McCain will choose Cantor.

[saltpoint]

He has to hold Virginia. Cantor is influential there among the GOP delegation and can do the posse work necessary to fight to hold Virginia and keep it red. Theoretically.

Pollng suggests it is increasingly difficult. Mark Warner is way ahead in his Senate race. There are increasingly more Democrats. Kaine holds the governor's chair and Jim Webb whipped Cement-Head George Allen in 06.

If Barack Obama wins Virginia and the projections come through fairly early on election night, everybody west of the Mississippi River where polls may still be open is going to know who won the election.

And it won't be the guy from Arizona.

[Divine Discontent]

1. could see that definitely if O picks Kaine! good call & points

I'm not sure who he'll pick. If Clinton (the female variety) hadn't said such bizarre things during the primary (RFK got assassinated in June, so you don't know what could happen!) I'd say picking her would be a good thing even though I don't really like her, but she has a big base of supporters. Even they though, if they know what she said, could see why she'd be a bad pick. So, I guess it's Kaine or Biden. I cannot imagine Bayh, but maybe his blandness is what will make many white-bread midwestern families vote for O, but I cannot see him inspiring a whole lot, because all I know is every time he's done speaking I remember nothing he says...

I guess I'm pulling for Biden for his sharp speaking ability - he'll go after McCain ruthlessly on being clueless about world affairs and pepper the argument with 'and on top of that, he says he doesn't understand economics, I'm shocked they picked that guy, and I'm sure plenty of Republicans felt the same way!"


www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[saltpoint]

3. Good musings and good points, too -- Biden does have the

gift of language and could make things hot for the Republicans across a lot of issues.

I'm ok with Bayh if Obama chooses him. I'll support the ticket no matter what. I want 16 consecutive years of Democratic judicial appointments. But I think you're right -- that speaking style could use some work.

[nsd]

2. I have trouble imaging the Republicans accepting a Jewish VP, whether Cantor or Leiberman. n/t

[saltpoint]

4. They might not ordinarily choose Cantor, but McCain's internal

polling people must surely be telling him, "Look, Senator, we can't do miracle work for you. If you don't shore up Virginia, and it flashes blue before 9:00 Eastern, and people are still voting out west, they will know from their radios and tv sets who'se won the election."

McCain has to make a stand somewhere in the Eastern Time Zone. Either Virginia with Cantor, or Ohio with Portman or Kasich, or maybe Pennsylvania with Ridge, if he gets really desperate.

Pawlenty's in Central Time and he ain't gonna do much good anyway.

[OmahaBlueDog]

9. Fundies love Israel

If the candidate were an observant Jew who expressed his faith, showed conservative values, and expressed his unwavering support for Israel, fundies would accept him. They would simply "pray for him to see the light" a great deal (James Dobson has expressed this prayer for Steven Spielberg, for example).

[Frank Booth]

5. I hope he chooses Cantor. He comes across as an unbearably arrogant prick

and will turn a lot of people off.

[saltpoint]

6. He's said to be all nuts and bolts.

I think far more nuts than bolts, as long as we're counting.

[Divine Discontent]

7. then you make me hope he definitely picks Kaine! LOL

I really want Biden out of the 3, but if Cantor comes across that way to most people, wouldn't that be awesome? McSame already is mean spirited in answering questions from voters and press, so adding Cantor would be great! ha...


McSame/McLame/McFraud/McWar and more - www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[Eurobabe]

16. I lived in VA in 2003-05, I couldn't STAND that

arrogant little fuckwad Cantor.

[elmoose]

8. Hellz yah!!!

Wrong.

[DarthDem]

10. I Doubt It

I don't think he'll go for another member of Congress. I'll be shocked if it's anyone but Mittens or T-Paw.

You raise an excellent point about how McCone would be in serious trouble if Virginia went blue - - but so many people vote early or absentee, or during the day before any results come out - - that I doubt that will matter much.

Also, maybe it's just the hater of Southern bigots in me, but I can't see Virginia going for Obama for any reason. Ohio and Colorado - - and Nevada - - are much better bets.

[TahitiNut]

11. I hope it's Ridge.

It ties him even more tightly to the failures of the Cheney/Bush regime, alienates the anti-choice single-issue voters, and gives us another GOP ticket of Dumb & Dumber.

Mittens is more likely ... and makes Michigan Ground Zero.

[saltpoint]

18. Agree that Romney is still plausible, if

frighteningly so. He keeps rising from the dead.

If only we could find a stake big enough to drive through his vampire's heart...

[truebluecollar]

12. Eddie?!

But...he's dead. Isn't he? He'd make McCain look younger, I suppose.

[saltpoint]

20. This guy:

http://cantor.house.gov/

-- and note the distinctly self-promotional emphasis of the cover page.

[TheKentuckian]

13. I'm just short of praying for Surge McSame to pick Lieberman

but I think it's between Romney, Ridge, and Pawlenty with Ridge being most likely.

[Eurobabe]

15. Look deeply into these eyes

The only thing this guy moves is bowels.

[my3boyz]

14. McCain is leading in VA now. Unfortunately, I think he will probably

win it. He has this momentum going right now and I'm not sure the Obama campaign will be able to stop it (even with VP nom and convention since Republicans are immediately afterwards).

[liberal1973]

17. I disagree

IMO Obama will win Virginia. Obama will defeat McBush.

[saltpoint]

19. That's the hinge. McCain may choose someone who can put him

in strong contention for a state, a strategic move from an old-fashioned deck of veep cards.

He's got Ridge for Pennsylvania -- still a close race even with Ridge, IMO.

He's got Cantor in Virginia -- still a close race even with Cantor.

He's got Romney in Michigan -- still questionable even with Romney.

--all in relatively early time zones with polls maybe closing before folks west of the Mississippi go to vote.

They hear on the radio en route to their polling precincts that Obama has won say, Virginia, and I think most of them understand that this is a major take-away state. It may arguably suppress GOP vote totals in the later-voting states and propel many down-state Democrats to victory.

If Obama wins Virginia -- and in my opinion it is a real possibility -- it's all over for McCain before 10:00 p.m. or so on election night.

Hence the hold-the-fort pick of Cantor.