2008 Politics: John McCain's Choices for Vice President

John McCain still has some time, but he's behind in the polls and facing a once in a generation opponent in Barack Obama. There are a lot of choices for potential vice presidential candidates, some good and some bad. Among the most popular names, here are some possible VP candidates for Republican Presidential nominee John McCain.

#1: Mike Huckabee, ex-governor Arkansas

Huckabee would make sense for several reasons. He could help shore up the South, where it looks like Barack Obama could make a serious run at some states, as well as get the evangelicals (who are hardly fans of McCain as a candidate) fired up enough to show.

In addition to this, Huckabee is a great campaigner and communicator who was also popular among young college students, and Huckabee is a very likable personable character who could strike a chord with voters, and was popular in Iowa where McCain has virtually no history or set up in what could be a critical swing state.

#2: Mitt Romney, ex-governor Massachusetts

Romney is very popular among fiscal conservatives, who don't like Huckabee and are steaming mad at the government's spending habits. Romney knows economics, and not only would be a good fund raiser, but could also be seen as a movement by McCain to reach out to blue collar workers.

Downsides: Romney is not particularly likable, he doesn't deliver any states, and he's a terrible debater, an area where McCain hardly thrives, either.

#3: Sarah Palin, governor Alaska

She might be the least known outside of her state, but this "unknown" could be the strongest VP candidate. She has record approval ratings of nearly 90%, is a born again Christian with several children, an obsessive hatred of corruption (she has cleaned house in Alaska - a state notorious for under the table politics), and she is a very attractive female who is very likable, and who (along with her husband) relate very well to the younger generation.

Governor Palin could easily take the anti-corruption, anti-Washington message that McCain needs to find to compete with Obama, and she might also take advantage of disenfranchised women voters to give McCain some critical swing stakes. A very intriguing candidate.

#4: Tim Pawlenty, governor Minnesota

Pawlenty has been thrown around a lot as a possible candidate, and one who could help rally conservatives to McCain while possibly delivering Minnesota, a traditional blue state, to McCain in what should be a close election.

Downside? It doesn't seem he has much effect on surrounding states, so may not help at all with Wisconsin or Iowa, plus limited name recognition.

#5: Charlie Crist, governor Florida

He's a popular governor in an important swing state the McCain campaign has to have, and wrapping up Florida would be a nice bonus. Problem is that Crist hasn't been a governor long, and if he jumped to a VP ticket just as crisis hit Florida, this pick could actually turn around and work against the McCain if the population turns on him.

#6: Tom Ridge, ex-governor Pennsylvania

The thought here is to seal up the swing state of Pennsylvania and try to hurt the Democrats electorally, while putting someone on the ticket who might have a little bit of name power in neighboring Ohio, as well. This is a man who is also popular among those conservatives in the party that McCain has trouble wooing.

Problems? Oh yeah. As director of homeland security, Ridge represents the worst of what many voters hated about the Bush administration, and to pick someone that close to the Bush Presidency would hand the Democrats a golden gift, allowing Obama to paint McCain as Bush term #3.

These are some of the most popular choices being mentioned as possible vice presidential candidates for Republican Presidential nominee John McCain.