By Jay Warren
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: February 13, 2008

Now that the picture is a little clearer and we have a better idea of who might be the nominee in each party, it’s time to play one of my favorite games: Pick the vice president.

I know it’s early but many have already started speculating, so why shouldn’t we? Here are my best guesses for the likely Republican nominee for president: John McCain.

I believe his nominee will need to balance McCain personally and professionally. By that, I mean his best option would be a vice presidential nominee that is younger, possibly a woman or minority (particularly a Hispanic that could help the party in this growing portion of the electorate), conservative enough to appease the right wing of the party but not so conservative that it will scare off moderates and independents, and someone who comes from anywhere but Washington, DC. Given that job announcement, I believe the following people will be likely prospects:

- SC Gov. Mark Sanford: he’s young (47), conservative, anti-pork, a former congressman who now has executive experience, and he fits nicely with McCain’s maverick credentials.
- MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty: he’s also young (47), conservative enough, hails from a possible battleground state, and has executive, non-Washington, DC experience
- FL Gov. Charlie Crist: he endorsed McCain at a critical time helping ensure a McCain victory in Florida, he lives outside the Capital Beltway, and he’s very popular (even more than Jeb Bush) in Florida which will be a must-win state in 2008
- TX Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson: she’s a woman (obviously), is conservative enough but certainly will not repel moderates or conservatives, and has experience outside of her time in the US Senate
- John Kasich: the former OH congressman is a fiscal conservative, youthful, a good campaigner, hails from a competitive/swing state that is a must win in 2008, and he’s been out of Congress long enough to be considered an outsider
- SD Sen. John Thune: I know he’s in the Senate, but Thune’s youthfulness and near legend reputation for defeating Senator Minority Leader Tom Daschle could help McCain with conservatives. He’s a good campaigner, has a maverick streak, and comes from the Midwest which is likely to be one of the battlegrounds of 2008.

There are several candidates who are mentioned that I don’t believe stand a chance in you know where of getting McCain’s nod. They include the following:
- Mike Huckabee: while he could make Arkansas competitive and he has done better than expected in the primaries, he has one big problem: Huckabee is the only person Rush Limbaugh hates more than John McCain. Yes, Huck brings evangelicals to the voting booth, but he is despised by fiscal conservatives and talk radio. And, some of his social views could be enough to repel moderates and independents who might have otherwise been inclined to vote for McCain. Finally, the longer he fights for the nomination the more he will annoy McCain. I just don’t think he is a reasonable option for McCain.
- Mitt Romney: did you watch the debates? McCain hates Romney. I can’t imagine watching these two campaign together acting like they like each other.
- Fred Thompson: he doesn’t help McCain expand the base (TN is likely to go Republican in 2008) and he looks older than McCain. The generational difference between that ticket and the Democrats would simply be too stark. Plus, all of his experience is based in Washington, DC. That doesn’t help McCain.
- Rudy Guiliani and Sen. Chuck Hagel: Both men are disliked by the party’s conservative base for different reasons. They would force a revolt among the right wing of the party.
- George Allen: our former senator once had a very bright future in national politics, but his loss in 2006 and the reasons for that loss have tarnished his image. Without the “macaca” incident, George Allen would have fit many of the criteria McCain is looking for including executive experience, conservative record that isn’t too oft-putting to moderates, securing a possible swing state, and youthfulness. But all of the good qualities are neutralized by his 2006 campaign performance.
- Sen. Mel Martinez: the Florida Senator was an early backer of McCain and could help him secure Florida and the Hispanic vote nationwide, but he is too closely tied to George Bush, isn’t a very strong campaigner and he was born in Cuba making him constitutionally unable to serve as president.
- Colin Powell: he’s too moderate for the conservative wing of the party and in a recent CNN interview he refused to even endorse McCain and indicated he’d be open to voting for Barack Obama.
- Sens. Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins: too liberal and from the Senate.

I just realized that my list of those who won’t be considered is longer than the list of those who will be considered! Yikes. What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear.

Tomorrow, I’ll take a look at the options on the Democratic side.