McCain VP Pick This Week? Call it Bad Timing

Unless John McCain has the most groundbreaking, remarkable, out of this world Vice Presidential pick I would suggest he keep it under his hat. According to sources around the McCain campaign, Sen. McCain has reduced the options and is ready, as early as THIS WEEK, to announce his running mate.

Why would McCain do such a thing? Is it a terribly slow week in political news and he feels that and his running mate could dominate the airwaves for a few days? Is his communications director on leave and he wants to try his hand at a little PR fun? Is he completely insane? Is his running mate Karl Rove or a fictional super-hero brought to life?

Either John McCain has a very smart communications director.. or he has the absolute worst political team put together for a presidential race since... John Kerry. If John McCain's team is seriously thinking about announcing their VP pick against the torrent of photos, stories, exclusive TV interviews, and appearances by Sen. Barack Obama on his Iraq- Afghanistan- Israel- Palestine- Jordan- England- Germany- Mars trip then the entire team should be fired and replaced by mannequins. The VP pick would drown in the coverage of the Obama trip and wouldn't stand a chance against a month-long attack from Democrats until Obama reveals his shiny rockstar VP. If he's serious about this... WORST. TIMING. EVER.

If he is bluffing to build up some hype about possible picks in order to sort of use the media to vet his possibilities and see what people think of the options.. then he is a pretty smart guy. By the way, the option currently look like: Louisiana Governor, Rich Guy, Government Reform Specialist, and minority Bobby "Token" Jindal, Republican in a crazy Blue/Purple state - Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former rival and Massachusetts ex-Governor Mitt "Mormon Olympics" Romney, America's Mayor and former rival Rudy "9/11 9/11 9/11" Guliani, Florida Governor and friend of the Hispanic voters Charlie "Swing State" C(h)rist. There are a few more.. but those were the big names mentioned and before I get a million email from Hucksters, I left Mike Huckabee off the list because he is a pretty long shot at this point.

The thing that really makes this election interesting is that both sides are so unique that they can really surprise you with their decisions and timing. John McCain is an independent spirit who knows how to get himself out of a political jam - his perseversance. Face it folks, John McCain should have logically quit in the middle of July 2007 with his staff in taters and his finances dwindling into sub-Ron Paul territory, he was SIXTH out of a possible seven or eight big names! He persevered and pulled out win after win with his style of straight talk and direct voter involvement - holding Q&A sessions and open Town Halls at a rate only previously registered by George W Bush's greatest nightmares. Then there is Obama, who is trying out his whole "post-partisan" politics things by driving every political pundit and veteran off the wall. Well.. It is going to be fun! I'll have a full review of the Obama trip later this week.


Link: Story about VP picks with Analysis - CNN

UPDATE 7/23/08 12:00PM Bobby Jindal has ruled himself out of the running for a position serving as John McCain's Vice President, saying that he "has the job I want" as Louisiana's Governor. John McCain is still meeting with him at a privately this week, followed by a meeting with potential picks, Gov. Charlie Crist and ex-Gov. Mitt Romney.