the party line and get elected. If there was a democratic candidate who was anti-abortion or pro death penalty he wouldn’t get the nomination…so they would have to suck it up and go with the party line. Same thing with the republicans.</p></li>
<li><p>As always there will be the 40% on each side of the aisle that each candidate will get…maybe even 45%. The ones actually doing the electing are the 15-20% of undecideds. No candidate ever gets more than about 55% of the vote anymore.</p></li>
<li><p>To me the republicans choosing Rice would be pure pandering and political grandstanding. “Look, we put a minority on the ticket too…only we put a black female!”. </p></li>
<li><p>The GOP needs to go with someone who has electability in the 2012 election. McCain is clearly a 1 and done candidate (probably a positive in a lot cases). My money is on Rob Portman from OH.</p></li>
<li><p>It’s more of a vote for who you don’t want than who you do. Lesser of all evils.</p></li>
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<p>In the interest of full disclosure I am a republican with more liberitarian leanings. Somewhat socially liberal but fiscally conservative. I have a problem voting democratic for the simple fact that, as a party, they can’t get out of their own way. I would have loved it last election if they had given a viable option to GW but unfortunatley they did what they always do…nominate the most liberal candidate they can find. One of these days they’ll figure out how to get a candidate elected. Their ineptitude has allowed the GOP to run hard-liners. The GOP adapts better…look at McCain. Probably the most moderate republican candidate in the last 30 years. I would really like to see the dems give a less liberal candidate. Then they would clean up.</p>
<p>1) My number one criteria for a President is experience and the national security chops to be commander-in-chief. I would never vote for someone barely out of the state senate.</p>
<p>2) It suits my interests to use my vote to weaken the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates for office, which is what I intend to do in every national and downticket race in November.</p>