Politico is reporting that Colin Powell is "in the mix" of possible VP nominees that John McCain is considering. The McCain advisers to leaked that information also suggest that they think that Mitt Romney is at the top of the list.
Now I respect General/Secretary Powell's service to his country. But frankly, I think he would be about the worst of the potential candidates for VP that I've heard so far--worse even, than Mitt Romney. Think about it...
- Colin Powell is 71 years old (will be 72 next spring); John McCain will be 72 in a few days (Aug. 29--the day he will supposedly announce his running mate). What would we be aiming for? The "Septuagenarian Ticket"? Joe Biden at 65 could look pretty young next to Colin Powell (who doesn't look particularly aged, but still...)
- John McCain suggests that his strength is in foreign policy/military affairs. What does it say about his priorities if the guy he taps is a former Secretary of State and former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? That we're planning on more military action? That we don't care about domestic policies?
- Most of the time (not always, but usually) VP candidates are chosen with an eye to the future--someone who might be groomed and developed for future runs; or they're a compromise candidate or a way of unifying the party after a bitter nomination battle (arguably, George H. W. Bush was that for Reagan); or, they're chosen to fill in gaps in experience or perceived knowledge that the presidential candidate has (I've already argued that point for Joe Biden's selection, but one has to think that Dick Cheney was chosen for that reason, giving "Dubya's" short time in public office and limited experience in foreign affairs in 2000; or they may be chosen with the hope of adding support in some state or region (although there aren't really very many instances where we can really attribute much to the VP candidate). It boggles the mind to think that Colin Powell might be a candidate for the "future."
- Optimistically speaking for McCain, let's say that he served 8 years as President (leaving office at the tender age of 80, with his VP nearly that). If he were concerned about the Party, and his legacy, he would be beating the bushes for a VP nominee in his/her early 60s (or younger), who could learn, contribute, and build a reputation upon which to mount his/her own campaign in 2016.
- Colin Powell has really never shown any significant sign of wanting to be President. One got the feeling back in '96 and even 2000 that Powell might have accepted an Eisenhower-like draft by the Republicans, but didn't have the fire in his belly to actually campaign for the office.
- Which raises the question of what, exactly, he'd do on McCain's ticket.
- Colin Powell is not a conservative, which would make it even more difficult for McCain to rally the base.
If John McCain wants to select someone who's never actually run for office, he should get much bolder than Colin Powell. Someone who could add to his knowledge base on domestic issues (especially the economy); someone who would be a stark contrast to not only the political entrenchment of John McCain, but also the political entrenchment of the counterpart, Joe Biden, on the Democratic side. I'm not necessarily endorsing any of these folks and don't really think that McCain will go with them, because they haven't run for office, but Meg Whitman (formerly of EBay), who McCain said recently that he listens to; and Carly Fiorina (formerly CEO of H-P) would both be successful women who would be bold choices, and whose selection would send an interesting message.
Of course there are others--currently serving in office somewhere--who would be choices that I think could help John McCain--especially Governor Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Governor Mark Sanford (South Carolina). I haven't seen any indication that either of those governors are even being considered, but a selection of either of them would provide some encouragement not only to conservatives, but to young folks in the Republican Party who have begun to wonder whether the GOP is just for old folks, and who wonder whether anyone in the party is still a conservative.
In my opinion, though, McCain has to find someone outside of Washington--preferably a governor. That makes the list a lot smaller--and most of the buzz lately has been around Romney and Pawlenty of Minnesota. I imagine we'll know in the next few days whether there are any others on the short list.
LLE
