doubleplusundead

August 03, 2008

He's not Palin, but I'd be all for it

Sen. John McCain's campaign is vetting Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia for the vice presidency:

John McCain's campaign has asked Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor for personal documents as the Republican presidential candidate steps up his search for a running mate, The Associated Press has learned.

[...]

Cantor, 45, the chief deputy minority whip in the House, has been mentioned among several Republicans as a possible running mate for McCain. A Republican familiar with the conversations between Cantor and the McCain campaign said Cantor has been asked to turn over documents, but did not know specifically what records were sought.

I think Rep. Cantor would be a great choice for Vice President for several reasons:

Florida. Rep. Cantor is Jewish, and this may help Sen. McCain win the state without putting another squishy moderate like Gov. Charlie Crist.
Virginia. The Dems are making a big push for Virginia, going even so far as to vet a mediocre governor like Tim Kaine. Not only is Cantor from Virginia, but his district stretches from the Richmond suburbs all the way up to Northern Virginia. This might neutralize the Dem vote in these two blue areas of the state.
Diversity. Like it or not, the GOP needs to show that it's not a party wholly comprised of boring, old, Christian white guys. He is someone who could change up that image without ruining the political futures of Gov. Sarah Palin or Gov. Bobby Jindal by tying them to a McCain ticket.

But, there is one downside: evangelicals. And by that, I of course mean "private citizens" like James Dobson. Will they endorse a ticket with a Jew on it? Personally, I'm one of those rare evangelicals who wouldn't care if a nominee was Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, straight, gay, etc., so long as they had the right political philosophy. But, sadly, unlike Dr. Dobson, I realize I don't speak for most evangelicals. However, I think they will come around as long as the nominee is pro-life.

I hope so, anyway.

Update: Looks like I may have been thinking too anecdotally when it comes to some of the evangelicals:

Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and one of the nation's most influential evangelical leaders, recently praised Cantor as a potential McCain running mate, calling him rock-solid on social issues—a huge concern for Christian conservatives with the maverick McCain at the top of the ticket.

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 12:10 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 I've decided youse guys are trying to sink any chance Palin has of being nominated VP. When has McCain ever given a rat's ass about anything Republican voters care about?

Posted by: Alice H at August 03, 2008 12:16 AM (jRtPb)

2 Would evangelicals have an issue with a Jewish VP? Evangelicals seem to be pretty pro-Israel, I'd think that'd translate across. Of course my knowledge of the evangelical movement is limited given that I'm a no-good filthy Papist.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at August 03, 2008 12:22 AM (jC0cz)

Posted by: Alice H at August 03, 2008 12:16 AM

Don't misunderstand, I still think she is the best choice, and the only choice that would get me 100% enthusiastic about voting for him in the Fall. Eric Cantor would put me at about 85% excitement. I just think that Palin is good enough to make a go of it on her own. I'd just prefer her at the top of the ticket.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at August 03, 2008 12:22 AM

You'd think that, but it doesn't translate very fully. Most of the younger generation of evangelicals--the people I'm friends with, anyway--probably wouldn't care at all. I just remember sitting in chapel at the Christian college I went to in the Spring 2001 semester and hearing a guest chapel speaker say something along the lines of "We almost had someone who didn't even believe in Jesus in the White House" and shuddering. It's a generational thing, I think.

I think the evangelicals are acting up just to get the GOP Lord and Savior, Mike Huckabee, on the ticket. But, once he's not picked, I think they'll come around.

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at August 03, 2008 12:30 AM (ztIY1)

4 Not only is Cantor from Virginia, but his district stretches from the Richmond suburbs all the way up to Northern Virginia.

Is this some sort of anti-Semitic slur about how my people supposedly control everything?

I'm sure that "stretches" is some sort of code-word for "stingy".

Posted by: Gordon at August 03, 2008 08:35 AM (kl9xZ)

5 Don't misunderstand, I still think she is the best choice, and the only choice that would get me 100% enthusiastic about voting for him in the Fall. Eric Cantor would put me at about 85% excitement. I just think that Palin is good enough to make a go of it on her own. I'd just prefer her at the top of the ticket.

Keep pulling for her, it will just pull her completely off McCain's radar. He's gonna pick some mavericky choice who he thinks will be a surprise to everyone - and it will, due to sheer repulsiveness.

Posted by: Alice H at August 03, 2008 10:46 AM (jRtPb)

6 dammit, the blockquotes didn't follow past the preview.

Posted by: Alice H at August 03, 2008 10:50 AM (jRtPb)

7 I think Cantor would be a good choice. I come from about as hard core an Evangelical Christian background as possible and as long as he's pro-life, it should be fine.

Posted by: alexthechick at August 03, 2008 11:12 AM (+Y9fx)

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