The Young Turks

by adamg on 06/04/2008 09:49:53 PM EST

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Here is a great Charlie Rose Interview:

Govenor Schweitzer is an expert on the middle east, (7 years living and working in Saudi Arabia and just listen to him talk about the history of the region, its a breath of fresh air) and energy policy, (if he's not VP perhaps enegy secretary?)

He strongly believes in diplomacy with Iran and his brand of Prarie populism would go over real well with voters in states like CO, NV, NM, VA and other mostly rural, red states.

http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=B0i9o-ThOPM

Interview is Minutes 3-32

His approval ratings are typically in the high 60's, low 70's.

He was elected in 2004 when Bush won his state by 20%.

He has pushed through progressive policies and is just the kind of new democrat that is needed to run with Obama.

by adamg on 06/04/2008 10:26:46 PM EST

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I hadn't heard of him before, but I like him!  He is a great speaker and he'll appeal to the middle.  He also recieved an A rating from the NRA which may help a lot in the red/purple states.  

by alphasigmookie on 06/05/2008 02:57:20 AM EST

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Govenor Schweitzer has done a good job for our state and is probably quite capable of being a great VP, but I doubt if many people outside of Montana who isn't a complete political junkie has heard of him. And what can he offer from here, we have only 3 electoral college votes. On the other hand, repubs would be hard put to find dirt on him and he could help capture the middle ground. He chose a moderate republican as his running mate.

by juebawl on 06/05/2008 09:01:15 AM EST

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First some points:

1. Name recognition, who the hell has heard of any VP candidate? Webb? Does any none political junkie know him? Strickland, Randell?

You will have to intoduce any VP candidate, and the introductions are simple. Governor of ______, senator from _________, enough said.

2. Montana has only 3 electoral votes.

True, but Schweitzer will deliver a lot more than that.

He won the governorship in 2004, the same year Bush crushed Kerry by 22% in MT.

How did he win over the low income, working class blue collar voters that rejected Kerry in a landslide?

By useing his unique style of conversational, prairie populist oratory.

He writes his own speeches, then delivers them with nothing more in front of him than a napkin with some bullet points jotted down.

He can talk at length about substantive issues, going into great detail about what he plans to do, all the while pouring forth clever quips, quotes and home spun anecdotes.

His conversational style of speech is never boring and goes over incredible well with the exact kind of voters Obama is having problems with.

Some might accuse him of being to conservative but keep in mind that he is a western populist.

Yes he is pro-gun, but that so are a lot of people in CO, VA and other potential swing states.

His knoweldge of energy policy and the middle east is outstanding.

He favors diplomacy with our enemies.

More importantly he actually implemented progressive policies in Montana.

He levied a $1/carton tobacco tax to pay for childrens healthcare.

He instituted a program where small businesses are subsidized 50% to pay for healthcare.

He invested more money in education, both k-12 and Higher Ed than anytime in Montana history.

Hell, they even now teach the history of all 7 Indian nations in Montana as part of a larger cultural awarness initiative.

And the results of this?

Approval ratings in the high 60's low 70's!

This is a man who was the first in his family to go to college.

He graduated with a degree in Agronomics and got a PHD in soil science.

Moved to Saudi Arabia for 7 years to work on irrigation systems where he learned fluent Arabic and studied the history of the region.

He returned to run unsuccesfully for the Senate then ran and run the governorship by mastering the art of communicating with working class, blue collar voters.

I have looked into all of the potential VP picks, and though I previously favored Richardson or Sebelius I now throw my full support to Brian Schweitzer.

With him on the ticket there won't be a person in the country we can't reach!

Want to win over middle-upper class? Send in Obama to wow them with his mad oratorical skills.

Need to reach lower income, less educated blue collar folks in rural areas and Appalachia? Send in Schweitzer who will bowl them over; explain how dems can help them with their real world problems and win us Va, WV, NC and perhaps even Ga!

You want a mandate? Then you need to win and win big, Schweitzer is the man who can deliver the goods.

With him and Obama stumping across America, Old Man McCain won't know what hit him.

You want to win independents? Schweitzer WILL get you independents.

You want disgruntled Republicans? Schweitzer WILL get you republicans.

You want to win big, with a 10% win in November and a 300+ electoral vote mandate?

Brian Schweitzer WILL help deliver that mandate!

Obama/Schweitzer 08, THE UNBEATABLE DREAM TICKET!

by adamg on 06/05/2008 06:26:27 PM EST

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