Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain and Vice presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain
The Perfect Ticket
Starting Gun Fired in Veep Derby
By Bruce McCall
06/11/2008
| 2 Comments
Arizona Sen. John McCain’s decision to name himself as his Republican vice presidential running mate in the November elections
is no longer being dismissed as just another senior moment.
“A McCain-McCain ticket would be a perfect fit,” McCain,71, explained during a breakdown of his Straight Talk Express bus near Tucumcari, N.M., “The veep and myself would be in absolute accord on any issue I can think of right now, just off the top of my head. As president, I could count on absolute loyalty from my No. 2. And our nation will have a president and vice president who literally speak with one voice.
The presumed GOP nominee elaborated on this need for party unity -- not only with the base but in leadership positions. “That is vital,” he continued, “because the choice of me would virtually eliminate the sort of frictions that so complicated Lyndon Johnson’s relations with John F. Kennedy, for example. And Al Gore’s with Bill Clinton. Unlike those individuals, me and me -- or I and me, or is it me and I -- would make a smooth-running team.”
The senator shrugged off concerns about an extra burden being imposed on an already overburdened president by assuming the vice president's duties as well. While doing so, he seemed to signal that his vice president would not wield the powerful influence of a Dick Cheney, the current vice president. "What’s a vice president do besides chair commissions that never meet and go to the funerals of minor despots?” McCain asked, rhetorically.
Meanwhile, we could slash federal expenditures by renting out the vice president’s mansion.”
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On the Democratic side, Sen Barack Obama, the presumptive presidential nominee, is known to be dodging all efforts directed at persuading him to name his former primary rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate. But he has acknowledged to associates that he is “frankly intrigued” by the notion of choosing her daughter Chelsea.
“Even setting aside how it strengthens our appeal to women, it’s an inspired choice,” one Obama insider gloated, “a win-win situation. We get all the clout and popularity of both Hillary and Bill, without any of the baggage. And there’s nothing the Republicans can slime her with: Chelsea has absolutely no political record. In fact she’s barely ever opened her mouth.”
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President George W. Bush seemed caught up in Veep Fever himself today when he surprised Washington political circles by nominating the "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell as his vice presidential choice for 2008. This was a vote-getting masterstroke -- mitigated only by the facts that the British Cowell would be ineligible for that office, and that Bush is legally barred from seeking a third term.
Bruce McCall, a humorist, is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. He is the author of "All Meat Looks Like South America: The World of Bruce McCall" and "Zany Afternoons."
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© 2007 The Washington Independent
Comments:
Posted 06/15/2008 04:52pm with
John McCain’s 3R economic plan far outdoes any perceived “plan of change” from one thing to something or another (by Obama’s lipservice).
Tell me if you know of anything better!! I am open for a better plan, but this one sounds pretty solid to me.
Progressive Candidate John McCain comes through for America with his 3R economic plan. In the aura of Theodore Roosevelt, McCain’s plan just makes sense.
1. RETHINK: America must rethink the global views on what America is capable of in our current state of technology, engineering and the demands that face the world.
“RETHINK” in terms of re-action means to set forth this plan.
Most Americans know where the USA falls short in the ways of manufacturing and valuable jobs.
It’s time to meet the change of global demands with Made in USA quality and a new American workforce. Oddly enough, the framework is ready and waiting for this plan and active participation. The Progressive attitude of John McCain to get things done will resurrect America.
2. REFORM: America must rise to these demands and compete aggressively in a global economy. We must demand higher quality products and less restricted trade routes for Made in USA components.
“RE-FORM” is simple to comprehend as through John McCain’s Progressive attitudes, the USA will reform our manufacturing and hit it full steam ahead!
Made in USA has always meant highest quality products at moderate prices. The difference today is, we save loose change with Imported Chinese junk products, but few high paying jobs exist to do anything except buy the cheaper foreign-made products.
3. REINVENT: America and Americans must reinvent themselves to reach and maintain these standards and by sheer American ingenuity, control the world’s marketplace in the competitive manner, as we have always been proud to rule. Can you hear Theodore Roosevelt shouting this?
“RE-INVENT” is the exciting part of McCain’s 3R plan.
Americans in need of a future and without the desire, funding or free time to spend 2 to 8 years in college can go back to a re-invented manufacturing education. McCain’s formula allows these new students, young and old, to be paid a moderate paycheck while learning their new skills and leadership roles in hands on classrooms! Without costing taxpayers or the US government additional funds, we can literally change the face of America and the world.
Learning the skills required in order to become the American driving force behind new USA manufacturing boom, many Americans will also gain the skills to become the CEOs and leaders of their own USA Mfg arenas. Leading a group of people who love their new lifestyle is not difficult and Americans have been proving American ingenuity and leadership since Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Republican era.
Initial estimates of 1 in 5 students will go on to begin his or her own company and drive even more Americans into a viable lifestyle with real jobs, real benefits and a retirement to look forward to. Many students will combine forces and create successful joint ventures.
America has the means to follow through with John McCain’s 3R plan, ready and in place across the USA. The buildings we need sit vacant for the most part. America has millions of people screaming for new and improved jobs.
Senator McCain has provided the new guard for Social Security, the promise of retirement and the dreams that can be realized by Americans who would otherwise be lost or at the mercy of a dying workforce. This is the new workforce for American’s future.
By assuming leases on abandoned stores and factories across America with MC-3R schools and mini-manufacturing training centers, the USA made products can be sold and support the stores. Building owners write off the loss in taxes over a few years!
Although the thousands of new businesses manufacturing USA Made products is exciting enough, the real excitement comes from the massive amount of additional jobs that will be created to provide the new housing, new buildings, new parks, shopping, grocery stores, schools, government outlets and so much more.
The Key PROBLEM with the housing slump and the huge crude oil buy-out is not from greedy developers or greedy oil companies, but from the desire to locate and invest in the era’s best investments. Housing was #1 until the investment funds were pulled and crude oil took its place as a commodity. McCain will get us out of the mess that threatens the world’s economy.
These three R’s will be accomplished by the McCain express and through wealthy American entrepreneurs who were once able to invest in America’s manufacturing capabilities but have since fallen into investments that have caused catastrophic world economy failure.
McCain’s Progressive nature embodies Theodore Roosevelt more than any other US presidential candidate in history since.
We need John McCain to lead our nation.
Posted 06/17/2008 09:40am with
See, I heard he was going to change DoD back to the Department of War and appoint himself secretary and leave the presidency vacant as the ultimate Libertarian statement. But you may have better sources than I do.