More On Chris-Cox-For-VP
Posted by: Jubal | 03/26/2008 10:16 AM
More on the Chris-Cox-for-Vice-President speculation from yesterday's Political Diary newsletter (a great deal at just $3.95 a month):
Meet Chris Cox
While the Democratic slugfest sucks up all the media attention, John McCain will have at least one big chance to move back to center-stage -- when he picks his veep nominee.
Mr. McCain needs to bolster his economic street cred, especially after admitting minimal expertise on the subject. He needs to rally pro-growth Republicans and calm the fears of ordinary voters amid the mortgage meltdown. Who to call? California Republican Chris Cox was on George W. Bush's shortlist eight years ago and didn't get the nod. Now his moment may have arrived, judging by a growing murmur among his GOP fans.
At 55, he's youthful and confidence-inspiring, with ample experience to serve as understudy to a well-traveled 72-year-old. He has a reputation as a serious and sober minded politician. He earned both a law and business degree from Harvard. He's fluent in Russian -- before entering politics he started a company that translated Soviet publications into English. He served a stint in the Reagan White House, then ran successfully for Congress from Orange County, serving nine terms and amassing a strong record as a fiscal conservative and tax cutter. He also led a bipartisan Congressional commission that wrote the book on Chinese technological espionage.
In 2005, he became chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he has walked a careful, and successful, line in eschewing over-regulation while expanding investor information on CEO pay and other governance hot buttons.
Not widely known is a chapter in his personal history. At age 25, Mr. Cox faced the possibility that he might never walk again when a Jeep he was riding in flipped over and pinned him to the ground. His spine was crushed. It took him six months and a steel brace that he wore around his chest before he regained the ability to walk. Today, he still suffers severe pain, especially if he sits for long periods of time, so he often uses a desk that allows him to work while standing up.
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Cox would be a great boost to fill the gap of McCain's lack of knowledge about the economy. But from a political perspective, is Cox the kind of candidate that can draw voters away from Obama or Clinton?
The difference at rallies this year is the most startling I've seen since the 60's. Doesn't McCain need a runningmate that can fire up voters? You guys know Cox better than I, but I've never heard him give a stirring speech. His campaigns have always been in power districts, this will be a free for all in November.
If one thinks that if Chris Cox is selected as John McCain's running mate that it will suddenly make a traditionally blue state like California competitive, then they have clearly missed out on a two word drama that polarized Orange County and the rest of Southern California for 10 plus years - El Toro! As a congressman, Chris Cox singlehandedly did more to negate aviation reuse at El Toro than any other human being on the planet!
Of course Cox will have the gratitude of a mere 13 of 34 (South) Orange County cities that voted to scuttle El Toro Airport in 2002, even though their "Great Park" today is nothing more than a grounded balloon and lots of pretty brochures. But outside 949 area code, Cox will find far less support and even a lot of resentment. For example, residents near outlying airports such as LAX, John Wayne, Burbank, and Long Beach are not exactly enamored to be burdened with expansion in order to offset the loss of El Toro.
Even within his hometown of Newport Beach, Cox cannot be incredibly popular for abandoning his very powerful congressional post (at number 5 in the nation no less) within a mere 20 days after Lennar assumed title to El Toro in 2005. Especially, when the long term future of John Wayne is unresolved.
Then there are thousands of pilots around California and elsewhere who cannot possibly take great joy in seeing El Toro set the record for being the largest military airfield ever to completely go to waste. We are talking 39,000 feet worth of runways! No other defunct facility in the nation is even close!
Even when it comes to non-aviation uses of El Toro Chris Cox has not exactly scored many brownie points. In 2003 some veterans approached him to use his immense congressional power to set aside the commissary and some sorely needed military housing for reuse.
Instead Cox who has never served, sided with developers who had far more lucrative ideas for the base. As a result, Camp Pendleton Marines continue to languish on a long waiting list for housing, and veterans must make further drives at $4 a gallon for shopping privileges that they earned.
Just imagine if word got out about Cox and El Toro to a military community like Pensacola, which just so happens to be located in the critical swing state of Florida. As one can see, Cox's presence on the ballot, with will not only make McCain's long odds in California even longer, it would also put some other states (with large military populations) into play for his Democrat opponent. Cox is an anchor that a former Navy officer like McCain should not set sail with, lest he sink his candidacy for President. Therefore, it would behoove John McCain to find another running mate without so much baggage.