August 18, 2008

I Don't Like Her Because of Her Looks, But ...

Couldn't you see this face and profile on our money? And yes, one could argue that's one of the pettiest things I'll ever post, but really folks - why not Sebelius? She fits with and reinforces all of Obama's best qualities. I really hope she's the pick.

Posted by armand at August 18, 2008 04:27 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Politics


Comments

I don't know her record that well, but she seems like a fairly doctrinaire midspectrum blue state governor -- guns bad, taxes good, abortion a right, burning coal bad, etc. I don't yet see a whole lot to suggest that she has the kind of insight and ability to see past doctrine that Obama has. I don't think she'd be an awful choice, but I don't get what else she would contribute, other than as a gender token.

Show me something to suggest that she'd shred Joe Lieberman in a VP debate.

Posted by: jacflash at August 18, 2008 05:40 PM | PERMALINK

Oh, who the hell cares about the VP debate? Honestly, even "you're no Jack Kennedy" likely had no impact whatsoever on that election. No one watches the thing, and unless the Veep has characteristics that'll drive away some people (think Romney, Huckabee or Clinton), they don't have an impact on the election outcome.

But the pick is a signal, and the picks that seem to be the most respected of late are ones that are 1) competent and 2) reinforce the presidential candidate's attributes and message. And she's got change + progressive + competent + plays well with Indys and Repubs written all over her.

Posted by: Armand at August 18, 2008 06:02 PM | PERMALINK

And as to her being a governor and so not having the DC version of national security/foreign policy experience that the Broders of the world so prize, Obama can simply say - "You know, we just lived through 8 years of an "experienced" vice president directing defense/ foreign policy. How'd that work out? I'm going to have an inclusive administration. And I'm going to talk to a lot of insightful people on foreign affairs and decision policy (Lugar, Biden, Hagel, Richardson, Dodd, etc. ...). And I'll have talented individuals leading State & Defense to guide me. But for this particular job ..." blah blah blah, change change change, competence, stuff that fits with his message, references to how her record does, etc.

And of course he might want to note that the Veep is not actually SecState or the head of the DOD, so it's silly of the chattering class to talk like Veeps (other than Cheney) direct foreign policy.

Posted by: Armand at August 18, 2008 06:08 PM | PERMALINK

she's got change + progressive + competent + plays well with Indys and Repubs written all over her.

So you say, but my point above was that I'm not yet able to read that writing. Again, I don't know her that well, but she looks like blah blah blah blue state machine from where I sit. Of course, where I sit is Massachusetts, so your "change + progressive" may well be my "yawn, not another one".

Posted by: jacflash at August 18, 2008 06:45 PM | PERMALINK

But I guess what I don't get here is "blue state machine". She's managed to win a couple of statewide offices, and get reelected to a 2nd terms as governor in blood-red Kansas. That is, she's been both competent enough and savvy enough to win where virtually no Democrat can, while still believing in and working toward goals national Democrats believe in.

I mean that's a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the US Senate since the 1930s - I repeat, the 1930s. And the state hadn't previously reelected a Democratic governor since 1970.

And sure, one could argue that's been abetted by the Kansas GOP's never-ending war against itself - but of course her use of that, and skill at manipulating it a bit, show not inconsiderable political skills on her part.

Posted by: Armand at August 18, 2008 07:00 PM | PERMALINK

Yeah, I realize that Kansas is not a historically Democratic stronghold. But trying yet again to make this point, taken out of her state's context and thrown on to the national stage, she seems to me more or less indistinguishable from the leading figures thrown up by the machines in blue states.

I still don't get why she's worth supporting over any number of more prominent and more experienced figures, other than that she lacks a Y chromosome. And I don't think that's a plus in 2008, given that the ticket already has a black guy with a light resume.

You say "who the hell cares about the VP debate", but I hope you aren't forgetting that they've got to get elected before they can govern.

Posted by: jacflash at August 18, 2008 08:18 PM | PERMALINK

I'm well aware they have to get elected - but, honestly, the evidence for the veep pick affecting an election (at least in a positive way) is wafer-thin.

And as to why Sebelius, well there are the "she isn't/didn't" reasons - she's not gaffe-prone like Biden or Richardson, she's not in bed with the business/lobbying & war interests that Bayh is, she's not coal-happy like Kaine, she wouldn't leave her state in the hands of a reactionary wingnut like Kaine would, she doesn't have Biden's viceroy tendencies ... and that's before we even get to comparisons with the likes of Clinton or Nunn.

And as to the positives in her favor, well they are there. My point about Kansas is that she's very good at winning elections in a place that isn't usually friendly to people who have views like her and Obama. And she's got the kind of record on reproductive rights and the environment that will please Democrats, while also a record of working across the aisle. Basically, she's a minus-less effective executive, with a strong record of getting things done, while not raising hackles (one of Time's 5 Best Governors). I'm sure blogs like Ezra Klein's, etc. have more details on her specific accomplishments. But she appears to be one of the country's top governors - not one of the top female governors. And she complements Obama.

To me it's a cost-free pick that reinforces Obama's general themes.

Posted by: Armand at August 18, 2008 10:43 PM | PERMALINK
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