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Oct

12

Palin Sunday show no show again; Ohio’s Rob Portman on MTP


AmericaBlog continues the Sunday Show Palin Watch and notes that we will again be Palinless today. However, for Ohioans, last week, we had Sherrod Brown on This Week and this week, Rob Portman, former Congressman (OH-2, now represented by Republican Jean Schmidt) and OMB director and frequently mentioned Candidate for What We Don’t Know Yet in 2010 Ohio Elections, will be on Meet The Press.

Exactly a month ago, Sarah Palin commented that she thinks Barack Obama might regret not choosing Hillary Clinton to be his running mate (I highly doubt and doubted that, for the record).  However, I’d like to suggest that John McCain feels regret for not having selected Rob Portman, among others, as his running mate.  People liked the Portman prospect.  Newsweek’s Stumper gave Portman “strong odds”:

Pretty strong. Portman meets each of the usual requirements for a McCain running mate and excels in a couple of categories where few (if any) other candidates can compete. At 52, he’s younger than the 71-year-old McCain–perhaps the key prerequisite for a fellow who’d be the oldest first-termer ever inaugurated–without being young enough or green enough to undercut the GOP’s “Obama is too inexperienced to lead” line of attack (like, say, Bobby Jindal, who’s 37). He’s the only feasible Republican pick from McCain’s No. 1 must-win swing state (it will be nearly impossible for the senator to reach 270 electoral votes if Obama swipes Ohio). He boasts 89 percent lifetime American Conservative Union rating that should satisfy skittish right-wingers and help solidify McCain’s shaky conservative support. Meanwhile, his mild Midwestern temperament and (McCainian) reluctance to throw bombs on social issues will likely prevent moderate swing voters from running in the other direction. On the “more idiosyncratic” side of the ledger, Portman served as the stand-in for Joe Lieberman and John Edwards in Dick Cheney’s 2000 and 2004 debate practice sessions–and apparently performed “just brilliant(ly), according to GOP strategist Mary Matalin. “He has a very fun theatrical capacity,” she told Salon. “He can get into the character.” Given that the vice-presidential debates provide a No. 2 with his or her only opportunity to really effect the election–remember Lloyd Bentsen obliterating Dan Quayle?–McCain might be well-served by tapping the only veep contender with a proven track record on the debate stage.

And that’s just the first paragraph of the analysis.  I have to say, I was actually anxious about a Portman pick.  I guess I should thank John McCain for lowering my level of anxiety.

As you read everything Stumper writes, you have got to be shaking your head realizing:

#1 Obama’s decision-making ability is excellent because Joe Biden’s strengths have proven beneficial in the ways that Stumper describes Portman’s strengths would have been.

#2 Sarah Palin possesses only one of the myriad qualities mentioned by stumper: ability to excite the base.

How’s that working for you, Senator McCain?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:35 am October 12th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, John McCain, Media, Ohio, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sherrod Brown, Vice President, Voting, WH2008 

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