Burr for Veep?
2011-01-06 - by
Maybe there was more than I realized behind Senator Richard Burr’s vote to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Last week, I gave him credit for doing the right thing. But an astute Burr-watcher – not a partisan either way – noted that Burr took a different tack on what was arguably the key vote: on cloture to shut off debate and have an up-and-down vote on the issue. Burr voted then with the Republican leadership against the DADT supporters.
Why the apparent inconsistency? Or, you might call it, flip-flop?
Maybe he’s positioning himself to be the vice presidential candidate in 2012.
As the Burr-watcher noted, no Republican can be elected President without winning North Carolina Charlotte North Carolina
Burr, unlike John Edwards in 2004, can probably help here. And he could be an attractive candidate nationally. He’s good-looking, personable, solid and an interesting combination of a rock-solid Southern conservative with a moderate image.
The image comes not from his voting record, which isn’t far from South Carolina
Burr has positioned himself as a conservative who’s not scary or threatening. By the time this Tea Party-heavy Congress is finished, voters might want that.
My Burr-watcher friend said a downside for 2012 could be that “Burr’s not a dynamo.” But the Republicans tried a dynamo in 2008; it didn’t work out too well. Boring could be just the ticket next year.
Finally, as my friend noted, North Carolinians should be used to their Senators eyeing higher office. Two men who held Burr’s seat – Edwards and Terry Sanford – both ran for President, both twice.
Burr for Veep?
2011-01-06/
Maybe there was more than I realized behind Senator Richard Burr’s vote to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Last week, I gave him credit for doing the right thing. But an astute Burr-watcher – not a partisan either way – noted that Burr took a different tack on what was arguably the key vote: on cloture to shut off debate and have an up-and-down vote on the issue. Burr voted then with the Republican leadership against the DADT supporters.
Why the apparent inconsistency? Or, you might call it, flip-flop?
Maybe he’s positioning himself to be the vice presidential candidate in 2012.
As the Burr-watcher noted, no Republican can be elected President without winning North Carolina Charlotte North Carolina
Burr, unlike John Edwards in 2004, can probably help here. And he could be an attractive candidate nationally. He’s good-looking, personable, solid and an interesting combination of a rock-solid Southern conservative with a moderate image.
The image comes not from his voting record, which isn’t far from South Carolina
Burr has positioned himself as a conservative who’s not scary or threatening. By the time this Tea Party-heavy Congress is finished, voters might want that.
My Burr-watcher friend said a downside for 2012 could be that “Burr’s not a dynamo.” But the Republicans tried a dynamo in 2008; it didn’t work out too well. Boring could be just the ticket next year.
Finally, as my friend noted, North Carolinians should be used to their Senators eyeing higher office. Two men who held Burr’s seat – Edwards and Terry Sanford – both ran for President, both twice.