Vice president Bob Graham

Bill Nelson is already getting mentioned as a potential vice presidential pick for Hillary Clinton (Mark Shields yesterday threw out Nelson and Ohio's Ted Strickland), and the Buzz about Obama is that he needs a seasoned, reassuring figure with political, national security, and/or chief executive experience (General Anthony Zinni, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson?).

We'd offer another name for Obama's list: Bob Graham. He has experience beating Charlie Crist in Florida, knows something about reading a National Intelligence Estimate, is a hawk who came down against authorizing force in Iraq just as Obama did, and has said good things about Obama. And somehow we doubt that the 71-year-old McCain would take a shot about the age, 70, of Graham.

What do you think?

Comments

Awful pick, why would you take hope and inspiration and add dreariness and boredom?

Heard it here first...

Obama/Graham beats McCain/Pawlenty

Great pick.
would force GOP to spend money and time in Florida just to be sure.
(and you know what - stranger things could happen)
Big thing would be for him to show he is healthy and ready.
Nice video of him jogging on the beach etc, chopping sugar cane - etc.

I like Obama/Biden.

3:03 has a good point. I love Bob Graham, but Obama will need someone exciting to match his inspiration.

Obambi's not picking an old white guy. He's going to be the all-around Hope & Change ticket. Bet on him picking CC for the VP ticket.

It is too bad that Al Gore missed this choice in 2000.

I think that this is really a long shot. If he couldn't convince his Democratic peers to recognize in 2000 or in 2004 that he could deliver to them the promised land, I just don't see it happening in 2008. He has largely been removed from the stage both in Florida and nationally; then again, I guess Cheney had been out to pasture as well when GW came calling.

Anyone who picks Chuck Crist for VP... will lose.

The Democratic Party is the party of diversity and inclusion isn't it? Should the first gay VP candidate be on their ticket? CC is a perfect pick for Obambi.

yes yes, he did so well and rasied so much money when he ran for president himself. the amn was shown to be a buffoon.

[Bill]

Bill Nelson? You must be kidding! He's a better choice for John McCain than either of the Democratic candidates!

I think you have totally forgotten your own title for this blog: "The Buzz Florida Politics NEWS from the Times staff"
This, like so many of your recent posts, is not news, it is conjecture. You are no longer reporting, but trying to create.

I don't know about Obama's pick, but McAmnesty has already rounded up a pool to chose from.

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/7070/overcrowded.JPG

The St. Pete times favorite person will never be the VP or anything else due to his miserable choice in becoming involved with the huge, ongoing WELLCARE scandal! Sen. Bob Graham has become the face of Wellcare's FBI investigation.

Obama/Biden Obama/Edwards or Obama/Dodd any of the three would be a winning combination. Or you could have a Clinton/Biden, Clinton/Edwards or Clinton/Dodd. I LOVE Bob Graham but, I do think he is a little to old.

As far as McCain goes. His remarks about being in Iraq for 100 years, ain't gonna get him in the WH nor will his Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran remark.

The last thing this country needs is more of the same.

Bob Graham is a strange little fellow...Obama is too coherent for him.

Has a single sole ever gone to the arhives to read his inane little note books?

Went to bathroom...rewound video...ate a carrot...took a nap...ran for President...got 3 votes...ate a banana...had a conversation with Bill Nelson...then contemplated suicide...he left the room, all is ok...took a nap.

3;56, you are a strange, puny, fellow. go back to bed and leave us adults alone.

"3;56, you are a strange, puny, fellow. go back to bed and leave us adults alone."

this does not make sense...

This is interesting. With all the natl. talk now about Obama being the charisma candidate, or the charm candidate, etc etc., and the lack of experience, Graham would certainly balance that aspect---and he'd help the Hillary backers (i.e, longtime Dem activists) get over that loss....but while so many Floridians know and love him, many natl pundits did seem to find him a little unusual. I dunno; sounds good at first, but maybe not.

Graham would NOT guarantee Florida...his name id is not what it used to be...and he would really take the shine off of the Obama luster...a far better pick for Obama would be Evan Bayh of Indiana....young, articulate and moderate.

babyboomers need to get out of politics now

babyboomers need to get out of politics now -- there parents should have gotten out decades ago

Bob Graham is not a babyboomer Moron!

man, 4:45 -- way to read all the comments...morAn

babyboomers destroyed my country

I say we kill everyone over the age of 30... now. There, that'll fix everything.

Obama/Napolitano

[Gene Smith]

Brilliant choice! Graham brings all the national security credentials one could ever want, and was also right on Iraq from the start. Graham also makes a difference in Florida - perhaps enough to swing the state into the blue this time.

Could be the winning move of the campaign.

Well, choosing Graham would certainly motivate the Republicans to vote.

Obama/Sebelius

obama/fredo corleone

Gov. Napolitano is one manly woman. Here is the ticket...Obama/Byrd. You'd have an African-American and a former klansman on the same ticket.

[Truth Squad]

Obama/Obama. Talk about a free pass, but the Mrs. sure has gotten one and would comply with the primary criteria for picking a running mate : "Do no harm." If Obama stands for hope and change, wouldn't Obama/Obama stand for twice as much hope and change? Fortunately, hope includes hoping something bad does not happen, and I sure HOPE Obama or Hillary do not get The White House, because then all we'll have left is hope: HOPE that the terrorists are distracted for the next 4 years!

I like Obama/Biden.

I think it would be a fantastic choice. What great balance!
Florida - Southern State - so important for the electoral college.
Still so very well respected within the State of Florida and inside/outside the beltway.
Graham would add a tremendous amount of stature, experience and gravitas to the ticket.
He was absolutely right on the war and at the time was heavily criticized for it.
Yet he's not a "cut and run" person as he argued that it was the wrong war because it would take away from our ability to fight the war on terrorism.
He was the former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committeee so again would bring much needed foreign policy/intelligence experience to the ticket.
And the two arguments against him seem to be moot.
1. He's not exciting enough - With Obama on the top of the ticet NOBODY is going to be exciting nor do you need someone to compete. By the way - anyone want to argue that Lieberman, Cheney, Gore, Mondale, George Bush - were "exciting"?
2. His notebooks. In an era of scandals and legal fights over access to guest lists at white house meetings etc. - and frankly great problems - you're not going to vote for someone because they can fully document there whereabouts in a little notebook??

I'm not sure but I was interested in the comment about Republicans coming out to vote and actually they do.... for Bob Graham. You don't get these numbers in Florida if moderates and Republicans don't vote for you:
62.5% in 98 (against Crist)
65.4 in 92
65.5% running for his second term of Governor.
Not bad.....

Truth Squad, I think they'll be able to do at least a bit better as the current occupant.

[Doreen]

Bill Nelson is a LIAR. His office staff told me and others who called for weeks prior to the FISA Bill that he was going to support Dodd's Bill and strike down immunity.

How did he vote? For immunity. At least with Krazy Katherine we would have expected to be lied to - Bill, you've lost my support, confidence and respect. And the idea of Adam & staff thinking of you as VP? Well, I'm not hungry anymore - you've turned my stomach.

"What do you think?"

I think Obama sucks

Wellcare Scandal=Former Sen. Bob Graham