WI: A McCain-(Condoleezza) Rice Ticket in 2008
- Thread starter jahenders
- Start date
I don't think it would have changed the outcome significantly. McCain was a weak candidate and Obama was a very strong one. Condi herself adds a lot more as a presidential candidate than as a VP candidate.
If by some miracle McCain/Rice won, I think Condi would spend most of her time in foreign affairs since that's her area of expertise.
If by some miracle McCain/Rice won, I think Condi would spend most of her time in foreign affairs since that's her area of expertise.
Honestly, better than most of the other alt-2008 tickets this board has seen!
She has a good chance of cleaning Joey B's clock in the VP debate, and has a better shot than Palin did of actually picking up some votes as an interesting bottom half. She doesn't alienate people the way a Lieberman pick would, but she's maverick enough in her politics to scoop up some moderates.
She's a blank slate on economic issues and can certainly talk the McCain line on recovery. She's publicly against the GOP party line on abortion, though, and McCain won't be able to count on the Christian Right in this election.
The Bush association unavoidably tarnishes her, and the ticket still goes down in flames. Still, not the "worse than OTL" you usually see with these scenarios.
She has a good chance of cleaning Joey B's clock in the VP debate, and has a better shot than Palin did of actually picking up some votes as an interesting bottom half. She doesn't alienate people the way a Lieberman pick would, but she's maverick enough in her politics to scoop up some moderates.
She's a blank slate on economic issues and can certainly talk the McCain line on recovery. She's publicly against the GOP party line on abortion, though, and McCain won't be able to count on the Christian Right in this election.
The Bush association unavoidably tarnishes her, and the ticket still goes down in flames. Still, not the "worse than OTL" you usually see with these scenarios.
I think McCain loses by an even bigger margin. This directly ties him to the unpopular Bush administration, so no more "maverick" talking point. She is pro-choice so that turns off the evangelicals who were energized by the Palin pick, so you get slightly less turnout from the right.
McCain needed to build bridges with conservatives. A pro-choice VP would not help with that.
Rice makes a better VP with a conservative who needs to court moderates, and a younger one who would not likely need to be replaced anytime soon, (because of her relative lack of executive experience).
But Secretary of State is a weak resume for VP.
Really, the best way for this to occur, IMO, is if she runs for the top slot herself and gains enough support to look like an asset.
And it's still quite a stretch...
Would disappoint Tina Fey a lot..
Little difference in outcome. Any gain from moderates offset by religious right staying him
Little difference in outcome. Any gain from moderates offset by religious right staying him
Orville_third
Banned
McCain would likely lose the religious right, who would stay home or back Alan Keyes. Rice would not get grilled by Biden over things like Iraq or the PDB, but some of the media hopefully would. (Sadly, Rice is still popular in some circles. She headlined a fundraiser for someone I vehemently disagree with with little to no criticism.)
The good news is that we'd be deprived of Sarah Palin in the national spotlight (unless she backs Keyes). It's likely she might get forced out after the legislature approves the Branchflower Report.
The good news is that we'd be deprived of Sarah Palin in the national spotlight (unless she backs Keyes). It's likely she might get forced out after the legislature approves the Branchflower Report.
McCain already had an albatross around his neck - Bush and his support for Bush's war in Iraq. Condi would have been a further detriment.
Paul V McNutt
Banned
I don't think a Republican convention would nominate a pro choice candidate. By supporting her, McCain would alienate social conservatives. Many would turn to Bob Barr or Alan Keyes or stay home. There enough stay at homes to defeat
Saxbe Chamblis and Mitch McConnel. oObama carries Georgia South Carolina, Missouri, Montana and the Dakotas. aAfter the convention rejects Rice, McCain turns to Palin. hHe gets her negatives not her positives.
Saxbe Chamblis and Mitch McConnel. oObama carries Georgia South Carolina, Missouri, Montana and the Dakotas. aAfter the convention rejects Rice, McCain turns to Palin. hHe gets her negatives not her positives.
Paul V McNutt
Banned
I don't think the 2008 Republican convention would have nominated a prochoice candidate. aAfter she is rejected, McCain would turn to Palin. By backing Rice, he would have alienated social conservatives. hHe would have got all Palin"s negatives without her positives. There would have been enough stay at homes to defeat Mitch McConnell and Saxbe Chamblis. oObama wins Georgia, sSouth Carolina, Missouri, Montana , the Dakotas and maybe Arizonia.
Realpolitik
Banned
2008 is as close as it gets to impossible for the Republicans anyway, hence, you might as well make it fun.