Via Marc Ambinder

The following three Democrats are being vetted by Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy and there is independent evidence that Obama is taking a serious look at them:

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Gov. Tim Kaine, Sen. Evan Bayh.

Additionally, allies of Sen. Joe Biden say that he is under serious consideration, although he is not being subjected to the same level of vetting.

Of the list, Ambinder notes:

Sebelius and Kaine are both governing choices, not campaign choices. They’re not going to match Obama’s enthusiasm levels; they’re not going to do all that well at the VP debates; they’re not even going to solve political problems (even Kaine). But they are solid; they are centrist-in-style; they are Washington outsiders; they know how to balance budgets and deal with Republicans. As an historical analogy, think Clinton’s choice of Gore.

I can see that to a point. However, Sebelius does bring the gender issue to the table, which might placate some who were concerned with the gender issue in the primaries (but that could at least semi-backfire as the hardcore Clinton supporters might use the choice of another woman as a reason to feel slighted), but it seems rather unlikely that she would put Kansas into play. The fact that Kaine is the governor of Virginia has to help in that increasingly purple state. Of course, Bayh will hardly match Obama’s enthusiasm levels, either (I am not sure who would in terms of veepables). The convention wisdom is that Bayh does help in Indiana.

I am not seeing Biden, as he is too much of a loose cannon.

Kaine, meanwhile, appears to be getting the most press this morning.

Via WaPo: Kaine in ‘Serious’ Talks With Obama

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has told close associates that he has had “very serious” conversations with Sen. Barack Obama about joining the Democratic presidential ticket and has provided documents to the campaign as it combs through his background, according to several sources close to Kaine.

Likewise, the Politico reports: Kaine ‘very, very high’ on VP shortlist

Kaine, an early Obama supporter whose biography nicely dovetails with the Illinois senator’s, “ranks very, very high on the short list,” said a source who has spoken recently to senior Obama aides about Kaine.

Kaine “is getting a critical examination,” the source said.

Meanwhile the NYT notes that rather obvious fact that an Obama-Clinton Ticket Is Seen as Unlikely.

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One Response to “Obama’s Veepables”

1. Obama’s Veepables Says:
   July 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am

   [...] A little run-down at my place. [...]