If Webb becomes VP, then Kaine gets to pick someone who will at least temporarily hold the seat.  But really we should be thinking in terms of who can hold the seat in an actual election.   Unfortunately Mark Warner won't be available :-).  Who do we have that would be the strongest person for that seat??

...Creigh Deeds or Brian Moran, whichever one doesn't win the governor nomination?  Or, how about Jody Wagner?  Thinking outside the box a bit, how about this guy?  Donald McEachin?  Chap Petersen?

are political unknowns to the rest of the state.  I guess that's my point - we are going to have to bring someone up from the minors and see how they do in the majors.  I don't know any of them well enough to be able to say which of these would be ready for the rigors of a statewide campaign.

The Republicans don't have the same issues.  Allen could try and recapture "his" seat, or you could have Gilmore or Tom Davis take a shot at it.  Yes, they are all deeply flawed in some way or another, but all 3 already have some degree of statewide recognition.

Has a name - Aneesh Chopra - he's a major badass - extremely intelligent.

But yeah, it would need to be someone more well-known.  I think Moran and Deeds are both quite well known.  Especially Deeds.  In fact, given that Deeds ran statewide, and currently Moran's Governor bid is doing a lot better - I think that would be an excellent deal.

Plus, whichever way - Mark Warner would then become the senior Senator from Virginia, which he indeed deserves.

First, Deeds is certainly known state-wide. Moran is certainly known among politically-involved people statewide.

Second, I doubt either Gilmore or Davis have the political chops right now to win a state-wide election, Gimore because he too conservative, and Davis because he is probably too liberal to get nominated, but more importantly because both have records that are not flattering.

I think Allen would be a tough candidate, though, but that is equally the case whether the Democratic candidate is Webb or someone else. Webb's in-state approval is not as high as it is on this blog. As has been discussed here, I suspect it has to do with the fact that his office just doesn't seem well-run. I write a dumb-ass column for a publication here in Charlottesville -- not political -- and the few times I have called Webb's office for help, I have never even had a call returned. I suspect many constituents have had a similar experience.

But all this pales to what would really control such an appointment: whether Kaine himself would have designs on the seat should Webb become VP. If so, then Moran and Deeds are out.  

on the office management skills (at least on the customer service end).  

There is someone answering the phones, but the response time on communications is pretty poor.  

Allen's office had a similar issue, but then again, what happened to Allen in 2006?  On the margins in an election constituent communications matters in a big way.  John Warner's people have it down to a science.  Webb should be taking notes -- or hiring Warner's office manager.

Thats the biggest issue here. You can put anyone, but who can really win statewide 2 years later.

I think Scott is content to remain as a Reps.; not sure what Boucher's interests are -- but in a statewide election he'd probably win the southwest corner, and the population centers in the north, the center and along the coast.  He'd be a safer pick than Deeds or Moran at this stage.

I mentioned his lack of enthusiasm for campaigning yesterday, but the bigger picture question is if he really wants to be in that position.  As you mentioned about his book - where does he find the time to write a book, raise a young child, and be a Senator?  Being thrown into the mix of the executive branch at the VP level would be even more demanding of his time and more constraining in so many ways (e.g. Does the Secret Service allow VP's to carry their own guns whenever they want?).

I've even had feelings from time to time that he might be a one termer (of his own choosing).  At this rate he'd certainly be re-elected if he ran, but with his family and other interests (like writing) I can't help but wonder if he saw this as a calling to help get our Country back on track and once that happens he'll be done.

Is four years in the executive grinder something that he would really want to do given his other interests?  Does he have higher political goals that VP would help him achieve or is he serving his country in a time of need?

For the record, I do agree with the analysis that he would be a good addition to the ticket (with previously noted concerns about campaigning) and I also think he would make a good VP and would compliment Obama very well.  I also think he's doing a great job in the Senate and that he'd continue to do so and I'm equally happy, if not more so, with him doing that job.

So then it comes back to the question of whether or not he really wants to go that direction.

Look at how much time Cheney has had to really screw up the country and lobby for the energy industry as vice president.

Yes.  Longer answer: if Barack Obama comes to Jim Webb and says, "Jim, I need you...your country needs you...I'll rely on you heavily for your national security, foreign policy and economic knowledge/expertise," I can't imagine Jim Webb saying "sorry, I got better things to do."

But running for Vice President is going to require a TON of traveling and, well, campaigning.  Webb wasn't always the most enthusiastic campaigner.  Granted, he's fantastic on the news/talk show circuit (he's certainly got that down pat), but he should ask Mark Warner about the level of travel involved.

That said, I am available to serve as your "body guy" for the campaign, "Mr. Vice President."

One of my friends on MySpace set this account up for this very purpose back before Christmas

http://www.myspace.com/jim_web...

Personally, I think he would be a great VP for Obama, noting as you said that he can connect to the working class of America.

I am extremely proud of the work Webb has done in the senate, but I'm not so sure he would be a good vp pick. He did horrible with women in Virginia when he ran for senate. It was because of his quotes about women cadets from the 80's. Somehow I don't think the Obama camp would want to lose significant amounts of women voters to pick up the working class voters Webb MIGHT bring.

since Webb is actually doing better in those polls than he is among men.  The Allen campaign tried every dirty trick in the book to make it look like Webb hates women, but the fact is that women like what he has to say on a lot of different levels.  His stands on the GI Bill, health care, the incarceration crisis, fair trade, labor, and yes, his aura of strength and determination coupled with his obvious interest in just makes people tick actually resonate pretty well with women.  A well-run campaign (and there's nothing showing that Obama's people don't know how to run a campaign well) would point out those strengths.  I just don't see McCain going after Webb the way Allen did, either.  He and Webb have a long history together and though McCain has turned into Captain Pander I still think there's a part of him which would never allow him to get down in the muck and try to throw it on Webb.  He respects Webb too much.  

Webb for VP, for sure. Kathleen Sebelius, the best manager/governor in America, Chief of Staff. Sam Nunn, Sec. of State. Special asignment at Cabinet level: Bloomberg, Arnold, co-chairs on environment; an issue to be faced on the level of WW II. (And if Obama doesn't poach Bloomberg and Arnold - "post partisans" who fit either party and among the very best managers [with vision] in America, they will rebuild the Republican party by 2012).

A Barack Obama/Jim Webb ticket would be a wonderful illustration of the value of following the "can't win if you don't run" principle of politics.  Obama's path to the Senate was cleared by not one, but two divorce-related scandels.  Wasn't he was an underdog for the party nomination before the first of the scandels hit?  Then Jack Ryan's exit from the general election left Alan Keyes (from Maryland!) as the only obstacle to a seat in the United States Senate.

Webb had to overcome a huge campaign spending disadvantage  just to win the right to face a popular Republican incumbent.  And then "macaca" and You Tube intersected and Webb prevailed.

       

Jim Webb is a terrific Senator, and a man who speaks to a lot of Virginians. But I really have a lot of questions about him on a national scale.

Frankly, like it or not, there was a lot of fodder for attacks during the last campaign. All those issues will come up again, but with much more effort on research, finding negative voices, etc. It is a whole new level of scrutiny. I'm not sure the public in places like Ohio, or Florida, or New Mexico will like what it hears - the response could be very different than in Virginia. I'm also not sure if Webb is up to the scrutiny. Politics is invasive, and he seems like someone pretty protective of his private life.

Also, let's face it, Webb's "campaign style" isn't... one that lends itself to a VP slot. He's about personal connections, he's still a bit awkward on the stump, and he's not someone who really gets excited about campaigning. I think that worked fine for the 2006 election, but for a VP role, he needs to fire up the crowd, serve as the strongest, most convincing advocate of the presidential nominee, etc. I have no doubt he can speak strongly, but I've not seen him do it in that sort of manner.

It's a shame, because there is really a dividing line between the best candidate and the best office-holder. He'd be a great VP. But maybe not a great candidate.

When it comes to whether the prospective running mate needs to be a charismatic campaigner, does Senator Obama really require any help on that score?

Was -- and I hate to even type the name -- Cheney a charismatic campaigner?

The office of VP, first under Gore and then taken to the nth degree by aaargh Cheney, has become that of a COO.  Put another way, Webb could be Mister Inside while President Obama would be Mister Outside.

As to the hyperbole that "there was a lot of fodder for attacks during the last [senatorial] campaign", there was only one of any substance:  Webb's resistance, thirty some years ago, to women at the service academies and the military in general.  In typical Webb fashion, he dealt with it forthrightly in saying he was, back then, a macho ex-Marine fresh from combat and at the forefront of the culture wars, that he had changed his mind on the issue way back when and that his original stance has subsequently been proven completely wrong.

 

for attacks against Webb.  Mainly, it was just a bunch of complete garbage dredged up from Dick Wad(hams)' Rovian, smearmongering mind.

I can't imagine anyone better.  From strictly a political/demographic perspective I think he would appeal to the white males without a college education - because he isn't a "wine sipper".  Plus he has Reagan cred.

And of course he still appeals to those of us with college educations.  

I'm not sure how women feel about a "manly man" as VP.  But, they would have a softer Obama.

From a management of our country perspective (as opposed to the things that really don't matter like who women will fawn over the most) I think both bring alot to the table.

This is Webb's chance to really f*** over McCain for the BS McCain pulled on Webb's GI bill. I can't wait to see the match--Webb will beat McCain at his own game!! (sorry if that sounds poetic) It will be better than any Redskins game IMHO! I want to see McCain's goose cooked,well-done, bring him on! Go Jim!!

Over and over again I see these posts and columns. Jim Webb is such a great Senator for Virginia, and (must I remind you?) he barely squeaked into office. I would so much rather keep him in the Senate than as a VP. There are so many other people who are just as good as him that can be VP, and we won't lose a Senate seat.

Name one.

Not a single candidate is as perfect a fit for Obama on paper as Jim Webb.

Jim Webb has more national security and military expertise/credibility/gravitas than any other Democrat that I can think of (with the possible exception of Gen. Wesley Clark).  Jim Webb brings a strong dose of economic populism to the ticket -- his "three Americas" formulation (the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, the middle class getting squeezed), his appeal to fundamental fairness and justice, etc.  Actually, Webb doesn't just "appeal" to working class white citizens, he IS the prototypical working class white citizen.  Webb is also the classic "Reagan Democrat."  Whatever you may think of "Reagan Democrats," there are tens of millions of them, and if Democrats win them back, we become the majority party in this country for a long time to come.  Finally, Webb could help put Virginia in play this year, and that's nothing to sneeze at.  Even if, ultimately, Virginia doesn't vote for the Democratic ticket, just making it competitive forces the vastly underfunded Republicans to spend resources defending what was, until recently, a solid "red state" at the presidential level.

So, who among Democrats tops all that?!?

I just think he'd be better in the Senate than on the ticket as VP. And I think Virginia is in play (for Obama anyway) even without Webb on the ticket. A few months ago (when our primary occured) Obama was tied with/beating Mcain in VA: http://www.electoral-vote.com/...

"Whatever you may think of 'Reagan Democrats'..." Hey there, watch yourself buddy, I am one! Or maybe I'm a "blue dog D" I'm not hip to all the political jargon these days.

I'm really not trying to stir up a fight here, I'm just stating my opinion.  

Don't sound so angry Lowell!

I'm angry?  I feel strongly that Webb would make -- by far -- Barack Obama's best running mate.  That's all.

Just checking, I'm sort-of new here and it seems like today I've ruffled a few feathers.