Politics 2008:The Caucuses and The Dem/Rep Conventions

[unspokenone25]

so...anybody want to talk about condoleeza rice's name being thrown around as the possible running mate for mccain?

[SummerChild]

Hmm. That's interesting. I guess the Rep. party is not aware that Ms. Rice is not the most popular on the AA side ... and I don't think that huge numbers of traditional Republicans would turn out for her on the majority side. Just me.

I'd like her as an Ambassador - even in Obama's presidency. I think that foreign relations is her thing (even though I didn't agree with the policy that she was promoting for her boss all these years).

I think that she has had one of the toughest jobs of anyone this past 4-8 years...seriously. Talk about stress levels.

SC

Originally Posted by unspokenone25

so...anybody want to talk about condoleeza rice's name being thrown around as the possible running mate for mccain?

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by SummerChild

Hmm. That's interesting. I guess the Rep. party is not aware that Ms. Rice is not the most popular on the AA side ... and I don't think that huge numbers of traditional Republicans would turn out for her on the majority side. Just me.

I'd like her as an Ambassador - even in Obama's presidency. I think that foreign relations is her thing (even though I didn't agree with the policy that she was promoting for her boss all these years).

I think that she has had one of the toughest jobs of anyone this past 4-8 years...seriously. Talk about stress levels.

SC

Agreed. She may be the highest ranking Black appointee but she is definitely NOT going to help the GOP in the Black community.

Maybe an ambassadorship to China or Russia or India? Those are the heavy hitters right now; she definitely needs to be kept out of the Middle East (as if such a place exists, but I digress).

[unspokenone25]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

Agreed. She may be the highest ranking Black appointee but she is definitely NOT going to help the GOP in the Black community.

And we all know that those Blacks supporting Obama are only doing so because he's Black...right? When will people realize that we are much more of a complex race and community and it can never be that simple?

If McCain wants to go that route, I would respect him more for choosing J.C. Watts as opposed to Condi.

[AKA2D '91]

Do you think JC Watts would step out of political retirement? Who knows what's gone on since he left politics.

[unspokenone25]

Originally Posted by AKA2D '91

Do you think JC Watts would step out of political retirement? Who knows what's gone on since he left politics.

I think JC Watts would come out of retirement for the possibility of being a V.P. Since he's left politics, the whole dynamic of the Republican Party has changed and their power has dwindled. I think it would make for more of an interesting ticket as opposed to Condy being McCain's running mate.

I can say that I enjoy listening to JC as a political commentator rather than when he was a Congressman. Since McCain is old as dirt, he needs to pick someone that is young, has a mass appeal strictly geared towards the right, is likeable, and experience. That's where he'll find his "dream ticket."

[mccoyred]

The Pennsylvania primary is tomorrow. PLEASE go out and Vote!

[TonyB06]

While obviously a talented and accomplished professional on the world stage, Rice doesn't help McCain for several reasons:

- Rice is a tie to the current administration, and specifically, to its foreign policy. Most reliable polling suggests Americans want a clean break from the status quo. Why McCain would want such a link to the current leadership is politically unexplanable

- She brings nothing "electorally". Her native Alabama is safely within the Republican camp, and her current "home state" of California, is safely in the Democratic camp in November

- As others have noted, Rice doesn't really bring a core consitutency (Af-Ams, anyone else?) to McCain's side

- (don't have specific cite) but I've read in the past that she's not exactly "pro-life" and has sent signals of at least minimal support for Affirmative Action so long as it stops short of quotas. Neither of these positions is likely to bolster mainstream R support.

[Drolefille]

Is it assumed that she would draw the African American vote? I don't think the GOP is unaware of her popularity, or lack thereof.

[Little32]

Well that was our perception when the party tried that strategy with Keyes in 2004; that it was a ploy to draw in African American voters.

Perhaps it is being floated based solely on her merit as a candidate, but somehow I doubt that.

[WenD08]

i was reading the Fox News website and i saw that there are those who want Condi calling the two together a "dream ticket". if not her but perhaps (in staying w/that line of thinking) JC Watts, former US Rep. from OK. IMO, this is more than about her merit. this is about winning.