David Boren

[MH1]

Anyone else see him on Hairballz and wonder if he might be a stealth veep pick?

He's very well spoken, and while he might not put his home state in play (OK), a veep from a bright red state would be a finger in the eye to the republicans, no?

Perhaps I'm crazy, but I don't think the eventual pick will necessarily come from the leaked names.

Anyone know anything about Boren that would rule him out?

[u2spirit]

1. Lots of gay rumors

I live here and there have been rumorsfor years about secret boyfriends. He's also incredibly milquetoast and conservative. He's like Nunn in almost every way.

[MH1]

4. Ah, okay

he seemed to survive the rumours as governor of OK, but running on the national stage is a whole new game.

I don't know much about him except that he has been pushing the "end the partisanship" meme pretty hard. I just saw him on Tweety and thought he presented himself very well for Mr and Mrs Average American.

[rhyden77]

10. Boren

I've lived in Oklahoma all my life and I too have hear the rumors about a secret gay lifestyle.

[Me.]

2. His Son Won't Endorse Obama

"
David Boren on his son: a 'puzzling' Barack Obama stance*

Father's Day may have come early for John McCain, but in the Boren family of Oklahoma, they may just want to let it pass without notice.

Rep. Dan Boren, a two-term Democrat, made a splash earlier this week with his announcement that although he would be voting for his party's presumptive presidential nominee, he was not endorsing Barack Obama.

The Boren formulation struck many as odd ... including, it turns out, his father, a legendary political figure in the Sooner State who is president of the University of Oklahoma.

David Boren, a former governor and U.S. senator who chatted Friday with Chicago-based talk radio host Roland Martin, had this to say about his 34-year-old son: "I have to say I’m puzzled about how much thinking he put into that before he said it. I think he’ll probably be saying some other things."

The elder Boren, 67, continued: “He did say he was going to vote for Barack Obama. He just made the puzzling statement he wasn’t gong to endorse him. Well, when you say publicly you’re voting for somebody I think that means you’re supporting them."

A classic case of father knowing best."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/

[MH1]

6. That's right, I'd forgotten that.

but I don't think it matters much.

But it seems there may be other reasons Boren will continue as President of University of OK for awhile yet.

[Me.]

8. It Would Matter

if he was the veep choice and the rethuglicans did a video of his son and an ad saying even the man's son, a dem, can't support Obama.

[DarthDem]

3. Voted to Confirm Clarence

One of the 11, I think it was, despicable sellouts who went against party lines and sent that cretin to his lifetime post on SCOTUS. That ought to be an automatic disqualifier. Also, he's not the shed's sharpest tool. And as you pointed out, he brings nothing to the table electorally. He isn't particularly strong on foreign policy, either. There are much better choices, I think.

[MH1]

5. Excellent point, about Thomas.

But I don't know if I agree that "he brings nothing to the table electorally". He may not swing OK but he can possibly influence neighboring states.

[DarthDem]

9. Thanks

I'll never forgive him for that . . . I can't see why Barack would either. As for the electoral help, I don't know. Edwards was supposed to help in "other states" even though the better (and quite correct) view assumed that he would do nothing in NC - - but I don't think JE had any impact whatsoever, anywhere.

Since many of Boren's non-progressive policies are repugnant, I'd prefer someone who can actually deliver a state. The comparison to Nunn elsewhere on this thread is dead on. Why, Silent Sam even voted to confirm Clarence too. I really, really hope Barack isn't considering these sorts of characters.

[democrat2thecore]

11. Several things....

He isn't particularly strong on foreign policy, either.

Well, that's not true at all. He's considered one of our "stars" on foreign policy. He was the longest serving chairman ever of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He also surprised a lot of people when he voted AGAINST the first Gulf War. He also opposed the invasion of Iraq. You mentioned his vote for Thomas....maybe you don't remember the hoopla over his op-ed he wrote for the New York Times which was basically a public mea culpa and said he regretted the vote for Thomas very much.

ON EDIT: Though, with that said, he's got too many things in the closet to be VEEP. Piece of trivia I heard once from Hamilton Jordan who was co-manager of the Ross Perot campaign in '92: He was actually Ross Perot's choice as a running mate in 1992. (Boren was even then talking about unity and the dangers of divisive political partisanship). It was the gay rumors that led him to select Admiral James Stockdale instead.

[MH1]

12. I saw that vote against Gulf War I

in the wikipedia article.

Although it didn't turn into the debacle that Bush II has caused with Gulf War II, there was something amiss with the way Gulf War I went down, as well. Current conventional wisdom still says that was a "good war" though, so Boren's vote probably isn't a plus with the middle-of-the-road crowd. It's a plus with me though - I suspect he does know his foreign policy very well, and will be an asset to the Obama team in an advisory capacity.

edit to repair mangled spelling.

[democrat2thecore]

13. I edited mine too with something interesting. -nt

[Captain Hilts]

7. He used to have the WORST hair in the senate. Weird color and weird style.

And, he is very much a Sam Nunn kind of 'Democrat'. Yuck.

[DURHAM D]

14. David Boren needs to remain retired from politics.

He, along with Senator Nunn, were determined to obstruct Bill Clinton at every turn when Bill arrived at the White House. For Boren (and Nunn) it was about power, his power, and not about the country. They wanted to show that country hick a thing or two.

Boren was George Tenent's promoter/sponsor. Boren was able to force George in as the head of the CIA because of his powerful Senate Chair position on the Intelligence Committee - even though Clinton did not want him because he thought George was not qualified for the job.

Boren is gay. However, I could care less about that except for the part he played in forcing DADT (along with Nunn) onto Clinton who wanted gays to serve openly in the military. Boren is a hypocrite.

On the morning of 9/11 Boren and Tenet were having a private breakfast together in a hotel room in D.C.

David Boren would not pickup 20 votes for Obama in Oklahoma.

This is a very bad idea.

[ladjf]

15. Further, he is a member of Skull and Bones fraternity.

(Bush and Kerry also)

We don't need any further involvement with that group.

[woolldog]

16. lol

are you joking?

[ladjf]

17. Are you asking me if I'm joking about Boren being a member

of the Skull and Bones?

He was.