Obama Assigned a Grade of “B+” for His Running Mate Decision

USA (SANEPR.com) August 26, 2008 -- Michael E. McGrath, decision-making expert and founder of DecideBetter!, has assigned a grade of “B+” to Senator Barack Obama’s decision to select fellow Senator Joseph Biden as his running mate. The overall grade reflects an assessment on each of the most important decision criteria for selecting a Vice Presidential running mate.

On June 16th, McGrath distributed a memo to each campaign outlining the five critical factors and the process for evaluating candidates for their vice presidential nominee. The memo offered no partisan agenda, nor did it promote any specific candidate. Rather it offered 5 categories of factors that should be considered when selecting a running mate that would constitute a good decision-making method. The selections that each candidate make with regards to their Vice Presidential running mates are the most important single public decisions of their campaigns, and these decisions will be used by the American public to judge the overall decision-making abilities of each candidate, providing a preview for how they will make decisions as President of the United States.

The 5 factors that McGrath outlined to the candidates are:

1. Suitability to be President of the United States
2. Suitability to be the Vice President of the United States
3. Chemistry with the Presidential Nominee
4. Electability and Assistance with Electoral College Strategy
5. Grooming to be the Next President of the United States

He also suggested a weighting for each of these factors since some are more important than others and should be considered as such.

“I believe that Senator Biden fits very well with the decision-making method that I’ve laid out for Senator Obama,” states McGrath. “Based on my preliminary grading of how well he accomplishes each of the sets of criteria, I believe Senator Obama should be applauded for the way he approached and made this important decision.”

“By approaching the decision in a rational and sensible way – one that assigns an appropriate level of importance to each of the criteria – Senators Obama and McCain can show the American public that they can make decisions that are for the good of the nation, not just for political reasons.”

“My decision autopsy shows that Senator Obama correctly chose to assign greater value to leadership ability and experience rather than assistance with Electoral College votes when he selected fellow Senator Biden as a running mate.”

“The ability to properly weigh the various factors important to this major decision is what has led to me assigning the decision by Senator Obama as a “B+”, a very good score,” Michael notes.

It is widely expected that Senator John McCain will make his decision in the coming week. Michael hopes that he also approaches the decision in a similar way – one in which the ability to serve as Vice President, and President should that be necessary, will be high on the list for criteria – not just politics and electability.

A more in-depth breakdown of the scoring, as well as the original text of the memo sent to each campaign, can be found on the Decide Better website at www.decidebetter.com.

Michael E. McGrath is a decision-making expert and the founder of Decide Better!, a company designed to help people make better decisions in their everyday lives. By making better decisions, everyone can make a better life for themselves. His first book, Decide Better! for a Better Life, is now available.