Crawford's congressman as Obama's vice president?

One thing's for sure, Barack Obama can sure keep a secret.

As a media frenzy builds over whom the Democratic presidential nominee is likely to select as his running mate, a name once considered a long-shot -- Chet Edwards -- is gaining buzz. He represents the 17th congressional district of Texas, which happens to include one well-known rancher: George W. Bush.

The Democratic congressman from Crawford was among those vetted for the position, officials told the Associated Press. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who worked with Edwards on a new GI Bill for returning veterans, has been promoting him as vice presidential material to the Obama campaign.

Representing the Texas district in Congress since 1990, Edwards is a conservative Democrat who is big on military funding and veterans' benefits (Fort Hood, the world's largest Army base, is in his district). But he's also a fiscal conservative who has opposed Bush administration tax cuts for the wealthy.

Born in Corpus Cristi, Edwards and his wife Lea Ann, according to his congressional bio, attend the Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, which is not far from Bush's ranch.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Jerry Larson / Waco Tribune Herald

Comments

[J Richardson]

$128 million in earmarks for the current year doesn't sound like a fiscal conservative to me. From reports in the Houston Chronicle, Edwards had the highest amount of earmarks of the Texas congressional delegation. I'm sure John McCain would just love to compare his earmarks - none - to Representative Edwards's $128 million.

[ol' john complain]

I wonder if Old John thinks that the U.S. military is surrendering to the terrorists now that they have signed off on the Iraq pull-out plan. Maybe next year he can repatriate to the nation of Georgia and take command of a crack Georgian special ops unit to ride into Iraq and really give it to the terrorists. Cindy can buy him a Napoleon hat and a grand steed.

[Gypsy Man]

Obama should pick someone from Time Magazine to be his running mate--they've done as much as anyone to support his candidacy, putting him on the cover constantly!

It's shameful the way these supposedly professional journalists are fawning all over Obama. Not WRIGHT for America suggests that Time change its name to Obama Magazine. They even have a mock up of what it would look like. http://www.notwrightforamerica.com