by Mona Gallagher

Created on: August 04, 2008

The vice-presidential nominee for the 2008 election will not affect my vote for a number of reasons. We know that the presidential nominees will vet the vice-presidential nominees to avoid surprise or embarrassment in the general election. In terms of ideology, it would be foolhardy and unorthodox for either presidential nominee to pick someone who was in opposition to the his vision for the office.

In the 2008 election the tide has shifted for those who believe that Hillary Clinton should receive the Democratic VP nomination.

This year, there is probably more emphasis on the VP selection than ever before, because a number of Hillary Clinton supporters feel disenfranchised. They've organized a group called PUMA that stands for Party Unity my A*' and they're planning to attend the Democratic National Convention. Some disgruntled PUMA members already have switched to McCain.

Senator Hillary Clinton supporters would like to see her get the VP spot. A number of Clinton supporters believe she deserves the VP nomination because of the 18 million votes she amassed in the primaries. Senator Clinton recently was announced as a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention and that effectively means "no VP for her."

However, in an effort to drive party unity Obama is now calling for a technicality that allow Michigan and Florida delegates to be seated with fully counted votes.

Neither Senator Obama or John McCain have selected a vice-presidential nominee as of this writing, but no one except perhaps PUMA expects a mass exodus from either party based on the vice-presidential pick. Since the vice-president is not a matter of vote, but of selection, generally it doesn't have the same impact as a voted in candidate.

The 2008 election year, offers some new perspectives.

Al Gore has probably raised the stakes for the VP due to his success since leaving the Clinton administration. Despite losing the presidency in 2000, Gore has achieved a status of power that rivals that of the president and he isn't interested in the VP.

On the Republican side, McCain supporters seemed to favor Mitt Romney early on, but a number of possibilities are being discussed and there is no obvious front-runner. There has been no pressure on McCain and his choice for the VP. Most of us have confidence that he will pick the right VP that will be able to take his place if that should ever become an issue.

Logically, it follows that a candidate would select a VP that would strengthen his administration. In practice, that matters more to the presidential nominee than the voter when it comes down to the hour of voting.

Perhaps one of the best reasons for not fretting about the vice-presidential nominee is that they are vetted. Even Hillary Clinton who was a front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination was vetted by the Obama people. Doesn't that make anyone wonder why a presidential candidate isn't vetted? Shouldn't they have to meet some standards?

I have a favorite pick for a vice-presidential candidate, but it will not influence my vote for the presidential nominee. The presidential nominee is important in the 2008 election on both sides of the political fence, but I believe it will be the presidential nomination that takes precedence over any other consideration. We vote for the president and not the vice-president.

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