Vice President Meg Whitman?

Meg Whitman, former CEO and President of eBay Inc, is being tipped as a possible Vice Presidential running mate for Republican nominee John McCain. If chosen, she would be only the second woman to run on the ticket of either major party since Democrat Geraldine Ferraro was chosen by Walter Mondale in 1984.

It all seems rather unlikely, but the rumour isn’t going away. From a British perspective it is extraordinary that someone could go from CEO to ‘a heartbeat away from the presidency’ in less than a year. She has never, after all, been elected to any political post. Ever.

The job of Vice President was famously described by one incumbent as being “not worth a bucket of warm piss” and has no executive power, many ceremonial duties and comes with the right to preside over the Senate. So in some ways it might be rather less thrilling than being CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation. But it does come with a plane (call sign Air Force Two): a perk shared with the CEO of eBay.

Dan Wilson is a writer and consultant and the bestselling author of ‘Make Serious Money on eBay UK’.

9 Responses on "Vice President Meg Whitman?"

1. 1
   Sue Bailey says:

   August 28, 2008 at 2:51 pm

   One can imagine she might pull in a large “moderate” vote, and a lot of people who would have voted for Hillary but won’t vote for Obama. They have McCain so they don’t need another Old White Guy: astonishingly, Meg might make sense.
2. 2
   Henrietta says:

   August 28, 2008 at 5:07 pm

   “astonishingly, Meg might make sense.”

   Only if you are ‘caught up in rapturing grace right now’.
3. 3
   Sue Bailey says:

   August 28, 2008 at 6:32 pm

   Alley Insider has a great post on this, and ends up on the pro-Meg side of the fence too.
4. 4
   Chris Dawson says:

   August 28, 2008 at 8:04 pm

   Sheesh, Meg for VP and a doddery old man for President. If he pops his clogs she’ll be president via the back door!
5. 5
   Dan Wilson says:

   August 29, 2008 at 3:45 am

   Chris,

   If she’s on the ticket and elected, frankly, it’s the front door. People know what they’re getting.
6. 6
   Whirly says:

   August 29, 2008 at 4:19 pm

   Well MW didn’t get the gig.
7. 7
   Sue Bailey says:

   August 29, 2008 at 4:35 pm

   Sarah Palin, eh?
   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7588542.stm

   Isn’t she the one who couldn’t sell the state private jet on eBay?
8. 8
   Dan Wilson says:

   August 29, 2008 at 7:02 pm

   Meg was always an unlikely choice: no policial record.

   But I imagine if McCain wins, she’ll have a role in govt.
9. 9
   northumbrian says:

   August 29, 2008 at 7:54 pm

   If Mc Cain wins!
   pleased my job does not depend on him winning