Is it Still Biden?
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.
…
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?
These guys play a mean game of poker, so these speakers lists could include a bluff.
Who is missing?
Clark
Is Webb speaking?
Is Strickland speaking?
Those last two took themselves out early, but I wonder of we shouldn’t be retracing some of this.
Strickland is speaking. Webb is not, but he took himself out of VP consideration months ago. Clark is supposed to be in Italy the week of the convention, according to Rachel Maddow.
I’m not sure the speaker’s list is a reliable oracle. It would be too easy for them to make a quick change.
Tell your parents to get their checkbooks out. There is no way on this earth that it will be Hillary.
I just heard two radical Hillary supporters on Hardball who are voting for McCain. David Schuster asked them all the right questions about why they would do such a thing, but the bottom line is that — they want McCain to win. They said so. When he asked them why, they said “because it would change the DNC.”
Do you believe it????
Oh dear, June.
Please tell me they were blond.
I’m not sure the speakers list — or who said they’ve taken themselves out — is a reliable oracle, either. This campaign has been pretty much playing by their own rules so far.
To any bitter Hillary supporter reading this blog and harboring the same notion that a McCain win would somehow change the DNC and allow Hillary to be the nominee in 2012, know this:
Two can play this game.
I will never vote for Hillary for national office in any year in the future ever if ANY of her supporters vote for McCain.
For the umpteenth time.
The only people who have any idea are Obama and his closest advisors. Not anyone else within a campaign let alone in the DNC who are in charge of the convention. If so many people knew that they would be in a position to determine who speaks when, don’t you think it would have been leaked ?
The convention organizers and the campaign are different people. Do you think the Obama people would telegraph their choice so far in advance ? Come on now !
We are not even sure he has even picked. It is not like it is hard to replace somebody like that for such a high-profile job.
Dont be naive. It is just speculation and it means squat.
delawaredem:
On that note, did you realize why Mark Warner is going to be the key note on the same night as Hillary ? Just a passive-aggressive reminder that were Obama to lose, he would also have 18 million votes to send to somebody in 2012 and that she is not the only bright spot in our party for the future … Just sayin’
As you said, their attitude is so short-sighted. How do they expect to win in 2012 after the way they are behaving now ? They would have NO room to ask us to stay in line. So even if he loses, they are never going to be President. EVER. So they would better be less short-sighted and try to make the best out of her newfound influence rather than act like big babies.
Agree totally Benjamin. Indeed, I did say that no one knows anything, and all we are doing is speculating.
The other thing they don’t keep in mind is recent Dem Presidential history — Dems kick losers of Presidential races to the curb pretty quickly. There is a big reason why Kerry did not run again….and about the only one to really rehabilitate himself has been Al Gore.
But the speculation is fun and it is cheap entertainment.
Well, that is because Al Gore did not lose.
😉
STILL implies that he WAS at one time. I still don’t buy it.
Delaware? VP? please, about the only thing good out of it would be touching PA and pushing the state over a little…but seriously Biden?
This is what we mean by playing by their own rules, DBB. Who was the last VP pick that followed the old conventions,anyway?
And yes, Gore did not lose!
DV…
Biden won’t be chosen because Delaware’s vast supply of electoral votes, its geographic or regional importance, or its untold millions of voters swayed by the selection of its favorite son.
No, Biden is a national figure, an elder statesman of the Democratic party, a possessor of expert knowledge in a host of policy areas.
That will be why he is chosen.
So far we don’t see Kaine or Sebelius on the speaker list.
Sebelius is speaking on Monday or Tuesday night. Kaine is not yet scheduled to my knowledge.
Obama – Biden
Obama – Kaine
Obama – Sebelius
Obama – Warner
Obama – Clinton
I’d have to go with Obama – Kaine, the OK ticket.
I wont sit it out but Obama-Kaine would not be OK with me.
Reading about the results of the VA focus group Ambinder reports though, I am pretty sure we wont get it
I’m still sticking with Clark… just a gut feeling from the beginning.
Your point about HRC is valid. Just had this argument with my father (Huge HRC supporter and fighting against being a deadender)
He keeps tossing 2012 around and I laugh. I say… know how you feel now about Hillary, well if Obama loses times your emotion by a gazillion to determine my sentiments if HRC dares to runin 2012.
Obama and Hillary became linked in the primary. They will rise or fall together. There will be no second chances.
Clark.
I want Sebelius, but I think it’s Kaine.
Or Daschle.
I’d be OK with Kaine or Daschle. I think I prefer Daschle.
Daschle?
Do we really need someone as horribly ineffective as Daschle on the ticket?
Daschle is a dark horse, and an interesting possibility, but I don’t know if I want him.
Spitzer, Edwards or a Kennedy would be great but I think the dark horse is McGreevey.
My darkhorse is Steve Jobs.
DD – Kennedy ? The last thing Obama wants to do is make the ticket even more liberal.
One reason not to read the speaker tea leaves too closely.