Barack Obama’s vice president may have a last name that starts with “Bye,” CNN’s Alexander Mooney reports.
The two senators widely believed to be at the top of Barack Obama’s shortlist for VP have been given prime-time speaking slots at the Democratic convention Wednesday night — the very same night the vice presidential candidate is slated to speak.
According to the Democratic National Convention Committee, both Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden will deliver speeches on national security during the marquee night — the same evening former President Bill Clinton is also scheduled to speak.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar will also speak Wednesday evening, according to the convention committee.
Of course, it could mean nothing. After all, Harry Reid surely isn’t going to be VP, even though he’s speaking that night. And it’s not like the DNC couldn’t switch around the schedule to accommodate their vice presidential nominee. Obama’s vising Richmond next week: Could it be Tim Kaine? Marc Ambinder thinks so. And don’t dismiss the possibility of a dramatic wild card. Robert Kuttner thinks Al Gore could be sweet talked into lending his stature to the ticket.
Of the above list, Kaine strikes me as the most obvious choice because of the executive experience and his helpfulness in bringing Virginia. Bayh is largely unknown but he’s young and considered a rising star. Biden brings national security gravitas but a lot of baggage. And he’s a little long in the tooth to be the attack dog in an “the other guy is too damned old” campaign. Al Gore on the ticket is a lefty fantasy. He still thinks he won the presidency in 2000; no way he plays second banana to a guy who was a year out of law school while Gore was vice president the last time.
Reading the tea leaves is fun but it’s just pure wild guessing at this point. It’s fully possible that even Obama doesn’t know yet who he’ll pick.
