July 15, 2008 - 11:30am
Lesniak suggests Republican running mate for Obama
By Max Pizarro
Category: PresidentTags: Wesley Clark, Richard Lugar, Raymond Lesniak, John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jim Webb, Chuck Hagel, Barack Obama
Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union): Politicker photo
For the good of the country, a Republican with foreign policy smarts and gravitas would be a wise running mate choice for Sen. Barack Obama, in the view of state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union).
In his NJ Voices blog over the weekend, Lesniak said he likes Indiana senior Sen. Richard Lugar, and today he told PolitickerNJ.com that Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) would also be good.
"It would show that Obama wants to bring this country together," said Lesniak. "I’m most impressed with Lugar’s ability to articulate a tough and reasoned approach to Iran.
"Iran’s going to be the most important issue America’s going to have to face," Lesniak explained. "With his foreign relations experience, the partisan attacks won’t be effective. I’m looking at it in terms of its benefit for the country. It’s the kind of bold move people like, and Hagel also fits the bill."
Lesniak denied that his idea for a Republican on the Democratic ticket would amount to the flip side of a Joe Lieberman tag-along. Lieberman, a Connecticut senator and 2000 vice presidential nominee, became an Independent in 2006 to stave off the general election challenge of businessman Ned Lamont, who had beaten Lieberman in the Democratic primary.
Now Lieberman tours the country with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) as a charged up part of the likely Republican presidential nominee’s entourage.
"I don’t agree with Lieberman in terms of his views," Lesniak said. "He was the biggest supporter of us getting into war in Iraq.
"But the direction I’m suggesting is a good one," the veteran state senator added. "Having a Republican with an independent record and with vast foreign policy experience will create a landslide election. I think it would be great for the country. We have so much partisanship that’s tearing this country apart and killing good ideas and good policies."
Obama could take the point on economic and domestic issues, while Hagel or Lugar would provide leadership on foreign policy, Lesniak said.
The state senator had earlier liked the idea of either U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia or retired four star Gen. Wesley Clark, both Democrats. Webb has removed himself from consideration, while Clark, with statements he made about McCain in a recent television appearance, demonstrated that he lacks the necessary political poise, in Lesniak’s view.
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If he chooses a Republican running mate,
there will truely be no differences in the two parties. It will be the beginning of the end of our political system as we know it. Elections are about choice.
The Only "Republican" Who Might Fit That Bill....
Would be Colin Powell; and even then he would have to be honest and come out and say that he was 100% mistaken to have believed the the con job he was fed by the Bushies when he spoke at the UN.
Powell now knows (along with the rest of the planet) that he was mouthing lies and should try to redeem himself on that point. If he came clean by turning on his old bosses; that might be enough to rehabilitate him. A redeemed clean Powell would make a great VP.....we all mess up; but it takes real courage to admit it and change direction.
As for Wesley Clark, what he said was 100% true. Merely having been a shot down pilot/pow doesn't qualify one for the presidency. Why is that even controversial?
McCain is an abject self serving opportunist who betrayed his first wife and publicly humiliated/bad mouthed his second wife, the guy has a short and wacky "fuse", he's backed off on just about every principled position he's ever taken. The main reason he's the Republican candidate is because all the others sucked even more.
In a sane nation, Obama would win by 50 points.
As it is, the Republicans will lie cheat and steal and play the fear and racism cards for all they're worth.
The only way Obama wins this is to kick ass in as aggresseive a way as possible. A milquetoast approach leads to a loss; ask John Kerry how that crap worked for him.
People have to made ashamed to vote for McCain, for it would indeed be a shameful vote.
From Frederick Douglass
Is Lesniak nuts?
Dick Lugar for Veep?
How about we take Lesniak's logic and have Corzine choose Bill Baroni as Lt. Governor?
How about Jennifer Beck? Brett Schundler?
Do you see how dumb this really sounds?
We're going to have a Democratic nominee choose a Republican to be vice-president?
It's so dumb I can't believe this is a topic for posting.
Vote Column - All the way!
GOP running mate
that sounds like a terrible idea, if its Lugar or Hagel.
Actually, I can't think of one that does make sense.
Ray...
Go back to selling the Turnpike or touting Hillary or Andrews. Oh wait...NEVERMIND
what do you expect?
This is exactly the kind of dumb, stupid comment one should expect from an aging, out of touch politician. Ray, first you turn your back on the unions and now you suggest a Republican for VP??? Why are you sabotaging the Democratic party? The Republican party is at their lowest point since Watergate and you want to throw them a gift and make them relevant again by putting a R on the top of the ticket???? Man, you are LOSING IT! What's next from Ray, Bush on the Supreme Court? Here's some advice Ray, go write another book about an issue you had absolutely nothing to do with!
what do you expect?
This is exactly the kind of dumb, stupid comment one should expect from an aging, out of touch politician. Ray, first you turn your back on the unions and now you suggest a Republican for VP??? Why are you sabotaging the Democratic party? The Republican party is at their lowest point since Watergate and you want to throw them a gift and make them relevant again by putting a R on the top of the ticket???? Man, you are LOSING IT! What's next from Ray, Bush on the Supreme Court? Here's some advice Ray, go write another book about an issue you had absolutely nothing to do with!
Funny comment from Ray
Here is a guy who runs a county that won't fill mandatory slots on bi-partisan boards with Republicans.
bad idea
This is the worst idea ever!
bad idea
This is the worst idea ever!
bad idea
This is the worst idea ever!
Is Ray A Jinx? Naaaah!
Less than one month ago, Ray was positively crooning about the fortunes of Senator Jim Webb of Virginia.
Ray also liked Wesley Clark, who self-immolated.
Webb, on the other hand, wisely took a hike. He would like a future!
But the fact is that for this race, both Webb and Clark are toast.
So, if it were not for the obvious fact that Ray Lesniak is such an inconsequential boob, people might even be tempted to call him a jinx!
by Trochilus
No Bozos At the Top Either
Come to think of it . . . in response to the first sentence of this post:
"For the good of the country, a Republican with foreign policy smarts and gravitas would be a wise running mate choice for Sen. Barack Obama, in the view of state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union)."
I'm going to go out on a limb. I'd be willing to meet Ray half way on this one.
I'll agree with him that a "Republican with foreign policy smarts and gravitas would be a wise running mate," but he or she should be the running mate to a Presidential candidate "with foreign policy smarts and gravitas" as well.
It should NOT be to some bozo who says he'd be happy to talk any time with Ahmadinejad, but refuses to have a "colloquy" with John McCain.
And, it should also definitely NOT be to some bozo who says, knowing what he does now about the success of the surge, that he would still vote against it.
by Trochilus