Sam Nunn? Sam NUNN?? SAM NUNN???

Email Print posted by MedfordTim 06/05/2008 07:52:07 PM EST

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I'm listening to Race For The White House panel all nod in agreement that Sam Nunn is and should be a top pick for VP. I expected Rachel at least to say something, but, no.

Did someone put acid in the MSNBC water supply? Sam Freakin' NUNN?? Why not just ask MCCAIN???? If he doesn't choose Hillary because she represents the past, Sam Nunn represents the Paleolithic period. He's of the Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman, Zell Miller wing of "Democrats."

If he chooses someone like Nunn after all this, My. Head. Will. Explode. I don't get it. Barack told The Black Commentator back in 2003 that he had NOT been corrupted by the DLC. Then, WTF, dude?


HTF does Nunn even get ON a list of possibles?

He's been on the board of directors at Chevron since 1997.

A little background for people who have no idea who Sam Nunn is, according to his Chevron 'about' page:

"Nunn was a partner of King & Spalding, a law firm, from 1997 until 2003. He served as U.S. senator from Georgia from 1972 until 1996. During his tenure in the U.S. Senate, he served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He also served on the Intelligence and Small Business Committees.

Public Company Directorships: The Coca-Cola Company; Dell Inc.; General Electric Company.

Other Directorships and Memberships: A distinguished professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech; chairman, Center for Strategic and International Studies."

He is a member of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) (and our own Jilly Pike's "Third Way" group). Here's how he stands on the issues, somewhat. Be sure to read between the lines!

I've always had a tingle that Obama was a bit more corporatist than I would like, but if he latches on to someone like Nunn - willingly - than he's a helluva lot more Blue Dog, boll weevil, and REAGAN DEMOCRAT than he's let on.
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Sam Nunn? Sam NUNN?? SAM NUNN??? | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
Echos of Obama (none / 0)
Obama's VP must echo his message of change in Washington.

They must have been against the war from the start.

Brian Schweitzer was

They must favor diplomacy with our nation's enemies

Brian Schweitzer does

They must have more experience, preferably involving the middle east, energy policy and some kind of executive accomplishments.

Schweitzer has all of them.

Not only does he speak fluent Arabic and have an amazing comprehension of the history of the region, he has made energy independence his life's goal and has an incredible detailed plan for getting us independent of foreign oil.

As governor he helped pass a $1/pack tobacco tax and used it to fund children's healthcare.

Under his guidance the state now subsidizes small businesses (2-49 employees) 50% the cost of healthcare.

Funding for k-12 and higher ed is at the highest levels in the states histories.

Various laws protecting the environment have also been passed.

Back to the necessary qualities of Obama's VP.

They must be post-partisan.

They need to prove they can work with everyone, dem and repub to solve people's problems.

Brian Schweitzer chose a moderate republican as his lieutant governor.

Most importantly:

They must be able to communicate with voters, to break through the wall of petty distractions the Republicans will errect.

Schweitzer is famous for his incredible speaking style. He has a prairie populist conversational method of speaking in which he can go into detail on how to fix complicated problems while throwing out clever quotes, comments and home spun anecdotes that keeps the audience tuned in.

This is a man who is unfazable and would be the perfect attack dog against McCain.

He can attack without seeming mean and his ability to reach low income, working class, blue collar voters is incredible.

Not only would Schweitzer gurantee CO, (where he campaigned for the governor and is very popular) but also the other western states, NV, NM and very likely VA, OH and MO as well.

With Obama and Schweitzer stumping across the country, Obama with soaring oratory, Schweitzer with his folksy charm, McCain would find himself outgunned on the stump by orders of magnitude.

In other words, Obama/Schweitzer is an unbeatable dream ticket, one that represents a new democratic party, one that can lead a new America into a glorious future.

by adamg on 06/05/2008 09:16:01 PM EST

You call this a plus? (none / 0)
"As governor he helped pass a $1/pack tobacco tax and used it to fund children's healthcare."
 
Hey, I'm a smoker. You've already kicked me out into the cold, refused to let me enjoy an after dinner butt, and forever tarnished the image of Humphrey Bogart. Now you expect me to fund kidcare?

Why?

Why is it that people who SHOULD know better - Liberals - about unfair taxation of specific groups for social reconstruction are the first to jump on the "Tax smokers!" bandwagon. Have the goddamn tax be something relating to what is being taxed, and I won't complain (as much). Why not a penny on a candy bar? On soda? Potato chips? Sushi? (Leave coffee out of this...grrr.....) All as worthy of being "sin" taxed as cigarettes for support of a health system, don't you think?

And don't feed me that, "if it costs more, people will quit" crap. If you tie the damn kidcare to cigarette taxes, you WANT us to keep funding the program. In fact, the only way to KEEP the funding coming is to make sure MORE people start. And where is the biggest market for new smokers? You got it. Kids.

Oh, please, won't someone think of the children and repeal these predatory taxes before they all start smoking?

by MedfordTim on 06/05/2008 09:58:44 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Brian Schweitzer band wagon (none / 0)
You make a good case, and he is all that you say and maybe more. If you want to get Tim really riled you should mention that they are banning smoking in all public places including Bars and casinos. Goes into effect in 2009. Being from a small state his past hasn't been picked at as closely as a national campaign will do. There could be surprises. Additionally, how does he poll with the women? I can tell you my sister doesn't like him. He vetoed a bill that would have given EMS workers and fire fighters a $100 tax break. I am all for fiscal responcibility but those people give up a lot to vollunteer in our communities and they deserve it.

by juebawl on 06/06/2008 10:15:13 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Senator Sam Nunn (none / 0)

Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. (born September 8, 1938) is an American businessman and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NTI (Nuclear Threat Initiative), a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for twenty-four years as a United States Senator from Georgia (1972 until 1997) as a member of the Democratic Party. His political experience and strong credentials on national defense reportedly put him into consideration as a potential running mate for Democratic candidate John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential election. There has also been speculation that he could become the running mate of

Then who would be his Vice President for the next four years?

by army193 on 06/05/2008 10:42:26 PM EST

You're right Tim (none / 0)
Obama shouldn't select Sam Nunn. He should pick Congressman Keith Ellison of Minnesota.

by KenTX on 06/06/2008 04:58:25 AM EST

You're so funny (none / 0)
Oh, I get it, Ken...Ha ha ha.  Ellison - a Muslim.  OMG, that's so funny!  You must have written that ABC piece about the Bottom 10 VP prospects for Obama.  Man, I wish I had your sense of humor.  So biting.

Rrrrawwwwwwwrglgl.  Hhhih.  hhhih. Rrrraaaaawwwwwwwwrggggglgl.   (That's I spell "TJ's throwing up".)

Trolls suck!

by TJD on 06/06/2008 01:19:16 PM EST

Tim (none / 0)
I don't get you guys

The first order of business should be to pick a VP who can help you win.

The second order of business is to pick a VP who can help you achieve your goals once in office

What are Obama's weaknesses in the the coming election? White swing voters? women? Who is the strongest Dem. in those fields? What candidate best helps in the battleground states needed in Nov?

Once in office, who knows the WH better? Who knows how Wash works? who can better guide Obama through the minefield otherwise known as Pubs?

We all know who it is, (she who shall not be named).

Obama means nothing if he doesn't win, Obama means nothing if he can't get his iniatives passed.

by LORD FOUL on 06/07/2008 11:04:53 AM EST

Hillary for VP pushback (none / 0)

Seems to me the anti-"Dream Ticket" pushback is mostly another triumph for the right wing spin machine.

After watching the Tuesday speeches I posted that Hillary had succesfully positioned herself to be VP.  I thought Obama would reach out and form the dream ticket and take a massive mandate to November.

Then the rightie pundits went to work.  Instead of talking about how powerful this ticket would be and how much it would unite the goals and vision of the bulk of the country, the story became "Hillary is forcing Obama to pick her, if he does he is WEAK!!!! And therefore can't be president."

Somehow this has become the only way the topic can be discussed now.  Its a damn shame.  But its also clearly a sad, pathetic sign of how much the Pubs truly fear this ticket.  You may not like her or him these days and you can talk about how big a headache having the Clinton's in Obama's White House would be but you can't argue the tickets electoral power.  Would win all the blue and do very well in the West, Southwest and Midwest.  Would help in Florida too.

Oh, and if you missed it, according to Gallup, in Obama clinching polling the ONLY region in the country where McCain was winning was the South.

That and the less educated you were the more likely you were to vote for McCain. 

by ProfRich on 06/07/2008 11:35:12 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Not this one (none / 0)
The second order of business is to pick a VP who can help you achieve your goals once in office

Until Dick Cheney, the role of ths VP was largely ceremonial. I wouldn't mind seeing it devolve back to a "support" position.

As far as the ability to gather votes, Hillary will definitely do that - for Republicans. As much as I dislike her, I ain't got nothin' on the Right. She is the person who would stir the Repubs into going out and voting.

by MedfordTim on 06/07/2008 01:27:14 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Sam Nunn? Sam NUNN?? SAM NUNN??? | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
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