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Potential VP Bios: Republicans
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The following is a list of potential candidates for the Republican vice presidential nomination, with analysis from CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. It is meant to provide a brief glimpse at the political plusses and minuses of each. It is not meant to be wholly authoritative or comprehensive and candidates are likely to be added or subtracted based on events going forward.
Haley Barbour
Vaughn's View: A popular governor and polished politician, Barbour also has a way with the media and southern charm that makes his attacks on opponents appear gentler than they actually are. Barbour is also an old Washington hand - which combined with his past lobbying work makes him an unlikely pick.
Michael Bloomberg
Vaughn's View: This Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Independent mayor of New York City has become a power broker since deciding against launching a presidential bid of his own. With both presumptive nominees eyeing independent voters as a key to the election, getting Bloomberg on the ticket would certainly demonstrate their ability to attract that support. But would conservatives stand for a socially-liberal mayor of New York being a heartbeat away from the presidency?
Jeb Bush
Vaughn's View: One of the common refrains during the GOP primary season was that if his name were Jeb Smith, he would have been the actual nominee of the party. Two words will probably keep him out of consideration - Bush fatigue. Don't expect McCain to think twice about this one unless he wants his legacy to be helping to anoint the possible 2012 nominee.
Eric Cantor
Vaughn's View: Long a name murmured in conservative circles, Cantor busted out in the VP sweepstakes with news that he has been asked to submit personal information to the McCain campaign. The apparent vetting may be real but it also has the feel of a move to counter the recent speculation Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has received on the Democratic state and a reflection of the closer-than-usual race both parties are bracing for in the Old Dominion.
Charlie Crist
Vaughn's View: A very popular governor of a must-have state for the GOP, Crist's well-timed endorsement may have also been a major factor in getting McCain to the nomination. Crist may be the best choice to lock down a particular state but it's one McCain should win anyway and this pick may not do much to satisfy conservative critics of the Arizona senator.
Chris Cox
Vaughn's View: The former congressman and current SEC chairman would be another possible pick with some heft on economic issues but also brings to the table credentials on a wider range of issues established in over two decades in Washington. But it's just that experience and his time inside the halls of power that make him an iffy selection in this year's environment.
Carly Fiorina
Vaughn's View: This is a pick that could fill two of McCain's biggest needs as one of just two women who also happen to have private sector business experience. The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard has the kind of business experience which would fit well on the ticket and perhaps appeal to disgruntled Clinton voters at the same time. She's also becoming a more visible surrogate for the campaign on television and has proven she can handle that. But does she posses the kind of grasp of a wider range of issues to look presidential?
Rudy Giuliani
Vaughn's View: America's Mayor lost some of his shine with his lackluster primary campaign but he still brings a record of real achievement to the table. His "just-get-it-done" approach would add some teeth to McCain's reform image but his well-reported personal foibles and socially liberal stances make him a longshot.
Lindsey Graham
Vaughn's View: One of McCain's biggest admirers and best friends in the Senate, Graham's loyalty to the ticket would be beyond doubt. But the South Carolinian is already one of the most visible surrogates on the campaign trail and putting him on the ticket might look a little too much like cloning the nominee.
Mike Huckabee
Vaughn's View: The surprise of the 2008 primaries, Huckabee won more states and delegates than anyone but McCain. An ordained Baptist preacher, the former Arkansas governor could help generate excitement among evangelical voters who make up a key part of the GOP. But what worked for him in the primary campaign - media accessibility and off-the-cuff remarks - aren't a plus in a vice presidential candidate whose every utterance will be recorded and re-hashed.
Jon Huntsman
Vaughn's View: The governor of Utah could help McCain hold court in Western states like Nevada, New Mexico and Utah but that's a pretty weak limb on which to hang such a big decision. And Mitt Romney, a fellow Mormon, could help just as much and brings much more to the table.
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Vaughn's View: The conservative Texas senator would be a solid choice if McCain wants to make an appeal to women voters unhappy with Hillary Clinton's primary loss. But she would not help the ticket shed the inside-the-beltway image and the state should be the least of the party's worries this fall.
Bobby Jindal
Vaughn's View: If McCain is looking for a youthful running mate to counter the age question, Jindal would certainly fit the bill. At 36, the Louisiana governor has already accumulated a lengthy list of accomplishments on complex issues like health care and education and his social conservatism make him a favorite of those on the right. His heritage (his parents emigrated from India) also make him a fresh face in the party. But he may be too young to be seen as a president-in-waiting and it's unclear he would help anywhere geographically.
Joe Lieberman
Vaughn's View: Running mates on losing tickets generally don't get another shot and they never get it with the other party. But the 2000 Democratic running mate of Al Gore, who became an independent in 2006, has become one of McCain's best friends and biggest defenders. He could be a living example of McCain's cross-party appeal and help exploit concerns about Obama among Jewish voters. But there's a long-shot aspect to it that has an air of desperation about it.
Sarah Palin
Vaughn's View: One of the most popular governors in America, Palin would be an intriguing choice if McCain is looking for someone to break the mold. She defeated her own party's sitting governor, had crusaded against government corruption in a state infested with it and has carved out a fiercely independent attitude. But her relative lack of experience is a drawback and what works in Alaska doesn't necessarily translate to the national stage.
David Petraeus
Vaughn's View: McCain couldn't get away from his staunch support for the Iraq War even if he wanted to, so why not tap the man responsible for the "surge" strategy, one of the few bright spots of the war? But despite his public admiration for the general, McCain probably doesn't need yet another reminder of the war as his running mate.
Tim Pawlenty
Vaughn's View: A Washington outsider with executive experience and leader of a state McCain would love to add to the GOP column in November. Pawlenty represents the kind of fresh face McCain would like to put on the party. But he's relatively unknown on the national stage and hasn't gone through the kind of media vetting other hopefuls have.
Rob Portman
Vaughn's View: He's a former congressman from the key state of Ohio and he's a darling of fiscal conservatives, filling two needs for McCain. But despite the policy chops, Portman is virtually unknown nationally, or even in the home state he's been away from for some time. And how he would fit in with a charismatic nominee could be a mystery.
Condoleezza Rice
Vaughn's View: While she's pretty definitively ruled the number two spot out publicly, Rice will certainly remain someone who's talked about by virtue of her high profile in the administration for the past eight years. Her role in the Iraq War, especially in selling it, probably would make her an unlikely choice even if she were willing. But look for her name to pop up in conversation anyway.
Tom Ridge
Vaughn's View: The former Pennsylvania governor brings a hefty resume and a key state into play and his stint as the first Secretary of Homeland Security fits nicely with McCain's foreign policy strengths. Ridge has been considered a contender for GOP nominees in the past but his pro-choice leanings have been one of the reasons he's not made the cut. Does it keep him off the ticket again in 2008?
Mitt Romney
Vaughn's View: Romney brings an indefatigable energy to the table as well as real-life economic experience to fill a perceived gap in McCain's resume -- and he earned respect among conservatives. He may also put Michigan into play. But the two clashed personally on the campaign trail during the primaries and Romney failed to capitalize on a relatively weak field despite a big financial edge.
Mark Sanford
Vaughn's View: Sanford brings a budget-cutting passion he shares with John McCain and he'd be an addition that would be welcomed by most conservatives. He also has executive experience and from most indications gets along well with McCain. But coming from one of the most reliable Republican states in the country, there are other picks who accomplish what Sanford does while bringing a little more with them.
John Thune
Vaughn's View: If Hollywood directed this storyline, Thune would be at the top of the list. A solid conservative who's young but not too young, he hits all the political marks and rarely makes a mistake. Thune would be a solid, relatively safe pick but this might not be the year to play it safe and it's hard to see where the South Dakota senator helps McCain gain in the Electoral College.
J.C. Watts
Vaughn's View: The former Oklahoma congressman hasn't popped up on many serious short lists but as one of the few longtime examples of black leaders in the GOP, he's got to be on any expanded one. His time out of office helps him avoid the stain of the insiders but it's also removed him from the public eye.
Meg Whitman
Vaughn's View: One of the only two people on the list who could fill two unique needs for McCain is this former CEO of E-Bay. Whitman differs somewhat from Carly Fiorino in that she represents the new economy but she also hasn't been under the hot spotlight of the political media. Can McCain afford to take a chance?
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