Why is everybody ignoring Gephardt? I think he can win

[jenk]

Everybody seems to be ignoring him completely, but I think he would be a very good candidate and would run strong in the midwest and South with a VP like Edwards or Clark

He hasn't been branded a "stuffy northeast liberal" like Kerry, or a "dangerous" liberal like Dean that has Rove and co. foaming at the mouth. He seems to have a very good base of support around the country, especially midwest.

Gephardt/Edwards would win all the states that Gore won in 2000, PLUS he'd probably bring in New Hampshire, Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Bush is in trouble right now, his ratings are falling across the board. Nader won't be as big a factor in 04. Our best chance is to run a moderate Dem that the GOP doesn't despise like Hillary, and would find it difficult to smear. Edwards is my first choice(though the trial lawyer stuff might hurt him) But Gephardt has a great chance, he's experienced, moderate, has name recognition and a base of support in a crucial area for us.

[Cha]

1. Dick Gephardt isn't being ignored...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=375038

[Cha]

2. More on Gephardt...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=374931

[Abe Linkman]

3. No charisma. For one thing.

I believe that Gephardt would be a reasonably good President, but he's got to find a way to "break thru the clutter" (as they say in marketing), and it's a mystery (to me, anyhow) why none of his strategists have figured out how to do that. Yet.

[Brucey]

4. Gep has lots of support, particularly from labor.

But I don't agree with you that he can win. A lot of voting is based on charisma and image (conscious or not), and I feel that Gep doesn't have it. I know that is a subjective judgment, but it just feels to me that he does not have the stature that will bring along a lot of voters. He would win the Midwest and labor states, but I don't think it would be enough. I'd rather see him in a cabinet position.

[wuushew]

5. It doesn't help that the ban on soft-money has bankrupted him

I do support McCain-Feingold, long live the new Dean method of fundraising.

[Enraged American]

6. He's cool.

He's against free trade and NAFTA. In my book, that's good.

[alfredo]

7. No eyebrows.

Actually I like him and want to see him step forward more.

[yellowdawgdem]

8. Gephardt being ignored

Yes, I think so too, and am not sure exactly why. I do think he has plenty of charisma. I hate to say it, but it might be because he isn't wealthy. It seems that you have to have lots of money to be taken seriously. Another reason might be that we don't like candidates that we know too much about. We'd rather elect governors to the WH because we haven't seen too much of them. But sometimes it's actually best to go with a known quantity, if trustworthy. Anyway, I've always liked Gephardt alot, and it hurts to see him losing ground. I hated seeing him lose ground in the 2002 midterms, and then seeing him step down as minority leader of the House. I always felt that those midterm elections were fixed, and that otherwise he would've won solidly.