Karl Rove on selection of VP

[GroundedSailor]

Link

Rove: Obama Will Make Political Veep Pick
August 10, 2008 (CBS) Republican strategist Karl Rove said on Face The Nation Sunday that he expects presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama to choose a running mate based on political calculations, not the person's readiness for the job.

"I think he's going to make an intensely political choice, not a governing choice," Rove said. "He's going to view this through the prism of a candidate, not through the prism of president; that is to say, he's going to pick somebody that he thinks will on the margin help him in a state like Indiana or Missouri or Virginia. He's not going to be thinking big and broad about the responsibilities of president."

Rove singled out Virginia governor Tim Kaine, also a Face The Nation guest, as an example of such a pick.

"With all due respect again to Governor Kaine, he's been a governor for three years, he's been able but undistinguished," Rove said. "I don't think people could really name a big, important thing that he's done. He was mayor of the 105th largest city in America."

Rove continued: "So if he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, `You know what? I'm really not, first and foremost, concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States? What I'm concerned about is, can he bring me the electoral votes of the state of Virginia, the 13 electoral votes in Virginia?'"

Kaine, who is widely seen as one leading contenders to become Obama's running mate, said that the fact that Obama is competitive in his home state of Virginia is "basically astounding" since no Democrat has won there since 1964.

He said polls that show Obama with only a slight edge over rival John McCain nationally are not a cause for concern.

"We are feeling very, very good about where the senator is in the polls and we obviously expect as America - the American electorate turns their attentions even more to this race in connection with the conventions, we expect to do - to do quite well," Kaine said.

Kaine suggested that McCain's recent ads casting Obama as a celebrity are "out of touch with what the issues are."

"I mean, it was funny, but wearing a clown suit and juggling would be funny, too, but it doesn't connect with the concerns Americans have about gas prices, about the war, about the economy," he said. "So I think on things like that, shoot, I hope the McCain camp does more of those ads and we'll just let them do those ads."

He added that while Obama is running positive ads during the Olympics, "Senator McCain is running the same old negative, Karl Rove-style ads that we're all tired of."

Rove said the closeness in the polls between McCain and Obama is a signal that Americans are have concerns about the Illinois senator.

"With a restive electorate, with an economy that's sort of chugging along, with a war in the background, at the end of eight years of Republican rule in the White House, Obama should be way ahead," Rove said. "...the fact that he isn't says that there are grave doubts about Senator Obama."

Rove said Kaine's characterization of McCain's ads compared to Obama's was wrong.

"I would make the argument that part of the reason why Senator Obama is in the shape he is in today is because he's failed to run a positive campaign," said Rove. "He's run a negative campaign. He's claimed to be something new and different, and yet given these - you know, it is really beyond the pale to sit there and insinuate that Senator McCain is somehow going to attack him for being black, which is what he did for over a month."

They very idea of Obama choosing a VP whose experience has been 1) mayor of a town & 2) a few years as governor of state is, according to Rove. irresponsible and not thinking big. :laugh:

Wonder if the Obama campaign could just run that as a political ad? The irony would be hilarious.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Good catch, GS!!! I'd forgotten those comments from Bush's "architect".

 

[nageov3t]

Obama picking Kaine would have doubled down on his lack of experience... instead, he picked a candidate who balanced out the ticket... like McCain did by picking someone relatively young and with no real connections to Washington?

if experience really matters to you and you've got to ask yourself whether you'd rather have it in the guy in the oval office or the guy who's been shipped out to cut ribbons and go to state funerals, the answer seems easy.

 

[HomerJS]

Damn that was prophetic. Too bad he got the wrong candidate

So McCain picked someone just to get votes for the election. Doesn't sound like putting country first.

 

[OrByte]

ohh snap. Rove should not have said those things.

I'd like to hear what he has to say about Palin.

This goes back to what I said earlier. If McCain's campaign was a dam holding back water, then the selection of Palin just punch a couple of dozen holes right through it.

And the GOP media heads and leadership have been trying to plug those holes a thousand different ways, and they've been stepping on each others toes ever since.

what a true delight to watch.

And I am happy for the true conservatives, this is their chance to shake these neocon devils out of control of the party. I think McCain might actually be a better direction for the party.

It still wont mean he will be President. But I do think his "Maverick" ways will lead the party back to true conservative values, especially by highlighting such a convservative female as his Veep choice.

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: loki8481
Obama picking Kaine would have doubled down on his lack of experience... instead, he picked a candidate who balanced out the ticket... like McCain did by picking someone relatively young and with no real connections to Washington?

if experience really matters to you and you've got to ask yourself whether you'd rather have it in the guy in the oval office or the guy who's been shipped out to cut ribbons and go to state funerals, the answer seems easy.

Rove's comments went right over your head.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: loki8481
Obama picking Kaine would have doubled down on his lack of experienced... instead, he picked a candidate who balanced out the ticket... like McCain did by picking someone relatively young and with no real connections to Washington?

if experience really matters to you and you've got to ask yourself whether you'd rather have it in the guy in the oval office or the guy who's been shipped out to cut ribbons and go to state funerals, the answer seems easy.

Read Rove's comment again. He's not talking about "balance", he's talking about choosing a VP based on the ability to be President should the need arise, which is, at the end of the day, the most important part of being VP. Ticket balance is a politicians argument, because while it might appeal to voters, if the VP is ever called upon to be President, he or she will obviously NOT be able to call upon any traits that their running mate has.

Rove was being his usual Republican self, but he hit on what is, for me at least, a key point in this election. I'm not a big Biden or McCain fan, but I could see either of them serving well as President if McCain won or if Obama won and Biden had to step up for whatever reason. On the other hand, Palin is a strictly political choice, and while I dislike her politics, what concerns me more is that I think that she is in no way ready to fulfill the most important duty a VP has, potentially being called on to serve as President.

Edit: This is especially important given McCain's age. Do we really want his VP candidate to be someone chosen JUST for political reasons?

 

[GroundedSailor]

There's a video clip of Roves interview on the link I posted. Rove's remarks on this topic are at around the 6 minute mark.

 

[nageov3t]

I think that she is in no way ready to fulfill the most important duty a VP has

I think it's too early to tell... most of us here have only heard her speak once and only know what we've read about her on wikipedia.

there's plenty of time between now and October for her to prove her capabilities or fall on her face trying.

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: loki8481

I think that she is in no way ready to fulfill the most important duty a VP has

I think it's too early to tell... most of us here have only heard her speak once and only know what we've read about her on wikipedia.

there's plenty of time between now and October for her to prove her capabilities or fall on her face trying.

You seem eager to give her the chance to "prove her capabilities"

Are you just as eager...or should I say forgiving?....to give Obama the same chance?

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: OrByte

Originally posted by: loki8481

I think that she is in no way ready to fulfill the most important duty a VP has

I think it's too early to tell... most of us here have only heard her speak once and only know what we've read about her on wikipedia.

there's plenty of time between now and October for her to prove her capabilities or fall on her face trying.

You seem eager to give her the chance to "prove her capabilities"

Are you just as eager...or should I say forgiving?....to give Obama the same chance?

I'm pretty committed to voting for Obama, so I'd hope so

 

[Dari]

Wow, how prescient.:laugh:

 

[Lemon law]

In my mind, there is another thing that may or may not happen next week. Right now, and IMHO its not good for the larger Country in any way, but the GOP belongs to GWB&co. And while there may be no way to stop McCain from getting the nomination, there could be a floor or back room fight over Palin during the Republican convention. A way of reminding McCain that he better tow the GWB&co party line because he is just a temporary borrower of the GOP. Or alternately McCain and Palin could win such a fight if there is one. Meaning some legislation could start moving through congress.

Even if the GOP tries to keep such fights hidden, conventions are a traditional way to test relative clout, and such fights are hard to keep secret from the press. The GOP convention could prove interesting.

 

[quest55720]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
In my mind, there is another thing that may or may not happen next week. Right now, and IMHO its not good for the larger Country in any way, but the GOP belongs to GWB&co. And while there may be no way to stop McCain from getting the nomination, there could be a floor or back room fight over Palin during the Republican convention. A way of reminding McCain that he better tow the GWB&co party line because he is just a temporary borrower of the GOP. Or alternately McCain and Palin could win such a fight if there is one. Meaning some legislation could start moving through congress.

Even if the GOP tries to keep such fights hidden, conventions are a traditional way to test relative clout, and such fights are hard to keep secret from the press. The GOP convention could prove interesting.

You are insane there will be no fighting over palin at the convention. The republicans love the pick as she is to them a true conservative. They are going to be energized and ready to go next week. I don't know where you get this back room fighting crap over her.

 

[winnar111]

Originally posted by: HomerJS
Damn that was prophetic. Too bad he got the wrong candidate

So McCain picked someone just to get votes for the election. Doesn't sound like putting country first.

The Democratic superdelegates putting up a greenhorn like Obama certainly didn't put country first.

 

[ProfJohn]

It will be interesting to see what he says about Palin based on these remarks.

He does a weekly column so I am sure we will hear what he thinks about both picks.

 

[Zedtom]

Rove didn't become the person he is by analyzing his statements in retrospect. He does have the intellect to see things differently than you and me. I imagine that he would laugh if you called him prescient.

 

[Throckmorton]

And considering everyone hates Karl Rove, how does this hurt McCain?

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
And considering everyone hates Karl Rove, how does this hurt McCain?

Faux News still loves old Turd Blossom!

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: loki8481

I think that she is in no way ready to fulfill the most important duty a VP has

I think it's too early to tell... most of us here have only heard her speak once and only know what we've read about her on wikipedia.

there's plenty of time between now and October for her to prove her capabilities or fall on her face trying.

You could be right, and you're certainly right that we haven't heard very much of her so far. But first impressions can be a good indicator of what a person is like, and my first impression of Palin wasn't all that great. Although I admit that my view may be somewhat colored by the fact that I think Republicans picked her for all the wrong reasons. That doesn't mean she CAN'T be a good VP, but like I said, it doesn't make a great first impression.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: loki8481
Obama picking Kaine would have doubled down on his lack of experience... instead, he picked a candidate who balanced out the ticket... like McCain did by picking someone relatively young and with no real connections to Washington?

if experience really matters to you and you've got to ask yourself whether you'd rather have it in the guy in the oval office or the guy who's been shipped out to cut ribbons and go to state funerals, the answer seems easy.

'experience doesn't matter unless you are a democratic in which case it isn't 'real''

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: winnar111

Originally posted by: HomerJS
Damn that was prophetic. Too bad he got the wrong candidate

So McCain picked someone just to get votes for the election. Doesn't sound like putting country first.

The Democratic superdelegates putting up a greenhorn like Obama certainly didn't put country first.

i still don't get how obama is a greenhorn. someone explain pls.

 

[winnar111]

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: winnar111

Originally posted by: HomerJS
Damn that was prophetic. Too bad he got the wrong candidate

So McCain picked someone just to get votes for the election. Doesn't sound like putting country first.

The Democratic superdelegates putting up a greenhorn like Obama certainly didn't put country first.

i still don't get how obama is a greenhorn. someone explain pls.

http://leewilsonsblog.blogspot...ma-himself-say-he.html

 

[TechAZ]

Wait, is Rove a lying crook or is he correct in all his observations? Didn't realize we could take 2 positions at the same time here.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: TechAZ
Wait, is Rove a lying crook or is he correct in all his observations? Didn't realize we could take 2 positions at the same time here.

What kind of silly argument is that...why does he have to be one or the other? Even a broken clock is right at least twice a day, but the real notable thing here is that Rove made a strong statement about Obama doing something that McCain ended up doing, and Rove will now presumably weasel out of it.