Tom Kean: Should Obama have chosen him as VP?

Mr Kean might not have accepted of course, but on reflection it seems
to me that he'd have had pretty close to the perfect CV for Obama or
McCain.


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Positives:

Acceptable to black voters -- recruited blacks to Republicans; took
60% of African American votes in landslide win in 1985

Acceptable to 'workingclass' voters -- recruited trade union families
to Republicans; scored 2/3 of them in 1985

Not a Washington insider

Not friendly with Bush apparatchiks

Gave address entitled "The Politics of Inclusion" at 1988 Republican
Convention; Especially good for Obama but not bad for McCain either;

Rated a good governor of New Jersey

Seen as strong on environmental issues by Independents

Nearly as popular with Democrats as Republicans

Did a modestly good job at head of 9/11 commission in the teeth of
Bush regime hostility

For Obama, would look like 'reaching across the aisle'.

Would annoy the hell out of Rove


For McCain would look like "NOT Bush"; reminds public that McCain
pushed hard for 9/11 commission

For McCain, might wedge Obama more effectively on white males,
workingclass votes

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Negatives

A little old to run -- this would be worse for McCain than Obama, who
already has the youth vote locked up. As Obama's VP, he might look
like a 'wise uncle', which wouldn't hurt Obama

A Republican -- high risk strategy for Obama

For McCain, probably doesn't help shore up the right flank.

McCain and "Kean" would grate a bit when you said it

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I wonder if McCain has him on his shortlist? That would annoy the hell
out of Rove and trouble Obama


Fran
.

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