Fractured Definition

Algorithm -- The  Catholics' birth control method once used by Bill Clinton's truncated Vice President.

Trump's VP Choices?

"The vice-presidency isn't worth a warm bucket of spit." -- John Nance Garner

Apparently Donald Trump has a short list of 5 or 6 possible Vice President candidates to pick from after his nomination in July. This stimulated my little gray cells into a speculative frenzy as to whom this list might contain. Of course, Trump being Trump, this list probably doesn't consist of the easy predictions ... so I have tried to think outside the box for my 6 guesses. Anyway here the are, along with my rationales:
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Jim Webb -- A perfect way to show his commitment to rebuild our military by picking this former Secretary of the Navy ... and Sam Nunn Democrat.

Susan Sarandon --  If Hellery is going to play the "woman's card," Donald can trump her cynicism with this mega-feminist ... and she likes him!

Jeb Bush -- What better way to get the Bush clan to vote for him and make kiss-kiss with establishment Republicans?

Warren Buffett -- A little old, yes ... but someone who can also finance his own vice-presidential campaign ... and might drop his media backing for Hellery ... also improves his financial bona fides.

El Chapo -- Very good way to show Trump's sympathy for Mexican criminals ... but would be better if he were gay and maybe even disabled.

Bernie Sanders -- Why not?

Afterward: How died I forget Jeff Sessions ... an actual possibility>

Poor Richard

Much as the liberal left hates Dick Cheney, it seems that this man did an awful lot to keep the United States safe after 9/11 and during Bush 43's remaining term of office. The current misbehavers in the Middle East: Syria, Turkey, Iran, Yemen and Libya, all were then more stable and docile than they are today ... much in reaction to what they then saw happening in Iraq.

Yes, Cheney talked tough and intimidated people and countries ... perhaps the reason he was so resented and demagogued. But our current administration's strategy of talking soft and carrying a little stick is clearly not working. In fact the terrorist threat level we face today is, according to our intelligence agency heads, greater today than it was going into 9/11. Yet, Barack's and Hillary's only obvious enemies these days are the Republicans.

It also seems to this observer that Donald Trump's popularity today derives much from the similarity of his message to the former vice president's ... but with far less intellect, principles, and international acumen. Will Dick Cheney's contributions to our nation's safety ever be recognized? I think they will ... but probably not for a number of years ... when historians can look at things in a more sober light.  In the meantime, I think it quite likely that America will elect a Dick Cheney clone for president in 2016 ... or at the very least for vice president.

Poor Richard Cheney ... a true American hero.

Delusions of Grandeur

Joe Biden is a clown … a clown that, I’m afraid, is losing the few marbles he has left in that plugged head of his.  I’m kinda certain that that crafty politician, President Obama, chose Biden as his running mate both times so that Congress would not be tempted to remove His Royal Highness from office (see: Michelle Malkin Story) no matter how far afield he wanders from the Constitution.  Now, Washington’s court jester, Biden, is having delusions of grandeur.  He believes that, in four years, it will be his turn to wear the crown.  He even recently had one of his frequent Freudian slips and said “I’m proud to be President …” (see: GretawireVideo).

I will not chronicle all of Ole Joe’s gaffs and malapropisms here, but over the last year it was at least one a week … to the point were I really doubted that he would be Obama’s running mate this time around (see: Good-news Bad-news).  But I do wish that this motley fool, Biden, gets the Democrat nomination for President in 2016 … since I doubt that he could be elected no matter who the Republicans nominate.  But, wait a minute, I didn’t think that Obama could get re-elected!  Given the divisiveness and lack of acumen on the part of the American public, Joe Bite-me might then just skate into the White House.  Wouldn’t that be special?

Saving Obama's Bacon?

When a larger-than-life sports star says "its not about the money" ... its always about the money.  Now, President Obama has just indicated that he will not jettison Joe Biden as his running mate (see: The Hill Story).  So, I'll take a shot and predict that in the late Friday afternoon news dump sometime in the next few weeks, watch  for the White House to quietly announce that, because of unspecified health reasons, Joe Biden will not be on the ballot in November.  OK, so when Biden is toast and assuming President Obama asks Hillary Clinton to be his running mate this Fall … in other words, save his bacon from the Romney/Ryan fire ... I here choose to parse the ramifications of this convoluted political situation:

- Hillary and Bill Clinton clearly have mixed feelings toward Obama. There must still be a bitter taste in their mouths over the 2008 Presidential nomination process and the loss of what had assumed to be Hillary’s birthright. Yes, Hillary has served Obama loyally as his Secretary of State, but this can also be attributed to her desire to keep her name in the news in preparation for 2016.

- Although Hillary has repeatedly said that she was through with politics and would not be draftable by Obama as his Vice President, she is a consummate political animal … and one can never trust what so pure a politician says. If she runs alongside of Obama and their ticket was elected, she would, accordingly to the normal media narrative, be given great credit for this result and be the overwhelming choice as the 2016 Democrat Presidential nominee.

- If she accepted a spot on the Obama ticket, and this ticket lost for some strange reason, she still would be the natural choice in 2016. Since she would have the 2016 Presidential nomination prerogative in either case (can’t really lose it), she might even gamble and slyly help insure such a negative outcome (as sweet revenge for 2008).

- If she were to refuse Obama’s offer and The Barry runs with some lesser luminary (including Biden) as his second … and this ticket loses, the analysis put forward in the previous bullet point would still hold … but with higher fidelity. This is because Hillary would be viewed with greater sympathy … just like what happened in 2008 when she misted up in New Hampshire.

- The only real danger for Hillary’s Presidential prospects would be if Obama ran with someone other than Biden … and they won. (This outcome must be assumed to be a long shot.) This would cause Obama’s VP pick to be the presumptive Presidential nominee in 2016. And this would put a stake in the heart of Hillary’s Presidential ambition … since waiting until 2020 or 2024 would place her well into the twilight of her political career.

Bottom line, I predict that Biden’s going away would be pretty much sunny-side-up news for Hillary … just like the eggs that would go along with Obama's bacon she might be saving.

Addendum: For more on this issue see: The Daily Caller.

Eeny, Meeny, Miny ...

A commenter on my previous blog suggests that Rick Santorum might make an interesting choice for Vice President once Mitt Romney locks up the Republican nomination for President ... possibly after the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday.  I have previously suggested that Marco Rubio might be the best choice for Veep ... while others have championed Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey.  As a consequence I think it might be worthwhile to investigate the pluses and minuses of each of these possibilities:

Rick Santorum -- Pluses: could solidify the Republican base for the ticket by attracting Evangelicals and social conservatives; appeals to Reagan Democrats with his blue-collar family background; Senate experience; might secure Pennsylvania's electoral votes.  Minuses: his stances on abortions, contraceptives, and gay marriages; no management experience; his last large election loss

Marco Rubio -- Pluses: could appeal to Hispanics due to his heritage; probably would secure Florida's electoral votes; is a tried and true conservative; Senate experience; his physical appearance.  Minuses: might not appeal to Mexican-Americans; still a bit of a political neophyte; no management experience

Chris Christie -- Pluses: knows how to reach across party lines to achieve consensus; strong management experience; avid fiscal conservative; combative style; might bring New Jersey's electoral votes into the Republican column; appeals to independents.  Minuses: his physical appearance; not a social conservative

Moe -- Plus: would be better than Biden