In an interview with the Washington Times, MS Gov. Haley Barbour (R) said he's "too conservative to be John McCain's running mate," but that McCain's "maverick reputation will help him in an election in which moderates and independents will be more important than in recent years." Barbour "also urged" McCain "not to name" his VP pick until after the Dems' convo, "when he can draw the sharpest distinction between the parties." Barbour: "I am a lot more conservative than John McCain. It may help him that he is not as conservative as I am." More Barbour: "I think there are a lot more Democrats who will vote for McCain this time than for President Bush last time, and a lot more Republicans who [will] vote for one of the Democrats this time." Barbour "acknowledged" that the GOP electorate "is missing some of the intensity of past elections." But the ex-RNC chair "predicted that things will change dramatically" once Dems "have settled on a standard-bearer." That's when the McCain-GOP strategy "will be to point out how far to the left the Democratic nominee is from most Americans, who are still in the center-right spot they have been for decades" (Hallow, Washington Times, 4/29).

Bobby Jindal Thinks John McCain Is Pretty

LA Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) appeared on the "Tonight Show," and discussed the possibility of being chosen as McCain's VP: Jindal, on whether it's flattering to be considered as a possible VP: "It's flattering, but I'll be -- Look, I like the job I've got right now. I told people in Louisiana, this is an historic opportunity to fix our state. I want to be involved in doing that. It'd be like saying, 'I'm not going with that pretty girl to the prom' before she asks you. But I've got the job I want. I want to be governor of Louisiana. I'd like to run for re-election. This is the best time in our lifetimes we'll get to fix our state. I don't want to miss it" (NBC, 4/28).

Georgia Boys

Jimmy Carter, on who he would like to see as VP: "I, personally, would like to see Sam Nunn from Georgia ... or someone like him, to be the addition to the ticket, to kind of round it out. But I think for [Obama or Clinton] to choose each other, is almost impossible" ("American Morning," CNN, 4/29).

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