And you thought when Senator Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president that the infighting in both parties would finally be over. Well, the joke is on all of us because there are still some things that need to be decided, namely: who are our Vice Presidential candidates?
As of yet, neither candidate has picked a running mate and whomever each chooses is going to be in for quite a fight.
Pre-Al Gore, the Vice President didn’t seem to do much. Sure they had a vote in the Senate, but that was only if there was a tie. The Vice President got the far smaller house, and you almost never heard about his opinions on policy. For all intents and purposes, the vice presidency took on an air of “figurehead” not “important governmental leader.”
That all changed with Al Gore and still further with Dick Cheney. Now what the vice president says really matters and not just because one candidate is really old and the other is incredibly controversial. The vice presidency once again has become important to the people of our country, and choosing the right running mate is what could win or cost either candidate a win in November.
Rumors abound as to who made the short lists of each candidate. There are still people screaming for Hilary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice and still others who seem to think that any southerner will do.
With the vetting process being so “thorough” is there anyone who could make the cut? People expect their vice president to both contrast and be best friends with the presidential candidate. He or she needs to be able to do the president’s job should the worst happen, have a ton of experience, and bring a new voice to the hill.
Does anyone fit that bill?
