Thursday, May 08, 2008

A VP for Barack (An Open Letter to Senator Obama)

Okay, Barack, it looks like you've wrapped up the nomination. Not that you're taking anything for granted--we know, we know--but still, it's looking better than good. And even if you swear up and down that you haven't thought about it, we all know you're seriously considering candidates for the Vice Presidency.

I've got to tell you, Barack, it took a lot for me not to support the first viable woman for the presidency. It would have felt really great. But I believe in you, Barack, so throw me a bone here. If not Hillary--and I understand that there's some bad blood there, plus the shadow of Bill--then give me a female VP I can get behind.

Here's a suggestion: Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. A two-time Democratic winner in her state,


At the heart of Governor Sebelius’ administration is a commitment to growing the Kansas economy and creating jobs; ensuring every Kansas child receives a quality education; protecting Kansas families and communities; improving access to quality, affordable health care; and taking advantage of the state’s renewable energy assets.
Governor Sebelius serves on the National Governors Association’s Executive Committee and is co-chair of the National Governors Association’s initiative, Securing a Clean Energy Future. Sebelius chairs the Education Commission of the States and as past chair of the Democratic Governors Association, she currently serves on the DGA Executive Committee.


She's already on your side, having endorsed you several months ago. Kansas went for Bush in 2004 and 2000, but Sebelius on the ticket would probably ensure you the state's electorate. (It's only six votes, but you've shown that those smallish Midwestern states really add up.)

So just consider it. And check the comments section for this post. I bet the rest of the Situation bloggers will have other suggestions.

6 comments:

Oxymoron said...

Well? Come on, Barack, it's already been an hour since Megs's post.

harrogate said...

Um, Barack: Harrogate imagines that Ferraro is outsies, for this particular discussion?

Sebelius is a great choice, though Harrogate remains skeptical that any Demo to the left of Zell Miller can pull out a state like Kansas.

But since we're focusing on the female candidates, another fave of Harrogates would be Jennifer Granholm from Michigan--a choice that would perhaps mitigate the sting of what happened there?

M said...

Personally I think he should choose us Situationers, but that's just me. As a plus, the VP's house is big enough for all of us, and it is surrounded by 4 acres and has an observatory on the premises. Lots of room for Wild Man, Supadisco-T, Sweet Baby J, and Baby Ox to play!

And I don't think he'd get a smarter, more diverse group of individuals.

Oxymoron said...

Actually, Barack, since you haven't yet responded to Megs's post, I wonder if I might ask about another possible running mate.

(This isn't quite a hijacking, Megs, but I should probably apologize just the same for shrugging off your recommendation in favor of my own.)

Anyway, Barack, why not show that you are indeed a Washington outsider and make a gesture of gratitude to all those independent voters who have supported you through this primary? Why not ask our buddy Nader to be your running mate?

harrogate said...

If he'll pay off Harrogate's student loans, Harrogate will rent somewhere else and the Blair House can be exclusively reserved for high-rolling donors.

Anonymous said...

Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post wrote a blog today about possible VP's for Obama and McCain (http://bl
og.washingtonpost.com/thefix/?hpid=t
opnews). Guess who his number one choice is for Obama? Or should I say, guess who he's been reading?

Here's his blurb about Sebelius: "The second-term Kansas governor earns the top spot on the Line because of her ability to further bolster Obama's strengths while not exacerbating his weaknesses. Picking Sebelius would affirm Obama's core message of change and would give Obama's run even more historic weight. Sebelius' electoral success in ruby red Kansas would also echo Obama's pledge to broaden the playing field in the fall and ensure that the party is competitive in every state. The one knock on Sebelius is the dearth of foreign policy credentials on her resume. But she has six years of strong executive experience and could be the kind of political partner Obama needs in the fall."