Runner-Ups as Running-Mates

John McCain and Barack Obama both had close races, with opponents that had a popular fan base. Mitt Romney and Hilary Clinton are no strangers to American voters, their primary campaigns were widely covered, and both came up just short. They are both well known, have a large base, already have a campaign staff, and are ready to jump on board as the number two. It is unlikely that we will get a McCain/Romney vs. Obama/Clinton ticket, but there is always a chance.

Hilary Rodham Clinton – No stranger to the American public Hilary Clinton was born in Illinois in 1947. Clinton graduated from Wesley College, and then went to Yale Law School. On October 11, 1975 Hilary Rodham married Bill Clinton in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 1976 Bill Clinton was elected Arkansas Attorney General, beginning the Clintons infamous political career. From 1979-1981, 1983-1992 the Clintons resided in the Governor mansion in Arkansas. Hilary remained very active throughout her husband’s political career, and was involved in numerous endeavors. In 1992 the Clintons moved to the White House with Bill Clinton’s victory over incumbent George H. Bush. Hilary Clinton is regarded as one of the most influential first ladies ever to inhabit the White House. Her most famous initiative came after being appointed by her husband to serve as the chairwoman of the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. The proposal became known as the Clinton Health Care Plan, it did not retain sufficient votes in Congress to pass. Hilary remained a prominent figure in the White House during her husband’s eight years in office. In 2000 Clinton rain for Senator of New York after moving to the state. She won the election, and immediately became a big name in the Senate. Her re-election bid in 2006 was a landslide victory. In early 2007 Clinton announced her plans to run for President. She was an early front-runner, and remained atop the national polls up to the beginning of the primaries. Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton had an extremely close primary race, and finally on June 3, 2008 Barack Obama gained enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee. Clinton and Obama were harsh critics of one another throughout the primary season, and left the Democratic party split. Many believe that putting Hilary on the ticket would heal these wounds, energize the party and America, and set up a “dream team” ticket. While there is speculation that she may be named the running mate, it is still considered unlikely.

Mitt Romney – Romney is another politician who is well known to the American public due to the 2008 Presidential elections. Romney was born in Michigan, and initially attended Stanford University out of high school. After partaking in some mission work in France Romney returned to the United States to earn his degree from Brigham Young University. In 1975 Romney graduated from Harvard with a joint degree from the Law school and school of Business. For over twenty years Romney lived in Massachusetts working in business, most notably as the CEO of Bain and Company. In 1998 he left for Salt Lake City to serve as the CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2002 Romney returned to Massachusetts to run for Governor. Romney won a close election in a state that is often considered to vote primarily democrat. During his time as Governor Romney was successful in passing many new initiatives, his most famous one being the Massachusetts Health Reform Law. This law required nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance. In 2006 Romney did not seek re-election as Governor. In 2007 Romney formally announced he would be seeking the Republican nomination for President. He ran close with McCain, but decided after Super Tuesday to forgo his bid. He immediately endorsed McCain, and has been a strong supporter since. Early on McCain and Romney engaged in some heated exchanges during the debates, and were viewed as the two primary contenders. The two have laid aside their differences, and Romney is frequently mentioned as a potential VP candidate for McCain. Romney offers expertise on the economy, something that McCain needs desperately. Romney is not popular among Evangelical Christians, but would more than likely still receive their support. Only time will tell if Romney and Clinton will jump back into the national spotlight.