Swing states make Edwards favourite to partner Kerry

[CShine]

John Edwards' chances of being selected as the vice-presidential running mate to John Kerry have been boosted in recent weeks by polls that show the former southern senator would provide a vital boost in key "swing" states. Reports suggest Mr Kerry has been frantically phoning his friends and advisers to review his options as the deadline for selecting a candidate looms ever nearer. With the decision due to be announced early next month, aides of Mr Kerry say he feels he must pick someone considered a moderate in order to bolster the party's centrist credentials against attacks from Republicans.

Some believe that Mr Kerry would ideally like to select the Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt, who himself campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination earlier this year. On Wednesday Mr Kerry held a 90-minute meeting with Mr Gephardt on Capitol Hill, which some aides said amounted to a job interview.

"I will do what I am asked to do," Mr Gephardt later told reporters. "If John Kerry wants me to do something, including vice president, I will do it. But I'm very happy to be do something else. My life is not all focused on government and public service."

Party strategists are aware however, that many prospective voters find Mr Gephardt deeply unexciting. It may be that Mr Kerry is going out of his way to flatter Mr Gephardt, while not selecting him, in order to ensure his support in his home state - a vital election battleground. A report in The Washington Post yesterday quoted sources close to Mr Kerry's campaign who said a series of polls showed that Mr Edwards was the candidate most likely to attract swing voters. An effective and likeable campaigner, Mr Edwards' chances are said to have increased as Mr Kerry has postponed his decision. "The delay ... has helped Edwards," said one source.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=533056

[Jose Diablo]

1. I took the magic 8-ball, and asked if it was Edwards

a few moments later the letters appeared in the bottom window. They said "YES".

[uptown ruler]

2. in NC here

seems like it would help some more conservative swing voters in my area pick kerry...


Spread the Word
CausePimpingThePeopleAin’tEasy

[disinfo_guy]

3. Edwards just became a "Made Man" in the global government

He was invited to the Bilderberg meetings last month. Looks like Edwards just got promoted.

[chimpymustgo]

4. Edwards has the mo', and does offer very tangible assets.

I he can deliver swing voters and a few Southern states - as well as energy and excitement - let's get it on!

[Doosh]

5. Edwards is the best choice

at this point, not choosing him would be a letdown to the party.

[PROUDNWLIBERAL]

6. Kerry Edwards Ticket

Kerry for eight years, while grooming Edwards for the next eight years as Vice-President. Or how about William Jefferson Clinton for Vice-President----it would kill half of the Freepers!

[progressivebydesign]

7. He's my choice!

I think that he seems to have the name recognition and the charisma and youthfulness that is sorely needed.

[Seabiscuit]

8. OMG!!!

"Some believe that Mr Kerry would ideally like to select the Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt...."

GROSS!!!

Damnit, I wish Howard Dean hadn't screwed up so badly and so often. That sleazbag Gephardt would sink the Democrats for years to come - what the hell is wrong with John Kerry? This is the problem Dean was complaining about - the "spinless" Beltway Democrats. A Kerry-Gephardt ticket will come across as nothing but "Bush-Lite" and hand Dubya a second term for sure.

Edwards is the only chance we have if the Dems are going to take back the White House.

And if Kerry picks Gephardt, I'll vote for anyone but Bush or Kerry. This is enough to really, really make me want to...

:puke:

[sadiesworld]

9. This would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

I never figured that DUers could agree on much, but the whorish nature of the RW media seemed like a safe bet. But lo' and behold, I guess we can all agree now that the media has the dems best interests at heart in promoting Edwards. :eyes:

[chimpymustgo]

10. Democrats WANT EDWARDS! What is with the RW media canard?

There are a dozen threads in GD04 about polls favoring Edwards (by 3-1), House members, Senators lobbying for Edwards. They broke out into a chant as Edwards spoke at the Texas Dem convention last night - VP, VP, VP!

Please give Democrats more credit than being mere sheeple hypnotized by the media. The media aren't pushing Edwards - they are just reporting that countless Democrats are demonstrably in favor of a Kerry/Edwards ticket.

[sadiesworld]

11. And dems break out in chants for all of the potential running mates.

I'm talking about George Will, Mona Charen, Peggy Noonan, etc. Look at some of their columns. Did you listen to Hannity and Ingraham talking Edwards up during the primaries? Are you listening to Faux News at all these days? WHY DO THEY LOVE EDWARDS?????

[chimpymustgo]

12. Maybe they see the same qualities that DEMOCRATS who love him do!

Or are so many Democrats too stupid to know who they want on the ticket?

Wes Clark would be embarassed by this argument.

[sadiesworld]

16. This is rich.

The media rethugs "love" Edwards and now we will all be one happy family.

I believe Wes Clark appreciates the attack machine we are up against, he would NOT be embarrassed by my pointing this out.

[w4rma]

14. I love Edwards, also.

His stance on global trade appeals to me.

[sadiesworld]

18. Good to know that the VP dictates trade policy.

:eyes:

[AP]

25. Reading The Roaring Nineties, there are a couple places where Gore

exerted a huge influence on policy (telecoms dereg, specifically, which Gore seemed to be for). Many of the policies that came out of his committee were his and were pro-dereg, and seem, in retrospect, to have been unwise. (Interestingly, Gore is now in the telecoms business with his cable project).

One could argue that Clinton wouldn't have given him the authority if he thought Gore might go a different direction.

Nonetheless, reading The Roaring Nineties is the most recent time when I've regreted that the VP wasn't someone who felt the way I felt about the role of government.

[wjsander]

15. OMG, it's because they all have dirt on him that no one else has!!

And they've managed to keep it a secret THIS LONG!

[sadiesworld]

17. The dirt is obvious...

He is a former PI attorney with little to no foreign policy experience...and he is a heartbeat away from the presidency.

No secrets here.

[Blue_Roses]

19. oh come on...

He is a former PI attorney with little to no foreign policy experience...and he is a heartbeat away from the presidency.

he's a hell of alot better than Bush who had "no foreign policy experience," either when he was "selected." Bush couldn't even name the President of Pakistan when he was running in 2000. Something tells me he already has one up on Bush in that area going in.

Edwards would make a good VP.

[sadiesworld]

20. Aren't you setting the bar a little low here?

[wjsander]

21. Hey, I got an idea!!

How about we win a freaking election, and THEN we get picky about our running mates.

[Upfront]

24. Wonder if

he has some problems in his background? I don't think it will be Edwards. If the rethugs want him they may know something.

[liveoaktx]

23. Edwards gave a terrific speech at the Texas Dem Conv last night

He has a very warm personality which, IMO, would counterbalance Kerry much better than dry old hawk Gephardt.

[wjsander]

13. Seeing so much support just for a VP spot is unreal!

Kerry can't afford the media questioning the "Non-Edwards" pick all the way up to Nov 2nd. He's just having fun with the media with his "secret sessions".

[modrepub]

22. VP Debates

I'd think an Edwards vs. Cheney or even Clark vs. Cheney would be a better contrast than Gephardt vs. Cheney. But if Gephardt can win Missouri then Kerry would be wise to take him. It would be a stretch in my opinion for Edwards to help Kerry win NC or any southern state outside of FL.

[jdj]

26. Please God let Kerry pick someone with spark.

If he picks Gephardt it will be a snooze-fest.

Edwards is whip-smart, and he can pimp-slap anyone who gets out of line with him and have them wanting their Mommy, he reminds me of Ari Fleischer in that respect.

Repukes probably want Edwards because of his affiliations while practicing law. I read he's affiliated with, maybe represented, some of the credit card companies who are trying to make it harder for regular folks (non-farmers) to file bankruptcy. This is the only negative thing I have read about him so far; having been to Seneca SC and been inside a cotton mill I can say thay Edwards knows a hell of a lot about foreign policy, certainly more than any rich punk who's never paid for anything with the sweat of his brow, because Edwards knows, (and was one of the people) that get screwed over by "foreign policy" decisions every single day, all over the world.

[struggle4progress]

27. kick

:kick: