Senators Biden and Bayh voted for that invasion and that war, the war Barack ran against, the war Barack reminded us was the big difference between him and Senator Clinton because she voted for the war and he spoke out against it while running for Senate (a brave and bold thing to do back in 2002).
For Obama to place either of these senators on the ticket would be a huge blow to the millions that chose him in the primaries over Hillary. He will undercut one of the strongest advantages he has over the Hundred-Year War senator, Mr. McCain. By anointing a VP who did what McCain did in throwing us into this war, Mr. Obama will lose the moral high ground in the debates.
As for Governor Kaine of Virginia, his big problem is, well, Obama’s big problem — who is he? The toughest thing Barack has had to overcome — and it will continue to be his biggest obstacle — is that too many of the voters simply don’t know him well enough to vote for him. The fact that Obama is new to the scene is both one of his most attractive qualities AND his biggest drawback. Too many Americans, who on the surface seem to like Barack Obama, just don’t feel comfortable voting for someone who hasn’t been on the national scene very long. It’s a comfort level thing, and it may be just what keeps Obama from winning in November (“I’d rather vote for the devil I know than the devil I don’t know”).
What Obama needs is a vice presidential candidate who is NOT a professional politician, but someone who is well-known and beloved by people across the political spectrum; someone who, like Obama, spoke out against the war; someone who has a good and generous heart, who will be cheered by the rest of the world; someone whom we’ve known and loved and admired all our lives and who has dedicated her life to public service and to the greater good for all.
That person, Caroline, is you.
I cannot think of a more winning ticket than one that reads: “OBAMA-KENNEDY.”
Caroline, I know that nominating yourself is the furthest idea from your mind and not consistent with who you are, but there would be some poetic justice to such an action. Just think, eight years after the last head of a vice presidential search team looked far and wide for a VP — and then picked himself (a move topped only by his hubris to then lead the country to near ruin while in office) — along comes Caroline Kennedy to return the favor with far different results, a vice president who helps restore America to its goodness and greatness.
Caroline, you are one of the most beloved and respected women in this country, and you have been so admired throughout your life. You chose a life outside of politics, to work for charities and schools, to write and lecture, to raise a wonderful family. But you did not choose to lead a private life. You have traveled the world and met with its leaders, giving you much experience on the world stage, a stage you have been on since you were a little girl.
The nation has, remarkably (considering our fascination with celebrity), left you alone and let you live your life in peace. (It’s like, long ago, we all collectively agreed that, with her father tragically gone, a man who died because he wanted to serve his country, we would look out for her, we would wish for her to be happy and well, and we would have her back. But we would let her be.)
Now, I am breaking this unwritten code and asking you to come forward and help us in our hour of need. So many families are hurting, losing their homes, going bankrupt with health care bills, seeing their public schools in shambles and living with this war without end. This is a historic year for women, from Hillary’s candidacy to the numerous women running for the House and Senate. This is the year that a woman should be on the Democratic ticket. This is the year that both names on that ticket should be people OUTSIDE the party machine. This is the year millions of independents and, yes, millions of Republicans are looking for something new and fresh and bold (and you are the Kennedy Republicans would vote for!).
This is the moment, Caroline. Seize it! And Barack, if you’re reading this, you probably know that she is far too humble and decent to nominate herself. So step up and surprise us again. Step up and be different than every politician we have witnessed in our lifetime. Keep the passion burning amongst the young people and others who have been energized by your unexpected, unpredicted, against-all-odds candidacy that has ignited and inspired a nation. Do it for all those reasons. Make Caroline Kennedy your VP. “Obama-Kennedy.” Wow, does that sound so cool.
Caroline, thanks for letting me intrude on your life. How wonderful it will be to have a vice president who will respect the Constitution, who will support (instead of control) her president, who will never let her staff out a CIA agent, and who will never tell her country that she is “currently residing in an undisclosed location.”
Say it one more time: “OBAMA-KENNEDY.” A move like that might send a message to the country that the Democrats would actually like to win an election for once.
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Caroline Kennedy may be beloved by Americans but she really doesn’t have any governmental experience to step in should the Vice President assume the Presidency.
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p>There’s more to politics than political theatre, there’s governing. And someone who has never held any office is a poor choice to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency.
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p>It’s too bad Michael Moore makes easily debated statements like this, because he’s one of the few commercially popular voices for progressive goals like universal health care.
and a bevy of other Kennedys who could give her advice, should she need it. But Barack Obama’s a man in his 40s, in excellent physical condition with the world’s greatest secret service behind him. I don’t have any serious worries that it would even get that far, should Obama win.
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p>Overall, I think this is a brilliant idea. People don’t vote based on experience. If they did, Obama would never have made it this far, and George W. Bush wouldn’t ever have been elected. People vote for what a candidate stands for – their identity, who they are, what they want. Caroline would be instantly identifiable for the rest of the country, standing for a politics and the kind of hope that once led this country to vote for a young, inexperienced President that is beloved even to this day.
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p>If Obama picks someone who was pro-war, there certainly is a credibility issue there. The wrong kind of experience is worse than no experience at all. The fact that he’s even considering Biden and Bayh stings and smacks of political calculation. What’s there to calculate? They’re not going to bring in more votes, and they’ll only make Obama look like a hypocrite on the war. Furthermore, Bayh’s state has a Republican Governor. If Bayh leaves the Senate, we lose a Senate seat – in an election where there’s an outside shot we could defeat any hypothetical Republican filibusters. If Bayh left, there’s not even a hypothetical chance.
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p>I don’t know if Caroline Kennedy would ever even dream of something like this, but I think it would make a far stronger ticket than Barack and any one of those other guys. The only person on that list I could tolerate would be Kaine, and that’s only because he could help secure Virginia – a state that if we win will likely mean we’ll win the whole thing. But I don’t think we need Kaine, or anyone really, but Caroline Kennedy would completely jive with Barack Obama’s entire campaign message, representing someone new and outside the beltway, while also inspiring people in a presidential nominee in ways they haven’t been inspired since JFK. Honestly, Caroline Kennedy could be the best pick possible.
I think it would be hypocritical to go with either Bayh or Biden because of their vote to authorize the war in Iraq. (lol, think they could just blame it on Powell like Kerry just did and everything would be forgiven?)
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p>Not to mention that I think many progressives have lost their excitement about this candidacy since the move towards the center (FISA, etc). I think choosing Caroline Kennedy would really re-energize supporters, help with courting even more of those that voted for Hillary, and it would solidify the idea of change.
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p>Here’s to hoping!
just think of all the commercials we would see. I would like to see the McCain commerical showing Caroline Kennedy as Princess Leia.
First qualification for a VP: qualified to be President on Day 1 should s/he need to take ofice.
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p>Examples of people who qualify: Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, Jim Webb, Al Gore, Evan Bayh, Sam Nunn, John Kerry, Dianne Feinstein, Russ Feingold
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p>Exmples of people who don’t: Caroline Kennedy, Michael Phelps, Jon Stewart, Al Franken, Oprah Winfrey, Rick Warren, Michael Moore, Carl Yastrzemski
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p>
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p>doesn’t make them right…
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p>(Don’t get me wrong, there’s some people I like on that list, but they’re a) not going to be picked and b) doesn’t prove the theory ‘ready to be president on day 1’ right).
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p>The fact is is that ‘experience’ is a vastly overrated qualification to be elected president. And Vice President. Election after election has taught us that. Obama was a state senator 3 1/2 years ago, for heaven’s sake, and that didn’t help Richardson, Clinton, Biden or others you didn’t list.
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p>People respond to campaign messages and people they can identify with. Caroline Kennedy would mesh well on both counts, media narratives and conventional wisdom be damned.
I absolutely agree about the experience thing. There are exactly four people alive who have the experience for the job. Two are barred from the job by the 22nd Amendment. The other two have been there and done that and probably don’t want any part of doing it again.
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p>But. Insufficient experience is better than zero experience. A nomination of Caroline Kennedy would signify (i) that Obama is beholden to the Michael Moore wing of the party, and (ii) confirm that the campaign is, after all, a vapid celebrity-driven phenomenon.
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p>Nah, the media will be too fixated on Obama trying to become the politically adopted Kennedy heir, inspiring the same sort of spirit JFK did.
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p>As for the celebrity-driven aspect of the campaign? I’m not so sure Americans don’t want a ‘celebrity driven’ campaign, so long as it remains political. CK would only build off of Obama in that respect – and that’s a good thing.
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p>Honestly, the more I think about this, the more I think it would be absolutely amazing. There’s just so much synergy with his campaign message. It’s probably too good an idea to ever come true, but damn should they do this.
Except among those that ardently admire her uncle. These people are probably thin on the ground in the states that will matter in November.
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p>Even if she has the chops to do it (political spouses often do) I think her maiden name would hinder rather than facilitate the effect you seek.
For all of the reasons stated above, not to mention that it requires almost a complete failure of imagination for a member of a search committee to conclude that they, in fact, are the best qualified candidate.
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p>Ludicrous, in fact.