State of Change

VEEPSTAKES: Obama Sets What Looks Like a Saturday VP Event

posted by John Nichols on 08/19/2008 @ 10:30pm

Barack Obama launched his campaign for the presidency a year and a half ago at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.

He will return to the same location Saturday at noon, barely 48 hours before the convention that will nominate him for president is set to open.

This sounds like the right place for the formal introduction of a running mate.

The timing is, of course, exactly right to dominate the front pages of Sunday newspapers -- the most well and widely read daily publications -- and the Sunday morning talk shows.

That's a pretty good way to set the stage for the Democratic National Convention that opens Monday.

Of course, the Obama camp isn't saying anything specific.

Nor are they focusing the discussion about who the nominee might be.

The Joe Biden buzz is high.

And, it should probably be noted, Hillary Clinton is a native of the Land of Lincoln.

Comments (56)

  1. But who is it that's sharing the stage with Obama on the last day?

    Posted by hsuBfools at 08/19/2008 @ 10:38pm

  2. Falling from laughable to ridiculous:

    Is that Kennedy daughter Obama veting team head? What'd she know? And are we just a crony cabal?

    ---------

    "Caroline: Pull a Cheney!" An Open Letter to Caroline Kennedy (head of the Obama VP search team) from Michael Moore

    Dear Caroline,

    We've never met, so I hope you don't find this letter too presumptuous or inappropriate. As its contents involve the public's business, I am sending this to you via the public on the Internet. I knew your brother John. He was a great guy, and I know he would've had a ball during this thrilling and historic election year. We all miss him dearly.

    Barack Obama selected you to head up his search for a vice presidential candidate. It appears we may be just days (hours?) away from learning who that choice will be.

    Posted by HelenDAO at 08/19/2008 @ 10:43pm

  3. Barack Obama launched his campaign for the presidency a year and a half ago at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.

    abe lincoln?

    cool.

    but isn't he inexperienced, too?

    would tie up some loose ends rather neatly, though.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/19/2008 @ 10:45pm

  4. Barack Obama launched his campaign for the presidency a year and a half ago at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.

    mayor quimby?

    a popular, but rather two-dimensional choice.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/19/2008 @ 10:47pm

  5. Posted by hsuBfools at 08/19/2008 @ 10:38pm

    No, who's speaking on the last day.

    Not on Wednesday when the Veep nominee speaks.

    Ol' buddy, are we going to go to Halloween with you dreaming up ways for Al Gore to become Obama's Veep? and then another month after the Election of you claiming you "never said that"????

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/19/2008 @ 10:49pm

  6. BTW, again, if it IS Sebelius....

    McCain will have to pick Michelle Malkin! to match.

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/19/2008 @ 10:54pm

  7. Don't open yourself to truth, don't youtube AARON RUSSO

    Don't watch his chat with, for example, Ron Paul

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOIZmuP1P8

    GOOGLE NEWS:

    "AARON RUSSO" - did not match any documents

    "Freedom to Fascism" - did not match any documents

    259 for "brangelina"

    -----biden biden biden

    Posted by winyahn at 08/19/2008 @ 11:04pm

  8. Well, that's a pleasant suprise. It's been said that McCain is American first and Republican second. Now I believe that's a dream ticket. Obama - Biden? Spare me.

    ------------

    McCain weighs a Lieberman surprise By: Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns August 19, 2008 05:13 PM EST

    John McCain is seriously considering choosing a pro-abortion-rights running mate despite vocal resistance from conservatives, with former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) very much in the mix, close McCain advisers say.

    Under strong consideration: former Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Ridge, and Lieberman, who was Al Gore's running mate in 2000.

    Multiple GOP sources say that party officials in Washington and in the states have been contacted by the McCain campaign in the past two weeks and asked about the fallout from such a choice. One person familiar with the calls said the party was being instructed to prepare for different candidate prototypes -- including one in the mold of Lieberman, who is an independent but still caucuses with the Democrats.

    Posted by HelenDAO at 08/19/2008 @ 11:05pm

  9. -----biden biden biden

    biden neutralizes mccain

    ol' generation senator=ol' generation senator military, populist=military, populist washington insiders love their moms, humor, history

    --------------

    anyway, prepare to hear WHOMEVER is the most liberal blah blah

    Posted by winyahn at 08/19/2008 @ 11:15pm

  10. http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/incomedistribution-thumb-480x320.jpg

    mr. mccain's definition of rich.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 12:07am

  11. ...are we going to go to Halloween with you dreaming up ways for Al Gore to become Obama's Veep?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/19/2008 @ 10:49pm

    Sticking to your meds will help you with that multiple personality state of mind you're in.

    And perhaps get you to see those straw dildos you like playing with aren't working for you.

    Well, not publicly anyway.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 08/20/2008 @ 01:30am

  12. Posted by JOMAMMA at 08/19/2008 @ 11:56pm

    I disagree. There isn't enough room in this country for those two egos, let alone on the same ticket. Obama's budding messianic complex will put the kibosh on that one.

    Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 08:00am

  13. Besides, Clinton knows that Obama will crash and burn without her. He's already 5 points behind in the latest polls, and the conventions haven't even started yet. Of course, she would get good Party brownie points by playing the good soldier, which might be a good move too. Either way, Obama is finished this year. Even with Clinton, he will lose. Just not enough 'there' there. Empty suit, no resume, lots of baggage. Only the moonbats and the Party true believers will vote for him.

    Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 08:03am

  14. Posted by HelenDAO at 08/19/2008 @ 11:05pm

    No way McCain picks a pro-choice Republican. He'd lose LVLIB and half the Religious Right and guys like PONTI would have to scramble to come up with ways to rationalize it away.

    McCain HAS to shore up his base (74% support over 90% for Dubya in 2004).

    Obama picks somebody "unusual"...McCain will have to play catch-up (some "leader", huh?) and pick a Sarah Palin or Bobby Jindal to counter the move.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 08:46am

  15. Posted by hsuBfools at 08/20/2008 @ 01:30am

    Okay, okay. If you're going to get pissy again, just forget it. It's only 78 days until Election Day. As with "other events", I can wait to see how it plays out in the end.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 08:53am

  16. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 08:46am

    False dichotomy, MASK. There's plenty of gray between pro-choice and anti-abortion, and the Repubs have been riding that thin line for years. Whoever the Repubs pick for vp will be 'personally opposed to abortion', but not hysterically so. You've been hanging out on the left with the moonbats too long, I think not recognizing how much room there is to fudge. Watch Pelosi play the far left for votes, you'll see master pandering at work.

    Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 09:23am

  17. Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 09:23am

    "grey area"? For Republicans?!??!?!

    You think guys like LVLIB and Pat Robertson and Rick Warren and John Hagee and the rest are going to allow a Republican Veep who is "in a grey area" on abortion?!?!?!?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 09:35am

  18. "They'll be comin' 'round the mountain when they come...

    They'll be comin' 'round the mountain when they come...

    The Horse race is on, place your bets, gird your loins (or pocket books for the repubs), hold your breath and hope for the mediocre to rise to the top, like cream left on the counter too long.

    [mayor quimby?

    a popular, but rather two-dimensional choice.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/19/2008 @ 10:47pm ]

    why not? We have had Ralph Wiggums as President for the last 8 years!

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/20/2008 @ 09:42am

  19. Still pullin for the African/Mexican ticket of Obama/Richardson! Orator/charisma, intelligence, experience. Unheard of in a presidential ticket.

    that should put the fear into Whitey!! RIOBLOTTO will go blotto!!

    fizzz...grrroopp...Alibama and Pedro ride into the White/Black/Brown House with fitty brown kids and an old Chevy pickup, grrr Satans Daughter,,,drool...

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/20/2008 @ 09:47am

  20. everytime mccain says he doesn't know about something, he "surges"...i.e. the economy, mcbush flat out stated he knows nothing about the economy on meet the press and face the nation, yet now he is "surging" on MSM polls such as CNN, because of economic fears resulting from eight bush years, so now people would like more of the same, since it apparently hasn't gotten bad enough....

    please anybody explain the mental processes (or lack thereof) to explain this disconnect...for an informed voter, it is mind-boggling that people would be so gullible and it affects all of us, intellectually curious americans who know our current empire-building experiment is a failure and has to change as well as Cold War era mental midgets such as bush/mcbush....

    wake up and stop this madness america......

    Posted by jrs112 at 08/20/2008 @ 09:54am

  21. 'When Obama says he'll only tax the rich, he's saying he will only tax the engine room, not the rest of the ship.' -- Dick Morris

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:03am

  22. Honestliberal,

    But is Morriss really a "liberal" that you're quoting? He's been negative about lots of the Democrats.

    Posted by Mistral at 08/20/2008 @ 10:04am

  23. Hey Mistral, that's a good point. Morris did work for both Republicans and Democrats (I think maybe he did a campaign for somebody here in NYC, but I can't find the reference). He's a political consultant. Kind of weird. You'd think that a political powerhouse like him would have a position and stay with it, but instead he moves around like a hairstylist moving from salon to salon depending on ... what?

    I appreciate the comment. You're the first person to actually post anything here talking about what I said rather than just abuse. With everybody else, you end up wiping spittle from your eyeglasses after you listen to them.

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:08am

  24. Honestliberal,

    That's right, I remember Nikolas von Hoffman wrote on his blog that a blog is "A public urinal" But why do you only make quotes? Sometimes q good point is jsut a few sentences instead of scrolling through a long paste from some source.

    Posted by Mistral at 08/20/2008 @ 10:10am

  25. Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:08am

    OMG!!!!!! HonLib...just TALKED?!?!?!?!

    (I mean, of course, posted his/her OWN words, rather than just a quote!?!?!?!)

    Is this a Sign of the Apocalypse?!?!?!?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 10:11am

  26. But you can get such good clippings. I mean Christopher Hitchens, if anyone, qualifies for the label "liberal" On Crossfire years ago, when the guy on the right said, 'From the right, I'm...' He said, 'From the EXTREME left, I'm Christopher Hitchens'

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:13am

  27. Hitchens shouldn't really be considered a liberal. For instance, he's against abortion.

    Posted by Mistral at 08/20/2008 @ 10:15am

  28. Good point, but that just means the left is ideologically broader than most people think. Isn't it that way in France (I'm guessing, based on 'Mistral')

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:18am

  29. I don't know, I haven't been back in yeqrs. (I'm in NYC now too!). Sorry, gotta run. TTYL

    Posted by Mistral at 08/20/2008 @ 10:20am

  30. HOLY CRAP!!!!!!HE TALKED!!!!THREE TIMES!!!!IT'S AALLIIIIVVEEE!!!!!!

    There's no going back now!

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/20/2008 @ 10:31am

  31. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 09:35am

    "You think guys like LVLIB and Pat Robertson and Rick Warren and John Hagee and the rest are going to allow a Republican Veep who is "in a grey area" on abortion?!?!?!?"

    Why did abolitionists vote for Lincoln when he said that, although he was personally opposed to slavery, he would not push for abolition in the southern states?

    Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 10:44am

  32. I appreciate the comment. You're the first person to actually post anything here talking about what I said rather than just abuse. With everybody else, you end up wiping spittle from your eyeglasses after you listen to them.

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:08am

    That's bullcrap and you know it. You never said anything, only posted quotes, never replied to any comments except with more quotes.

    You are being dishonest, even though we had fun with your 'communication' style.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/20/2008 @ 10:48am

  33. Barak Obama now trails John McCain by five points in the polls! Flip-flopping is blamed by John Zogby as the cause, and, sure enough, its liberal voters who are seen as dissatisfied. How many FISA, campaign finance, Iraq, NAFTA, and off-shore drilling cave-ins did it take to bring this situation about? God knows. But one thing's clear, Obama has thrown away about the best chance progressives voters have ever had to win the presidency and the Congress at the same time. And why? This clown misrepresentations and "repositionings" don't deserve the support of progressive voter. To get their money's worth, Progressives need to vote for Nader.

    Posted by john lowell at 08/20/2008 @ 10:50am

  34. johnlowell-Son,Nader,like your McCain, is too old and would be a lame duck first term POTUS.Of course,progressives can't get their monies worth voting for Nader because that only helps McCain,but you already knew that.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 08/20/2008 @ 10:55am

  35. Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 10:44am

    I don't care about Abraham Lincoln, PONTI.

    I asked you....Would guys like LVLIB or Robertson or Warren just "mildly acede" to John McCain picking a pro-choice Veep?

    Yes or no?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 11:41am

  36. Posted by Benchrest at 08/20/2008 @ 10:31am

    It must not have been glossophobia...just ego!

    heheh

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 11:42am

  37. Even if he wins, there is no mandate for shit! IF Magic loses, the Demos won't be an effective opposition party, AGAIN! A multi-headed, dysfunctional, HUGE pile of shit!----Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/20/2008 @ 11:40am

    So Obama loses, the Democrats are dead.

    Obama wins, it doesn't mean anything.

    Heheh....you do like those rose-colored glasses, don't you, HAPP?

    And let me guess...

    McCain loses, meaningless because he wasn't a "real conservative".

    McCain wins?...he'll reject his former "Maverick'isms" and support drilling in ANWR, no "amnesty for illegals", oppose McCain-Feingold, NOT suddenly discover "he can work with" a 16 month withdrawal, and he'll even turn around on stem-cell research.....right?

    heheh

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 11:45am

  38. Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 11:41am

    "Yes or no?"

    No, but they would mildly accede to a VP candidate who held the same position as, say, Bush and Cheney - personally opposed but not raving about it.

    Posted by pontificus at 08/20/2008 @ 11:54am

  39. It must not have been glossophobia...just ego!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 11:42am

    The spittle comment and the generalizing leads me to believe we should be happy with just the quotes.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/20/2008 @ 12:01pm

  40. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/20/2008 @ 11:40am

    Couldn't agree more and in every respect. Things are getting a little scary now for this poseur and deservedly. He starting to tank as people catch up with the fact that he has absolutely nothing to offer voters concerning changing the way the system operates. He's part of the system, an integal part of it, and has absolutely no reason really to challenge it. All you need to round out the picture is for him to add some empty-headed schmegeggie like Evan Bahy to the ticket. Can you imagine a more vacuous pair? Mr. "Change", after all the change is gone, and Plastic Man. Oy!

    Posted by john lowell at 08/20/2008 @ 12:13pm

  41. Oh boy, HAPP....what a team you have put together to support you?

    Rush

    HELEN DAO

    and now john lowell!

    McCain's a cinch to win with folks like you behind him!

    heheh

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 12:59pm

  42. And now the utter air-headedness of the Obama's promise, if elected, to implement Bush's deal with Poland, consummated today, to install missiles there. Russia promises an extra-diplomatic response to this move and both major party presidential candidates have bought into these neo-con inspired provocations despite this promise. Is this "change"? Hell, no, its tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee and both of them are comfortable with a reignited Cold War! Progressive need realize that an Obama vote IS a McCain vote. From the polls, that's becoming apparent.

    Posted by john lowell at 08/20/2008 @ 1:48pm

  43. John Lowell is all over the place and Happy is unhappy cause Grandpa cheated his way into a poll lead? Down the rabbit hole we go...good thing if worst comes to worst I have back-up plans to be neighbours with Frosty.

    Posted by yutsano at 08/20/2008 @ 2:07pm

  44. "Progressive need realize that an Obama vote IS a McCain vote."---Posted by john lowell at 08/20/2008 @ 1:48pm

    Okay, been going back and forth...considered "really BAD strategist/Repub poser"....but now?

    I'm thinking "nutjob".

    So a progressive voting for Obama is a vote for McCain...but a progressive voting for Nader isn't?!??!?

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 2:15pm

  45. Actually THIS should have confirmed the mental health status of john lowell--

    "Gore would have invaded Iraq with or without 9/11. Trust me, he'd have listened very carefully to his masters voice if he'd been president and he would have obeyed."----Posted by john lowell at 08/01/2008 @ 11:14am

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 2:26pm

  46. Well, "missle shield" Obama and his think-alikes, George Bush and John McCain, now have managed to push Russia into cutting off military contacts with NATO. Who can blame the Russians who are now forced into defending themselves against NATO encirclement. None of this was necessary and it all has the feel of the kind of aggression we launched against Iraq. And why else, the same authors (Republican) and enablers (Democrats) are involved. With his big mouth and his missile shield and Georgia NATO membership enthusiasms, Flip-flop has manuevered himself into a corner from which he won't easily be able to extricate himself should he win the presidency. He just might have talked himself - and us - into a nuclear war. Progressives should vote Nader to end the dominance of this insane war mongering system of ours.

    Posted by john lowell at 08/20/2008 @ 4:41pm

  47. Progressives should vote Nader to end the dominance of this insane war mongering system of ours.

    Posted by john lowell at 08/20/2008 @ 4:41pm

    I don't think so, scooter.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/20/2008 @ 4:57pm

  48. Okay, okay. If you're going to get pissy again, just forget it.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 08:53am

    So your definition of 'pissy' is being called on owning your own fantasies?

    Interesting.

    Bet that got you far with your teachers...

    Posted by hsuBfools at 08/20/2008 @ 6:33pm

  49. Posted by hsuBfools at 08/20/2008 @ 6:33pm

    FINE! HSUB. You don't need to go into your "Nathan Thurm" impersonation.

    We'll just wait out the next 70-odd days and see who wins and who the next Vice-President of the United States becomes...

    and then you can start into something NEW about how "We need a new Secretary-General of the UN and you know who would be perfect for the job?????"

    heheh

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 8:39pm

  50. I appreciate the comment. You're the first person to actually post anything here talking about what I said rather than just abuse. With everybody else, you end up wiping spittle from your eyeglasses after you listen to them.

    Posted by HonestLiberal at 08/20/2008 @ 10:08am

    That's bullcrap and you know it. You never said anything, only posted quotes, never replied to any comments except with more quotes.

    posted by benchrest.

    that's true. i've seen numerous people, including me, respond to hl's posts.

    anyhoo,

    welcome aboard, hl.

    i KNEW your fingers would talk one day.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 9:15pm

  51. good thing if worst comes to worst I have back-up plans to be neighbours with Frosty.

    Posted by yutsano at 08/20/2008 @ 2:07pm

    well, you aren't going to let that happen now, are you?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 9:18pm

  52. good thing if worst comes to worst I have back-up plans to be neighbours with Frosty.

    Posted by yutsano at 08/20/2008 @ 2:07pm

    i mean the worst part. always welcome here.

    (frosty zoom does not work for immigration canada nor can he vouch for their niceness in any particular case).

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 9:19pm

  53. "We need a new Secretary-General of the UN and you know who would be perfect for the job?????"

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 8:39pm

    hey, thanks.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 9:21pm

  54. Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 9:21pm

    Actually FZ, probably just about the same chance of Al Gore ever working inside the White House again...

    as YOU becoming UN Sec-General.

    So....congrats!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 9:36pm

  55. So....congrats!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/20/2008 @ 9:36pm

    thanks,

    i'll begin brushing up on my esperanto.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/20/2008 @ 10:26pm

  56. AND the Bush/Limbaugh/Cheney/MCCAIN dittoheads

    say Amen!

    4 more years!

    Aaron Russo/ filmmaker (see you tube) explains why

    Explains Ponti, Jomm, 2Happ, Riobravo, Marc Canyon

    SEE Aaron Russo INTERVIEW WITH RON PAUL

    Posted by winyahn at 08/20/2008 @ 10:46pm

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