This is not a diary entry as much as it is a question that I would like people to attempt to answer.
Does anyone know why only liberal blogs and John Tester have mentioned Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana as a possible vice-presidential nominee for Barack Obama? Why haven't we heard that Schweitzer is at least being considered and vetted? The Obama vetters should at least look at Schweitzer, after all:
- He is more experienced than Virginia governor Tim Kaine in that he has served one more year as governor. While Kaine speaks Spanish, Schweitzer speaks Arabic. And unlike Kaine Schweitzer has had no major problems as governor so far and has not embraced any unpopular stances.
- Schweitzer knows environmental issues and could easily play the attack dog role. Schweitzer would succeed in destroying John McCain by portraying him as a tool of big oil interests.
- Recent polling http://www.rasmussenreports.com/... shows that Obama is actually ahead in Montana. While Montana does not have the amount of electoral votes to swing the race like Virginia and Indiana, Schweitzer is popular in other Western states as well and could ensure a victory for Obama in Colorado.
The only reasons Obama should avoid Schweitzer are:
- If Schweitzer has personal problems with Obama. This is false, he stayed neutral throughout the primaries. But on the other hand we have never seen him or Obama together in one place so they could hold a hidden dislike of each other.
- If Schweitzer has ever embraced conservative stances. This is also false in that besides being pro-gun Schweitzer is a liberal Democrat when it comes to issues such as the war in Iraq and abortion.,
- If Schweitzer has any secret baggage. And there is none.
So everyone, why is Schweitzer being shunned? I fail to see why there is all of this focus on Tim Kaine, Evan Bayh (who was much more vocal in his support of Hillary than Schweitzer), Joe Biden, and Chris Dodd while no major media, public official, or Obama spokesman even mentions Schweitzer as a choice.
And for those who counter with the fact Schweitzer is running for reelection, wasn't Lieberman competing for reelection when he was chosen as Al Gore's running mate? Granted Gore and Lieberman didn't win but it has been done (if I'm wrong here let me know).