Dean's Running mate

[Perky]

With a gross assumption and apologies to the other candidates in the field for the moment who do you think would be the best running mate for Howard Dean and why?

Someone in the field now?
A woman?
An Hispanic?
Someone outside the box that would appeal to groups that would not necessarily be part of the coalition. Someone in business?

Any sitting governor tickle your fancy?

Please note I said "best" running mate. Who can Howard Dean add to the ticket not gain the most votes or get out the base...nut who helps him the most in the electoral math?

[cherryperry]

1. Landreu (sp?)

She shows he's not so conservative + she's from the South.

[Perky]

4. Landreau

You think she is well known enough? I am not sure she adds a lot to the ticket in the south which is what you want to do. if you use a souther strategy... My women would be Patty Murray (soccer mom personified)

[rogerashton]

16. Gotta like Landrieu

if only because her name can be spelled so many ways -- I Googled it and hit her Senate website --

I have to support 'Cadians for public office. That was part of the settlement when the let me out of the state. GO MARY!

[NewJerseyDem]

44. I don't like Landrieu

Her environmental policy is questionable. She cares a lot about the energy industry in Louisiana and keeps going to the floor of the senate and saying how it is horrible how some states don't produce as much energy as they consume and that Louisiana has to do all the work.

Still, for electoral strategy she would be an excellent candidate. She may be too moderate though for Dean to work with.

[FoxNewsIsTheDevil]

2. Gephardt

[JeniB]

27. Since MJ's picture is there, I'll use him.

That would be like Kobe Bryant using Michael Jordan as a set-up man.
It's not going to happen and if I were Dick, I'd deck him if he even had the guts to ask me!!

[T Roosevelt]

3. My first instinct is Graham

He would make an excellent compliment to Dean, and would guarantee Florida.

I've heard Bill Richardson mentioned...don't know about him.

[Perky]

11. Richardson

The thing I like about Richardson is that he balances Dean on Foriegn Policy credatnials and is a Hispanic. THat putss Texas in play or at least back George defends his base. I thnk he certainly helps in FL on the same basis. Graham is a slam dunk for florida. But he can't put any truly southern state in play..


Here is a name from the past....Whatever happened to Sam Nunn?

[Rose Siding]

34. Richardson or Landreau

Both good choices. The time has come to choose among the qualified women and minorities for VP. Good for the party, the country and tres Trippi :-) (I have a little crush)

[Bombtrack]

19. Garentee Florida

you've got your head in the clouds. Graham would make it close, but Dean would still probably lose Florida, as well as Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Wisconsin

[demnan]

5. Wesley Clark or Bob Graham

Either one would help him in the South and give a foreign policy strength to his campaign.

The other constituency he needs to encompass is the African-American community. I think an early endorsement by Carol Mosby-Braum and a promise of a cabinet position for her would be a very favorable move.

[osaMABUSh]

6. Absolutely Graham - FLA and security / intelligence experience

are paramount for Dean's (our) success.

[AlinPA]

21. Agreed.

But Patty Murray would be good in a Kerry ticket.

[jiacinto]

7. Graham of FL

Bill Richardson of NM
Janet Napolitano of AZ
Mary Landrieu of LA

[Jonte_1979]

8. Edwards

He's good looking, smart, comes from a working-class family and is from the south. Would also make a great candidate for 2012.

[mlawson]

13. He completes my team!

But I still prefer John at the top of the ticket.

[whoYaCallinAlib]

9. Gotta have Florida. Gotta have Graham.

Got it?

[dansolo]

10. I like Graham a lot

He would be a huge counter to Dean's biggest perceived weakness - foreign policy. While I know that Bush has been a foreign policy disaster, he will still be portrayed by the media as being strong on that front. Dean will need someone with strong credentials to minimize that attack. He also is the type of person that won't turn off voters. He would have widespread appeal. You also can't ignore the benefit of any help he can give in the south.

[mlawson]

12. "...not who helps him the most in the electoral math"?????

I do not follow. If Dean is nominated, but does not win in November, then what possible difference will it make, who his running mate was???

In 2004, winning is everything. There is no substitute for it.

If this is just a rhetorical question, then I would LIKE to see Barney Frank or Maxine Waters on the ticket. But it wouldn't help in November, sadly.

[Perky]

14. nut = but

all that matters is the elecotral math....sorry for the typo

[mlawson]

18. Thanks, Perky!

Then my vote goes to my Senator Edwards. Both he and Dean are relatively new faces, intelligent and articulate, and, yes, they are attractive, and yes, that matters greatly to the 20% of non-political voters in the middle who elect the tickets. When the SCOTUS isn't doing it, of course!

[Perky]

15. The problem with Graham

Absolutely he puts FL in the Dem column....but I woner if Dean Graham plays well in Ohio, PA, Mich, IL and Missouri. Can't ignore thos union housholds. they bleed red white and blue. and Partiotism may well trump ineptness in many households.

[newsguyatl]

17. guys

no offense, really, honestly, no offense here, but i REALLY don't see the appeal with graham (and i'm trying)... he's about as boring to me as LIEberman...

but either way, like him or not, i think you all are being overly hopeful that we will definitely win florida with graham on the ticket... trust me folks, as long as jeb is at the helm, we ain't gettin' florida, period... i don't think graham could help win florida more than any other vp running mate...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. What Is Jeb going to do

unless the race is razor close.

And in any case, the elections in Florida are under the auspices of the supervisor of elections for the various counties, many of whom are Democrats.

[Orangepeel]

20. It has to be someone who'll complement his "weaknesses"

How can Dean be criticized? He's from the Northeast, might be perceived as weak on defense and might be perceived as lacking foreign policy experience.

Personally, I don't think these are big weaknesses (I think that some people's obsession with geography is misguided, he was right about Iraq, and he has as much or more foreign policy experience as any of the other many governors who've been elected), but it would be best to choose a running mate who'll neutralize these issues to some degree.

So, For Dean, I'd pick Wesley Clark, Bob Graham or Bill Richardson.

Off topic, if the nominee is, say, Kerry, he'd need to complement his weaknesses, the largest one of which to me is that he isn't exciting to the base and isn't bringing new people into the party. So for him, I'd pick someone young, fresh and exciting. Someone who is a dynamic speaker and would bring excitment to the party. Possibly a woman, African American or Hispanic.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

48. Bush had NO exp w foreign policy at all

Dean has common sense so foreign policy follows suit-
-He called the Iraq invasion unjustified-
That's enough for at least half the population.

As far as a running mate--
Not Richardson-he's been going along with the Bush shit too much.

He needs Kennedy as a running mate!

Too bad they plane crashed John Junior !!!

[Minstrel Boy]

23. How crazy does this sound: Robert Byrd

Old as hell, sure, but has his faculties and seems spry for his age. He's also become one of the most popular Democratic figures in the nation, is a tremendous speaker, and would lend decades-worth of Washington experience to Dean.

Most of all, I would so love to see a Cheney-Byrd debate...

[poskonig]

24. General Clark

He's a nice guy with not a lot of baggage who rounds out the ticket with foreign policy experience. His stance on Iraq dovetails nicely with Dean's and provides an awesome one-two punch. Dean-Clark is an unbeatable ticket made in heaven.

[thom1102]

26. I have been advocating Dean Clark

for months. Totally makes up for the South and his weakness in foriegn/defense policy.

[GBD4]

25. re: Graham not a help in winning FL

I am unsure why several posts state that Senator Bob Graham would not help the Dems carry FL if he were to be nominated VP. Bob Graham has been elected statewide FIVE times, that's more statewide victories than most politicians and all of his victories were solid. His last two victories saw margins of victory of about 30% with Graham receiving incredible statewide support, carrying 66 of Florida's 67 counties. How can anyone so popular not help Dems carry FL?

[fishnfla]

33. I agree, but that was then

He has not been polling well down here for some reason. Too early perhaps

[w4rma]

28. If desperate, we might be able grab Lieberman for a late bump in the polls

...if Lieberman hasn't **totally** alienated himself from everyone. But, Lieberman is a bit of a wild card, so I think he'd make it tough to govern.

But I hope it doesn't come to that. Sen. Graham is, by far, the most qualified person to put on the ticket as Vice President, I just can't stand losing that Senate seat to Jeb's Repuke replacement.

[Perky]

30. Good point!!!

If Graham gets the VP nod and they wind up winning, He has to give up his Senate seat. My guess is that Jeb will be duty bound to select a republican to replace him even if the State populace is against him.

That will be tough. Might be too bitter a pill to swallow for Graham to accept the VP rolw if it looks like control of the senate might hinge on that. and it certainly could.

[GBD4]

32. Well...

If Graham drops out of the Senate race in anticipation of capturing the Pres or VP nomination, someone else will run for the Dems and then we can have Graham on the ticket AND hold the FL Senate seat. :)

[Perky]

36. Is Graham up for re-election?

anyone know?

[GBD4]

41. Oh yes!

Nov 2004 someone will be elected to his seat, either he will be reelected or someone new should he decide not to run for reelection

[caledesi]

29. Dean/Clark n/t

[Composed Thinker]

31. If he gets the nomination,

I'd say he should pick someone to make up for what he lacks. There are a number of possibilities, but Wesley Clark might be ideal. Graham might have lots of experience with intelligence matters, but being a general, and an illustrious one at that, is something Graham can't match.

[Perky]

37. A radical thought

Could anyone stomach Colin Powell?

Not much downside for the Dems. get outh te african amaerican vote

Loved by the right wing (although this would be traitorous) and they could hardly say he was not qualified..... A black man getting a free ride into vice-presidency...

I know alot of you die-hards would never go for... but you would still hold your nose and vote for Dean/Powell.

[Perky]

35. Another name no one has mentioned

John Breaux and Evan Bayh... ok two a southerner and a midwesterner.

If Dean Wnated a Midwseterner. Dick Durbin might get the nod before Gephardt.

If He goes West He has to pick either Richardson or Murray or Feinstein if she is not Governor. Either would work.... Its hard to get REALLY excited about Richardson unless you are Hispanic. But he has one of the best resumee for the job ever.

[Frances]

38. I would like to hear more about Richardson

His name certainly doesn't sound Hispanic. Would that be a problem?

[NewJerseyDem]

43. I think so

It would be a problem. It would be hard to convince people he is hispanic. We would need the media to make a big deal about how the first hispanic is running for vice president. It would be weird for Richardson to go around saying "I'm hispanic, so vote for me." It would be easier if it was a name like Menendez. Not that I'm suggesting Congressman Bob Menendez(D-NJ), I hate him.

[tedoll78]

39. I'm all about winning:

Graham. When a man wins re-election by more than 30%, he can deliver his state. It might be close, but it will be ours.

With Graham's Florida + the Gore states, that puts Dean-Graham at 287EVs.

MI and PA have Dem governors with strong GOTV operations. They, combined with unions and the fact that jobs are fleeing the country, can deliver for us easily.

The west coast is going Dem. Solid. Oregon and Washington would be an issue if the Greens run a candidate, but Dean still captures a large padding of their voters.

The northeast would be solid with New Yorker/Vermonter Dr Dean. Bush's regional approval and re-elect numbers there are utter crap.

This has our ticket focusing on these crucial states: Minnesota, Iowa (where Dean seems really popular, considering how early it is in the game..), Wisconsin, Ohio (Springer could bring-out young voters in droves), West Virginia (campaign with their beloved Byrd!), Tennessee (just to force Bush to defend it), Arkansas (get Clinton to stump here), Louisiana, Missouri, and Nevada (Yucca Mtn).

This strategy gets Bush on the defensive and has him spending more time and money outside of the states we need to win. We also need billboard ads in rural areas trumpeting how "liberal" Bush has been, just so that turnout in rural (read: GOP) areas slumps a bit. The big spending compared to Clinton, the gay ambassador nominations, the praise for the affirmative action ruling.. suppress their vote. Demoralize them. They can help us as much as we can help ourselves, if we egg them on.

Dean-Graham. Watch for it!

[Northwind]

40. Am I a bad person...

...for wanting him to choose Gephardt just so those two Gephardt-supporting posters who keep posting the Dean-bashing threads heads will explode?

*kidding*

}(

[Perky]

42. what about Leon Panetta

Good fiscal credantials. Knows washington well. Is a californian.

Probably completely unobjectionable except for the lack of Foriegn Policy Credentials.

[election_2004]

45. the best V.P. for Dean....

...would actually be Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, because she's very independent (for a Democrat) and has high credibility on agriculture and rural issues.

Unfortunately, Lincoln has a U.S. Senate seat to defend in 2004. But if Bush (deity forbid) gets another four years, watch out for Lincoln in 2008.

[election_2004]

46. Lincoln's bio

http://www.votewithavengeance.com/lincoln.html

[whoYaCallinAlib]

47. I still maintain whoever the pres nominee is needs Graham.

We have to win Florida. Graham can almost assure we win Florida's electoral votes.

[tedoll78]

51. I'm 100% with you on this.

[Prag_Idealist]

49. Compromise

I would say a Dean-Graham or a Dean-Landrieu with Clark on the campaign ambigiously as Powell did in 2000.

[peabody71]

50. Dean/Graham