Getting Caught Up In An Outrageously Preposterous Hypothetical

By Kleinheider Posted on April 28, 2008 at 6:35 am

The Oak Ridger newspaper offers up an interesting potential selection for John McCain’s running-mate: Lamar Alexander:

While losing Alexander from the Senate would be a blow to the Republican party leadership in the Senate, it would be positive to add a moderate border state candidate to the Republican ticket for president.

In our opinion, Sen. Alexander, who is running for re-election, has only in recent months reached a position where he can be an effective leader in the Senate. As the No. 3 person in the minority party organization in the Senate, he is responsible for setting policy on issues and is becoming quite effective in getting some controversial bills moving on a bipartisan basis.

To make a good race of it, McCain needs a vice-presidential candidate who is younger, moderate, and from a section of the nation which frequently elects presidents. (Two Bushes from Texas, Clinton from Arkansas and Carter from Georgia, 24 of the past 32 years, interrupted only by two terms by Reagan of California.)

Lamar could fill those requirements.

Of course, this is unlikely to happen for many reasons. At 67, he is only four years younger than McCain, who if successful would be the oldest man sworn elected to the office. Two, Alexander, even if offered, would be unlikely to take the job. He has carved out a nice little power position for himself in the Senate as the GOP Conference Chairman. After two runs for the job more than a decade ago, Alexander by all accounts looks to be resigned to the fact that the Presidency and he were not meant to be.

Third, and most importantly, John McCain doesn’t like Lamar Alexander and the feeling seems to be mutal. He helped engineer Lamar’s embarrassing defeat at the hands of Trent Lott for the minority whip position in 2006 and Lamar has made no great attempt to get into his good graces since then.

So, in the final analysis, this editorial is quite preposterous.

However, if it were to happen, it would cause quite a commotion in Tennessee politics. With the convention in September, by the time the choice was made the Tennessee primaries would have already past. The party would then have to replace Lamar on the ballot only two months before the election causing extreme upheaval in the Republican Party and instantly making whomever emerges from the Democratic primary a contender.

Who would the Republican Party turn to? Would Fred Thompson be drafted into service? Bill Frist? Certainly Marsha Blackburn would want the job but would the party install such a firebrand as the nominee at such a late date? Not likely. The behind the scenes maneuvering in the wake of the seismic event would be a politcal junkie’s dream.

Like I said, it ain’t gonna happen, but it would certainly be a grand occasion if it did.

permalink

Comments