If Dean wins who'll be his running mate?

[Magical]

If Dean wins (which it looks like that's the way the winds are blowing) who do you think he's most likely to choose for his running mate?

[Friar]

1. Wesley Clark, if we're lucky

Clark could really rally the nation against the fascists and their 200+ million campaign coffers. We're not going to outspend the Bushies and we all know what the media's take on any Democratic candidate will be. Clark's prestige would be a great help. Imagine Rove challenging his patriotism.

[Cascadian]

2. I am convinced trhat Bob Graham will be his running mate.

A Dean/Graham ticket just feels right. Since Florida is considered a battle ground state and being from Florida and a Southerner. It would be a good ticket and should help Dean get some votes down there.

John

[West Coast Democrat]

3. He should pick Sen. Harkin

The ticket will be very strong in the Midwest.

[poskonig]

4. Wesley Clark.

The guy is positive, doesn't have a lot of baggage, and quality foreign policy experience. Clark's position on Iraq dovetails nicely with Dean's, reinforcing the Democratic position on Iraq.

[poskonig]

15. Given his criteria on LK,

it sounds like he would pick someone like Landrieu.

[styersc]

5. If Dean is the candidate it doesn't matter who he chooses.

With his support for taxes on the middle class, he will have absolutely no chance in hell of beating Bush. Kerry may have waffled on the war but his economic plans are far superior to Dean's. A Dean candidacy means four more years of Bush (and 2 to 3 conservative Supreme Court judges in the next four years).

[poskonig]

6. The weapons of job destruction are a slamdunk for Dean.

Dean makes the case against the tax cuts (the WJD above) well. Dean has also cut taxes several times in Vermont and balanced budgets through not one, but two Bush recessions.

Dean is the ideal candidate to bash Bush on the economy.

[MoonGod]

7. Must we be slamming Dems here?

Can't we just support one guy (or gal) and leave everybody else alone? Or.. if you're still on the fence, then be on the fence..

But attacking somebody who might wind up being the one to take on Bush... is that really necessary?

Well, that bein said, feel free to attack Lieberman all you want ;)

[w4rma]

8. Virginia Governor Mark Warner might be a very good choice

Sen. Graham is a very good choice also, but we'll be allowing Jeb Bush to choose Graham's replacement.

Although General Clark is, I think, a registered Democrat, he is too scared to declare himself a Democrat in public.

[devarsi]

9. Bill Richardson

A strategic balance of the ticket, Dean/Richardson--from the North East to the South West, two Governors, neither afraid to take on Bush.

Healthcare and energy are two critical issues, Dean is a doctor, Richardson is the former Sec of Energy.

Richardson is the Clinton administration insider, bringing in memories of Clinton--without bringing Clinton TOO far in, while Dean is a DC outsider, fresh face, new blood.

Richardson also brings some international experience to the ticket, having served as the UN ambassador. Critical to restoring our national realtionships, especially with the UN.

Can you think of any downsides?

[devarsi]

10. Bill Richardson

A strategic balance of the ticket, Dean/Richardson--from the North East to the South West, two Governors, neither afraid to take on Bush.

Healthcare and energy are two critical issues, Dean is a doctor, Richardson is the former Sec of Energy.

Richardson is the Clinton administration insider, bringing in memories of Clinton--without bringing Clinton TOO far in, while Dean is a DC outsider, fresh face, new blood.

Richardson also brings some international experience to the ticket, having served as the UN ambassador. Critical to restoring our national realtionships, especially with the UN.

Can you think of any downsides?

[Muddleoftheroad]

11. Dwnsides

Health and energy won't win this election. IF we are to win, it will be on defense and security. That means Graham or Clark and Graham brings Florida with him.

[devarsi]

12. Energy IS Security, And Health Care Can Derail The Economy

With so many folks unemployed, and bankruptcies continuing to climb, health care is a damn important issue, especially since (I believe) catastrophic health care costs are the #1 reason for those bankruptcies.

When you talk health care, you are talking people's wallets.

Same with energy, especially when you tie in all the Bush/Oil Industry strings, and connect them to our current defense and security issues.

IMO, one of the best ways for us to improve our nation's security is to kick the oil industry executives the hell out of the President's cabinet.

Energy is a hot issue. California may lose a Governor over over energy costs (with the help of some slimeball Repukes). We fight wars over oil. We pay way too damn much for oil. Bush wants to f*ck Alaska for oil. We depend on terrorist loonies for oil.

Energy IS security. If you doubt this, ask yourself why the US National Security Advisor has an oil tanker named in her honor.

[ryharrin]

16. I think you're wrong.

The economy and health. Those are the top issues of today. I used the fox poll to show that even such a right wing organization is saying that the economy is what matters. There are others that say the same thing at www.pollingreport.com

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. July 29-30, 2003. N=900 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"What do you think is the most important issue for the federal government to address today?"
%
Economy/Jobs/Unemployment 40
Health care/Prescription drugs 10
Defense/Military/Homeland security 7
Terrorism, other than Iraq 7
Education 5
War/Iraq/Saddam Hussein 4
Social Security/Medicare 4
Taxes 3
Other 10
Don't know 9

[DavidNY]

14. Richardson downside: the Wen Ho Lee episode while he was SecEnergy...

which he publicly got some of the blame for-- and from what little I remember of the details of his involvement, my suspicion is that he deserved at least a large part of what blame he got. If he was at all affirmatively responsible for that godawful mess it shows very bad judgement; since it happened on his watch, at best it was deficient supervision on his part. And even if the perception that Richardson was partially to blame was _not_ justified, the mere existence of the perception means that putting him on a presidential ticket could hurt the Democratic Party's relationship with Asian-American voters.

[dansolo]

13. Graham or Hart

I havor Graham beause of the Florida factor, but either one of them would be a slam dunk on the defense/security issue. They both have the credibility and the facts to blast this administration on how much they have screwed up regarding national security.

[Dob Bole]

17. Based on what he said tonight... only 3 possible people.

In the Larry King interview, he indicated that it would be someone from the South. He said it would be someone with experience inside Washington.

Washington experience rules out Edwards, Mark Warner, and Mary Landrieu, and Zell Miller. (plus the fact that Zell Miller would actually alienate moderate voters.) Being from the South rules out Bill Richardson, probably Gephardt, and definitely Lieberman (don't think we had to worry about that anyway.)


That leaves 3 of the people considered VP candidates:

1)Bob Graham: From Florida. Sweet Revenge. He's also very folksy.

2)John Breaux: probably about to retire, perhaps the most well-respected Democrat within the south. He is a Cajun, and he would definitely carry his home state.

3)Wesley Clark: He would probably also carry his home state, as well as help with National Security cred.

[Prag_Idealist]

18. There are others

Bill Richardson and Mary Landrieu fit the bill as well.

Clark doesn't really fit the bill well, according to what Dean said on LK. He doesn't have a minority status. It doesn't throw him out of course. Its too early for deep considerations. However, personally if Clark is part of a future Dean administration I see him filling the Powell slot as either SS or SD.

Bob Graham is still a possiblity as well, but doesn't fit the rough criteria that was laid out on LK.

Actually Hillary Clinton fits it. I know she is currently in New York. But she is from the south. Wouldn't that be interesting...

And of course I'm sure there are a half-a-dozen more candidates that we haven't even thought about...