Tonight, we learn about who is speaking on Wednesday in less than two weeks:
The headline prime-time speaker on Wednesday will be Barack Obama’s Vice Presidential Nominee.
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Former President Bill Clinton will speak on Barack Obama’s commitment to a stronger and safer America, as well as the history of Democrats making positive change in the lives of all Americans.
Governor Bill Richardson and Senators Evan Bayh, Joe Biden and Jay Rockefeller will echo Obama’s call for a new direction in national security and outline his policies and plans to secure America’s future.
One of the greatest security challenges facing the country today is reducing our dependence on oil, especially from foreign sources. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will discuss Barack Obama’s plans to make America more secure by investing in smart energy policies.
Senator Ken Salazar, the Convention’s home state Senator, and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn will also speak as part of the Securing America’s Future program.
A bedrock component of Obama’s national security plan is increasing our support to active duty military, veterans and military families. Representative Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth will lead a tribute honoring those who give so much to secure our nation’s future.
In the parlor game that is the Vice Presidential nominee sweepstakes, it has been an assumption that if a person is scheduled to speak at the convention, then that person is no longer under consideration for the ticket. That was everyone said when Hillary Clinton was given her own night to shine on Tuesday.
So, if we continue with that assumption, favorite son Joe Biden appears to be no longer in consideration to be VP, for he is now scheduled to speak. Who is left that is not scheduled to speak?
Tim Kaine.
Is he the VP nominee? Not necessarily. It could be someone out of the blue (like Colin Powell, who will be endorsing Obama in the coming days), or all of this convention scheduling could just be a big trick. Indeed, if Obama has not really decided yet, then speakers can be shuffled or added if one of the scheduled speakers has a new role to play. Indeed, the VP nominee is supposed to speak on Wednesday night. So Biden and Bayh could still be in contention.
The basic point is that we all know absolutely nothing about who Obama is going to pick. Obama has run a pretty tight-lipped campaign, and true to form, there have been no leaks about who he is considering. It has all been media speculation and tea-leaf reading. In fact, I cannot remember the last time it was anyone’s guess as to who the VP was going to be (and that goes for McCain too, for no one has any idea about his VP nominee either). In 2004, we all knew it was going to be Edwards. In 2000, we officially knew, from the Gore campaign itself, that the choice was down to Edwards, Graham and Lieberman. In 1992 and 1996, I don’t remember how deep and unknowing the speculation was about Gore and Kemp, respectively.
So, in light of no one knowing anything, I now have a bet with my parents. The prize is paying for dinner out. They still think it will be Hillary (my Mom wants a “draft Hillary for VP” campaign to begin at the convention if she is not chosen) and I think it will be Biden.
Who is your pick?