Go over to Politics1 and read the interview that they had with a confidential source inside McCain's campaign. The talk is about running mates for McCain's campaign.
Of course, there are some safe choices, but the name that jumps off the page is our dear friend, Joe Lieberman. The motivation of McCain choosing Holy Joe is this from said aide:
Joe Lieberman would be McCain's top choice if he could pick the person he really wants as a runningmate. It would be a bold pick, the kind of choice that would have the potential to remake modern American politics into something new. It would guarantee McCain a landslide win in November...
Follow the quote a little bit more, and the aide says that McCain may have to cave in and pick a traditional (read as: Republican) choice for running mate. But it's a long time between now and when McCain has to decide. And he just may be crazy enough to pull the trigger.
Joe Lieberman, as much as I hate and campaigned against him in neighboring Connecticut in '06, may very well cause problems for the Democratic ticket. Not necessarily fatal problems, but problems.
Let's start with running mate history. No successful Republican Presidential campaign has lost a running mate's home state since Spiro Agnew in 1968 (Maryland). So let's say Joe Lieberman carries Connecticut.
Give me a second before your eyes roll. Connecticut Democrats may not be in love with Lieberman, but he did win the Senate race in '06. It's THE last state in New England to have a Republican congressman, who desperately needs to win in '08 more than he needed to win two years ago. On a McCain-Lieberman ticket, watch for a lot of campaigning in Connecticut, with Republicans hoping to steal seven electoral votes from the Democrats.
As of now, both Hillary and Obama win ALL of New England (except that Hillary would ironically lose New Hampshire by eight points). Hillary's lead in CT is seven points, while Obama's is seventeen. Both numbers would drop if Lieberman crosses the aisle.
Nationally, McCain-Lieberman has a potentially powerful narrative against both potential Democratic tickets.
Against Hillary, McCain alone has more experience, moreso with Lieberman on board. Moreover, both McCain and Lieberman are like-minded on the war on terror, and whether or not you agree with them, you will become sick to death of right-of-center voters who say, "They may be wrong, but you have to stick by men who believe what they say." (the number of people whom I heard say that during the CT primary was ridiculous)
Against Obama, the experience rift is more pronounced, but will be less of an issue on the Democratic side. For us, it will be about change and we have to get rid of the old fogeys. But now there are not one, but two people on the Republican side who are perceived strong enough to answer that ubiquitous phone at 3AM. There are not one, but two candidates who are not afraid of frightening people into submission to vote for them.
And don't forget we have a (former) Democrat joining a Republican. How many Presidential candidates can boast of their ability to strike up bipartisanship by getting former vice presidential candidates to break with their party and join them?
For now, it's a blip on the screen, something relatively far in the horizon. And the Democratic nominee can make a bold choice in the summer as well. But McCain may have one of those senior moments and forget that he needs to pick a Republican as his running mate. Then we might have jumpball in the general election.