The Note: Anxious Dems Await Obama Pick
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports in Tuesday’s Note: Three questions smart Democrats are asking:
1. Where on the scale of strategy/caution/indecisiveness do we plot the fact that Sen. Barack Obama does not at this moment have a running mate? (And where on the scale of party worry/frustration/panic do Democrats stand with a new poll showing Obama facing a 2-1 gap on handling Russia?)
2. What hole in his resume will Obama seek to fill with his choice? (And how will the rollout avoid highlighting a weakness?)
3. What was in the shave ice that brought a new candidate back to the contiguous 48? (And will it wear out?)
Three questions smart Republicans are asking:
1. What is it about Sen. John McCain’s scheduled visits to offshore oil rigs that causes tropical disturbances? (And how many more topical disturbances dogging McCain fundraisers?)
2. What will a *fourth Woodward book* on the Bush presidency mean for the man who’s carrying his party banner? (And does McCain’s family have any other *disinherited siblings* we didn’t know about?)
3. Can McCain stomach the choice that probably makes the most electoral sense for him? (And/or will he test the stomach of his party base?)
Keep your mobile devices charged: Obama’s running-mate decision — as reported by The New York Times, and announced (how else?) by The Drudge Report — is “all but settled,” with the most anticipated text message since Paris had her cell stolen to come “as soon as Wednesday morning.”
(But more like Friday — when Obama is down in Chicago, and can make an easy trip to Springfield, Ill., should he feel the urge.)
Read the rest of The Note — and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day — from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.
We know the names by now, and so does Obama: “By all indications, Mr. Obama is likely to choose someone relatively safe and avoid taking a chance with a game-changing selection,” Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny write in The New York Times. “Mr. Obama and his running mate will begin, perhaps that day, a visit to swing states. Plans call for them to be on the trail together for much of the time between the day of the announcement and the day Mr. Obama arrives in Denver, a week from Wednesday, but their most intense campaigning together will come after the convention.”
ABC’s Jake Tapper reports that Obama has told “less than a half dozen” of his aides whom he has picked. The announcement is expected “at the end of this week,” with a swing-state tour to follow.
Unless the timing slips: “There are signs that Obama may wait to announce his choice until this weekend or just before in hopes of providing a big boost before the convention opens Monday in Denver,” Dan Balz reports in The Washington Post.
Is it all about the Clintons — even in the timing? “In addition to giving some convention-eve energy to Obama’s campaign, a late-in-the-week rollout would have another benefit in the eyes of his loyalists. It could help overshadow the other dominant story heading into Denver, which is the long-running drama over how Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and Clinton’s supporters will handle themselves during the week,” Balz writes.
“There’s an outside chance the nod could come as soon as Wednesday, but sources indicated Monday that the planning was still fluid, and later was more likely,” Ken Bazinet and Michael McAuliff report in the New York Daily News.
Mark Halperin makes a pick at The Page: “Say it is so, Joe,” he writes Tuesday morning.
Balz hears there’s five veepstakes finalists: You know Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, Tim Kaine, and Sebelius, and toss in either Chris Dodd, Jack Reed, or Bill Richardson — or even, just maybe, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Why is that this rumor won’t go away?: “No power brokers in the Democratic Party are openly campaigning for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as their vice-presidential nominee this year, and even Mrs. Clinton’s closest aides have stopped talking her up. Yet privately, some Democrats continue to see her as exactly the partner that Senator Barack Obama needs,” Patrick Healy writes in The New York Times.
Continue reading today’s Note by clicking HERE.
ABC News’ Hope Ditto and Amanda Temple contributed to this report.
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
I don’t see how he picks someone from the senate; he can’t afford to lose any votes there. He needs someone from the military, or someone who has military/foreign affairs expertise.
Posted by: Richard | August 19, 2008, 8:55 am 8:55 am
The more people put pressure on Obama to pick Hillary, the least likely he is to pick her, period.
Posted by: carl29 | August 19, 2008, 9:00 am 9:00 am
I don’t care who Obama picks. I wouldn’t vote for an Obama/Clinton ticket, and I wouldn’t vote for a Clinton/Obama ticket. Don’t like the way I vote? Tough, baby. I don’t like being called a racist. Wah, wah, wah.
Posted by: Can't I Just Eat My Waffle? | August 19, 2008, 9:17 am 9:17 am
The only way this bloke has any hope of taking the whitehouse is if he picks Clinton. Period.
Posted by: Stresscrete | August 19, 2008, 9:23 am 9:23 am
Who cares. Obama is in a free fall.
Posted by: geevill | August 19, 2008, 9:30 am 9:30 am
I will be happy to know who the pick is, but mainly so we will be one step closer to the end of this show. I don’t care who the person is since the top of the ticket is who I don’t believe or trust.
Posted by: tiredtoo | August 19, 2008, 9:44 am 9:44 am
Maybe it will be Gore. Where is he btw.
Posted by: annie | August 19, 2008, 10:21 am 10:21 am
I’m guessing Obama picks Bayh, but still holding out hope for Tony Zinni. Kathleen Sebelius wouldn’t be bad, either. Though neither Bayh nor Sebelius seem like natural attack dogs, which Obama might need to call out McCain on some of his silliness.
Whoever Obama picks, I’m sure it won’t be someone who feels the need to pretend events from Russian literature happened to him or her.
Posted by: Paul | August 19, 2008, 11:14 am 11:14 am
Won’t be Biden..Instead of being on the Senate floor fixing our energy problems with the repbubs, he was on vacation in Georgia, (country of) committing 1 Billion dollars of tax payer’s money for reconstruction and aid…shouldn’t that be the Russian’s responsibility??? Thus the games begin
Posted by: CuriousIndep | August 19, 2008, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm
CuriousIndep – that’s a good point.
Why is it when we destroy a country its our responsibility to rebuild it but its also our responsibility to rebuild the countries that are destroyed by other attackers?
Posted by: Paul | August 19, 2008, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
Why is it when we destroy a country its our responsibility to rebuild it but its also our responsibility to rebuild the countries that are destroyed by other attackers?
Posted by: Paul | Aug 19, 2008
—-
Because 0-bama has been used to affirmative actions.
Posted by: Boneheaded, from Chicago | August 19, 2008, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
Though, Geevil, I agree that Biden may be a problemmatic pick for Obama. Clearly a smart guy, clearly knows what he’s talking about… but there’s a lot of odd quotes out there from him.
Posted by: Paul | August 19, 2008, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
Drama Obama at his best – if he’s made a decision then say it. He is quite the spotlight attention seeker. Duh – we all know it is Biden – say it. This just enhances that “wimpy” aspect that many see, like he’s afraid to say the name in case he wants to change his mind. We got a good example of that Saturday night.
Posted by: McCain Democrat | August 19, 2008, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
Interesting post from Domingo at 1:37.
My thoughts on Nobama picking a #2 is everyone of his choices will be more deserving and stronger than he is….it will be so easy to upstage him….Biden for sure will out smart/speak him and look more commanding. Bayh seems wimpish (and was a big Hillary supporter), so maybe he should go that route. Hillary would out dazzle Nobama, just about everyone on his list could. Doesn’t matter to me….HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN!
Posted by: Debra | August 19, 2008, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
It would be awesome if he picked Hillary as sec of state.
If Bill and PUMA could have kept their mouths shut this might have been a different situation.
sad.
An oBama /Biden / Clinton team would be one force to be reckoned with on the world platform.
Posted by: dl | August 19, 2008, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
You all need to go see what Biden has done in the last 6 months in congress with all of this drivel…
go read his oped’s in the washington and financial times…
the guy gets it better than anybody in Washington…
hands down…
and like McCain …America doesn’t care about his mouth or gaffes…or ego… they care that he is by far …heads and tails the best guy for the job
and it shows that Obama is smart for picking him.
Period.
Posted by: dl | August 19, 2008, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
Biden carries too much baggage..he’s a hot head and can’t keep his mouth shut..Obama like McCain, will pick someone safe, someone that can be controlled. The prime is too pick someone WHO IS NOT GOING TO HURT YOU…
Posted by: CuriousIndep | August 19, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Do Republicans ever get it right? Well, maybe.
In 2000, they told us McCain wasn’t a stable guy.
Posted by: Paul | August 19, 2008, 2:56 pm 2:56 pm
paul…and Obama used to carry a straw around in his back pocket…are you comfortable with that??? Me, I am not comfortable with either one.
Posted by: CuriousIndep | August 19, 2008, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
Curious – not familiar with the straw. What’s that all about?
Posted by: Paul | August 19, 2008, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
I love #2 of this list…..what hole will Obama attempt to fill on his resume…..wow….where do we start?
I, in all my 49 years, have never seen such a lacking candidate given so much of a free ride…WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? I wish we could do a National poll and ask Obama supporters THE NUMBER ONE REASON THEY ARE VOTING FOR HIM. Does anyone know?
HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN
Posted by: Debra | August 19, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
Obama actually has accomplished quite a lot, you just have to look for it instead of asking yourself a rhetorical question or an uninformed person or opponent (the answer’s not going to come from thin air.)
Here’s some links to get you started:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132×4578207
“In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://www.afrochat.net/forums/politics-activism/16178-obamas-accomplishments-qualifications.html
BTW Hillary supporter, you disrespect Hillary by voting for the other Party’s candidate, instead of showing admiration.
Posted by: Neil B | August 19, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
***********SICK OF OBAMA****************
WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!
Posted by: Frank - South Hampton NY | August 19, 2008, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
TO NEAIL B:
OF COURSE THESE ARTICLES ARE FAVORABLE TO OBAMA. THEY ARE IN THE BAG FOR OBAMA. JUST CHECK HIS SENATE RECORD. HE HAS DONE NOTHING. SORRY THAT IS NOT TRUE. HE VOTES “PRESENT” ALOT.
Posted by: Frank - South Hampton NY | August 19, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
I THINK WE RESPECT HILLARY BY VOTING FOR MCCAIN. THE MEDIA WAS SO HORRIBLE TO HILLARY AND SO FAVORABLE TO OBAMA. THEY (THE MEDIA) WANTS TO SEE THE FIRST BLACK PRES. ELECTED. I WANT THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT AND THAT CERTAINYLY NOT OBAMA.
SORRY FOR THE MISSSPELLINGS I SPRAINED MY HAND AT THE GYM.
Posted by: Frank - South Hampton NY | August 19, 2008, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
I am so tired of beign told to shut up fall in line or get out of the party. Its ridculous Obama supporters don’t want unity, they want to kick half the party to curb, thats fine, but while you guys call Hillary and bill horrible names and bad mouth their supporters please don’t complain about why they aren’t out their campaining heavy for him(even though hill is) please don’t complain that Bill hasn’t praised Barack enough. Obama supporters wont be happy with Hillary until she is performing a Lewinsky on him in public. I truly hope Obama comes through for you all if he wins I wont hold my breath though.
Posted by: rachel | August 19, 2008, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
BTW Hillary supporter, you disrespect Hillary by voting for the other Party’s candidate, instead of showing admiration.
Posted by: Neil B | Aug 19, 2008
—-
That desperate attempt still won’t get this vote for a deceptionist.
However, his deception is beyond admiration.
Posted by: fact check | August 19, 2008, 5:11 pm 5:11 pm
Frank, if everything proposed as favorable to a candidate is worthless because the writers are assumed to be “in the bag”, then why believe anything?
Rachel, there was a legitimate Primary process. Hillary Clinton came very close but just didn’t pick up enough votes to ensure she got the nomination. The states whose votes were not going to be counted had been warned – in accordance with Party rule – that would be the consequences of having early Primaries. Obama won the Primaries, OK? If he hadn’t, someone else would have won and then, the others couldn’t get the nomination either. That’s life. What are some of you saying, that Hillary was “owed” the nomination? What?
As for Obama not “doing a lot” in the Senate, OK he missed many votes but McCain was the worst in the whole Senate:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/
Missed Votes by Member
* 63.8%
o [Photo of John McCain] Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
+ Representing: Arizona
+ Votes: 407 votes missed (63.8%), 231 votes cast
* 48.7%
o [Photo of Tim Johnson] Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)
+ Representing: South Dakota
+ Votes: 311 votes missed (48.7%), 327 votes cast
+ Note: Sen. Johnson suffered a brain hemorrhage on Dec. 13, 2006, and spent several months recovering. He has since returned to the Senate.
* 45.5%
o [Photo of Barack Obama] Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
+ Representing: Illinois
+ Votes: 290 votes missed (45.5%), 348 votes cast
* 32.3%
o [Photo of Hillary Clinton] Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
+ Representing: New York
+ Votes: 206 votes missed (32.3%), 432 votes cast
* 30.3%
o [Photo of Joseph Biden] Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
+ Representing: Delaware
+ Votes: 193 votes missed (30.3%), 445 votes cast
* 26.8%
o [Photo of Christopher Dodd] Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT)
+ Representing: Connecticut
+ Votes: 171 votes missed (26.8%), 467 votes cast
* 22.1%
o [Photo of Sam Brownback] Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
+ Representing: Kansas
+ Votes: 141 votes missed (22.1%), 497 votes cast
* 17.2%
o [Photo of Edward Kennedy] Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
+ Representing: Massachusetts
+ Votes: 110 votes missed (17.2%), 528 votes cast
* 10.5%
o [Photo of Daniel Inouye] Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
+ Representing: Hawaii
+ Votes: 67 votes missed (10.5%), 571 votes cast
…
Note that Hillary was also up top, etc. Those sorts of politicians miss a lot because they spend more time campaigning and traveling etc., but like I said, McCain was the worst.
Posted by: Neil B | August 19, 2008, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
Obama’s only REAL choice is Biden.
Posted by: Sue H | August 19, 2008, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
Geez Neil B…tone it down, we get it, your for Obama….your not going to change the mind of Hillary nor McCain voters with all your propaganda links……
Posted by: CuriousIndep | August 19, 2008, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
Well CuriousIndep, lots of what goes as “what so-and-so accomplished” is debatable and a matter of opinion, but the list of vote percentages is hard fact.
BTW I have admiration for Independents (have voted for them before – like the excellent John Anderson in 1980 who was the best man running) but realistically, they just tilt elections toward one of the major candidates. I sure wish I could have seen what Perot would have accomplished. Finally, I am supporting Barack Obama but I have plenty of admiration for Ron Paul, perhaps the most honest man in Congress.
Posted by: Neil B | August 19, 2008, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
Neil B, we get it Hillary loss, whether it was fair is left up to your interpreation of fair, but water under the bridge now. What I am saying is I am tired of beign called evil and vile for not jumping on the bandwagon. I vote for people I beleive will help the US and Obama hasnt made me beleive him yet. I mean ron paul dosent get this much heat from republicans why is all the vile coming from Obama supporters especially when they all think he has in the bag. Whats the beef?
Posted by: rachel | August 19, 2008, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm
I could care hardly less who he picks. I am a Hillary supporter who has decided that I dont really want Hillary as VP because then I might vote for Obama who looks more dangerous every day. Why should Hillary bail out Barack from his Communist friends and terrorist supporters and mentors. Best to stay away from Obama. The big news will come out after he is officially nominated and it will appear too late for the Democrats.
I am now a Democrat no more. I will vote for McCain this year and hopefully Hillary next election. Hang in there Hillary we support you.
PS
I think Chelsea is a natural. I hope she runs for office. She gets my vote.
EVERYONE GO IMMEDIATELY TO PUMA AND JOIN UP.
BLOG.PUMAPAC.ORG
THE BEST PLACE ON THE INTERNET.
Posted by: PUMA RUMA ZOOMA | August 19, 2008, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
Yeah, the DEMS are waiting and they will soon know what kind of candidate they have on hand when the VEEP is announced. We’ll have excitement or disbelief….STAY TUNED America!
Posted by: Darla | August 19, 2008, 9:58 pm 9:58 pm
I lean repub..but I am finding it VERY DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT McCain, don’t know as I trust him to make a decision based upon logic and not emotion, and Obama just much too inexperienced and too liberal…guess I’ll vote for VP as most probably will…OMG how did we ever manage to get these two as our candidates…I was hoping for Rudy vs Hillary……….
Posted by: CuriousIndep | August 19, 2008, 10:00 pm 10:00 pm
Kate,
This is the first time I have seen Blobama. I must say, it is appropriate. The man takes 10 minutes to answer a question and who still come away thinking he rode the fence. He is the most pitiful, unqualified person the Dems could nominate. I am no fan of McCain’s, but when it comes right down to it, I can’t forget that Obama sat under Rev. Wright’s teachings for 20 years. A person could not be in their right mind to do that or else they are a racist to the extreme. Obama is just too risky for me.
Posted by: Mack | August 19, 2008, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm
Obama is not qualified to lead this country. I am amazed that he can garner any votes.
Posted by: Joe | August 19, 2008, 10:43 pm 10:43 pm
The Dems should be nervous. They are getting ready to nominate the worst candidate to ever run for the presidency.
Posted by: Mike | August 19, 2008, 10:44 pm 10:44 pm
Obama’s army of zealibs worked well in dem caucases where the only thing that mattered was who was more rabid, but does not work in a national election. Hate to say it, but Hilary was right…. Obama is unelectable.
Posted by: HawkTheSlayer | August 20, 2008, 9:52 pm 9:52 pm
RE: #2 The hole in Obama’s resume? Geez, I didn’t know he had a resume!
Posted by: Darla | August 20, 2008, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm