Were We Right?

LIEBERMAN STILL RUMORED AS POSSIBLE GOP VEEP PICK

FITSNews – July 31, 2008 – We first wrote back in March about former Democratic Vice Presidential nominee and Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman being a possible surprise VP pick for Republican John McCain this year.  Such an unconventional selection – our sources argued at the time – would be the centerpiece of a “centrist” strategy aimed at blunting Democrat Barack Obama’s momentum with middle-of-the-road voters.

Apparently the intervening four months have done nothing to dampen the Lieberman speculation.

From ABC’s “Political Radar” this morning:

Lieberman, an Independent Democrat, flatly denied his interest to ABC’s Ron Claiborne earlier this month, but McCain is now seriously considering him as that “transformative” pick, sources tell ABC News.

McCain is close to Lieberman, admires his willingness to stand alone on principle and shares his views that Islamo-fascism is the most serious threat to the nation’s future.

What’s more, some McCain advisers believe Lieberman would dramatically enhance the point they are now trying to make about Obama in this “celebrity” ad campaign.

McCain and Lieberman are anti-celebrities, the argument goes. They have, as one top adviser said, felt the heat after taking unpopular positions because they were willing to do “what’s right for the country” — whatever it meant for their own popularity.

So will it happen?

Who knows. GOP governors Tim Pawlenty and Bobby Jindal are both discussed way more than Lieberman as likely VP picks, and Jindal’s selection as the first Indian-American on a major ticket would be more than a little “transformative” in its own right.