One of the people being considered for VP candidacy is the governor from my home state of Kansas, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Get this. She's a democrat. Yep. She's a democrat who won in a RED state, and you don't get much redder than KS. In Sunday's Eagle, they quoted Mel Kahn, prof.of political science at WSU as saying, "When Kansas goes Democratic in a presidential election is when hell will go Methodist."
Kansas voters only once since the 1940s voted for a democrat in the presidential elections. That was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. We have not had a Democratic senator since 1939, and the two we have now are just about as right-wing as they come. I have to admit, though, Roberts and Brownback, actually represent the ultra-conservative views people hold here.
I like Gov. Sebelius. She's tough, but she's balanced. She had to be both to win in a red state. She's what politicians call a moderate Democrat. She was a hero when she held tough against legislation that would have allowed two, coal-burning, power plants to be built here. KS legislators, with lobbyists at their back, kept sending bills to her desk, and she kept slapping veto on them. They tried to override her vetos, but they couldn't get it together. Almost single-handedly, she saved us from that stupidity and from Sunflower Corp. (Yes, this friendly, electric company calls itself this innocuous name as though their mission is to save our state flower or some such nonsense. It's Orwellian!)
Coal Plant = Sunflowers?
For more about what she's done as governor for Kansas, you can go to this site which provides a summary of the major issues we've faced in that time and how Sebelius handled them, Sebelius Summary.
If Sebelius is chosen, she won't hurt Obama's campaign, and she may help it, but if he considers someone else stronger, I won't be crushed. I'm cheering for him to make the best choice for his campaign and for the country.
Names being tossed around for VP:
KS Gov. Kathleen Sebelius -women's votes (more than half the American voters are women), and she's proven her ability to get Republican votes. She also has ties to Ohio, which is important.
MO Senator Claire McCaskill - women's votes, and offers a win in MO, a swing state.
OH Gov. Ted Strickland- popular, and he could win Ohio
VA Sen. Jim Webb - credentials, help in winning a swing state, VA.
DE Sen. Joseph Biden, IN Sen. Evan Bayh, CT Sen. Christopher Dodd, former GA Sen. Sam Nunn- foreign policy and national security experience
.
NY Sen. Hilary Clinton - women's votes, name recognition, experience
(Hilary's women supporters are more than a generic women's vote. They represent a strong loyalty to her, specifically, as a candidate. Therefore, women like Sebelius and McCaskill don't pull as much weight for Obama as Clinton would from that sector.)
And about Hilary:
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