Obama’s Right-hand Men: Bayh and Nunn
By Jennn Fusion | Related entries in VeepA few days before Obama’s planned trip to the Middle East and a week after his hasty, hush-hush meeting with the Veep Vetters, Obama led a roundtable foreign policy discussion at Purdue University that included Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and former Georgia senator Sam Nunn.
Nunn is a non-proliferation buff, while Bayh is a four-year veteran of Senate’s Armed Services committee (which is probably as close to the military as a Democrat gets!)
As you know, both would make great VEEPs for Obama. They were prominently seated as his “right hand” and “left hand” men at the table, which sparks some Veepstakes chatter. When asked, they responded…
Nunn: “I have never aspired to that office. It’s always nice to have your name mentioned, its an honor, but I have no expectations of being offered any office and I’m not in any way sitting on the edge of a chair ready to go back into government…Certainly I would talk to Senator Obama if he wanted to talk about it, but I think the chances of an offer are pretty slim and that I would have to do a lot of thinking and talk to my family and do a lot of reflecting about what was really the best role for me. Right now I’m doing a lot of work national security arena, with the foundation I chair and we’re making some progress in some difficult areas so I’m not pining to go back into public office.”
Bayh: “Well, I love serving the people of Indiana, and any questions about the vice presidential thing, I think, are understandable and it’s good for my ego, but I should probably let Senator Obama and his campaign address those kind of questions.”
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July 17th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
“…which is probably as close to the military as a Democrat gets!”
Except for the Democrats who are actually serving in the military at this moment, you mean.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Sam Nunn or Evan Bayh would make far stronger choices for VP than anyone else who is being considered. Obama definitely needs to pick someone who can appeal to the moderate swing vote, has strong national security credentials and improve the odds of picking up a red state.