Is Jack Reed a Potential Running Mate for Clinton or Obama?

D Trem, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Apr 13, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

The 2008 presidential election is not too far away. We know who they republican presidential nominee is, but the democratic race is still tight. As the elections become near, candidates need to become clear and concise and really show the American public what they plan to do during their presidency. This is more important for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, because of the tight race between the two. One question that becomes more relevant as each day passes is, who will be the democratic vice presidential nominee?

Senator Jack Reed is a name that has come up in the discussion for potential running mates. The Rhode Island senator is a champion for working class families and has a lot of experience. He has been a senator since 1996, and before that, he was a U.S. house representative. He would easily give a Clinton or Obama ticket instant credibility on issues like Healthcare and education. He would also give the democratic ticket credibility in the defense department. Obama and Clinton both have ideas of change, and are not as experienced as McCain. A vice president with experience is crucial. Reed would be great for this position because neither Clinton nor Obama have any experience with the military, and having a WestPoint graduate like reed would be excellent for both candidates. Reed proposes an open ended approach to ending the war in Iraq. He realizes that a deadline cannot be set in stone, but he also knows that a withdrawal is necessary. He believes in giving the military flexibility.

Reed is a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. This also makes him a wonderful vice presidential candidate for the Democrats. He would be a better match for Clinton as oppose to Obama though. Obama would be better paired with someone like New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg. Both democratic presidential candidates have stressed healthcare and education. Reed could play a big part in making these ideas become reality because of his senatorial experience.

On the downside, Jack Reed is not a famous politician like a Joe Biden or a Michael Bloomberg. This should not hurt his chances though. This should not be too big of an issue though. Jack Reed could potentially be a major asset in battleground states in the like Ohio, because of his support to working class citizens, and his military background.

Sources:

http://reed.senate.gov/biography/index.cfm

http://www.projo.com/news/johnmulligan/iraq_petraeus_04-08-08_679MAI7_v14.39d8c0b.html

Published by D Trem

Hey! My name is Darren. I am a freshman at Purdue University. I hail from Columbus, Ohio. View profile