The Obama VP short list

From our sources, we have been able to ascertain a list of Democrats that Senator Barack Obama will consider to be his running mate. They are in no particular order

• Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd- is chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, where he deals with economic issues. Dodd is also the former chairman of the DNC.
• New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg- a Democrat turned Republican turned Independent, this self made multi-billionaire has been pushing for an end to partisanship in politics. He has big economic credentials, but is viewed as quite socially liberal.
• Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell- is the former chair of the DNC and one of the biggest backers of Senator Clinton’s presidential campaign. He has the ability to reach all factions of Democrats and undecided voters that would serve Senator Obama well. Additionally, he can be a disciplined attack dog on the campaign trail.
• Ohio Governor Ted Strickland- gets some mention. He is a former Congressman and could theoretically put Ohio in the blue column. His chances are of being picked are not great, but he will be considered.
• New York Senator Hillary Clinton- will receive automatic consideration because of her strong bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Her big problem is Bill Clinton and his post-presidency business dealings; not to mention numerous angry public tirades. Nonetheless, Clinton could help bring women voters back into the fold and possibly Florida.
• Florida Senator Bill Nelson- is not a household name, but has an incredible understanding of the issues. He is quite popular throughout Florida, even among conservatives, and works tirelessly when he campaigns. He even is a former astronaut, which he loves to talk about.
• Virginia Senator Jim Webb- is a former Republican turned Democrat with combat (Vietnam veteran) and national security experience. Webb is the author and driving force behind the GI Bill and in his nearly two years as a senator, has become one of the most prominent Democrats. His son Jimmy has served in Iraq as a member of the US Marine Corps.
• Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius- is one of the earliest backers of Senator Obama and could help put Kansas into play.
• Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer- is socially conservative, pro-gun and very popular in Montana.
• Former General James Jones- is a Vietnam veteran, NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Middle East peace envoy for President Bush. Jones has been mentioned as a potential VP candidate since the summer, despite nobody knowing which party he supports. He is also from Missouri, which could help in that swing state.
• Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel- a Republican, split with the Republican Party over Iraq and has publicly said that he does not know if he can support McCain because of his foreign policy stance. Hagel is a decorated Vietnam veteran who would help push the theme of a “post-partisan” ticket. He is already being mentioned as a possible candidate for secretary of defense.
• Virginia Governor Time Kaine- very popular and moderate. Has more political experience than Senator Webb, but lacks foreign policy credentials.
• Former Georgia Senator Sam Nunn- is a conservative hawk and former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was a part of the Unity 08 movement and would be considered the “wise man” of the ticket.
• Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano- helps put the Southwest into play. She is not really known outside of Arizona and Washington.
• Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner- is currently running for the Senate in Virginia. He is immensely popular and is a moderate. Warner was expected to be the presidential candidate that would be the alternative to Hillary Clinton, but he withdrew from the race before it began.
• Retired Marine General Anthony Zinni- has very big military and national security credentials. However, he has never run for political office and has no domestic policy background.
• Former South Dakota Senator and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle- is the national co-chair of Obama’s campaign. He is well-respected in the Democratic Party, but is mentioned more as a possible White House chief of staff.
• Delaware Senator Joe Biden- is very well schooled in foreign policy, but has gotten himself in trouble on the campaign trail.
• Indiana Senator Evan Bayh- is a very popular former governor of Indiana and could put Indiana into play for Obama. He was an early Clinton supporter and almost ran for the Democratic nomination himself.
• New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson- has a great resume and has worked on major foreign and domestic policies. He will help with Hispanic outreach and the Southwest.