Who would be the best VP choice for Kerry?

[uconnyc]

and why?

I think Bob Graham. With Kerry on top of the ticket I don't think there are any southerners that can win states for him like LBJ did for JFK. Florida remains vital for * and if the election there is close like most predict, Graham would make the difference.

[quinnox]

1. Hard choice between Bayh, Lieberman and Zell Miller

Heh, no seriously. I am not sure. Maybe someone that didn't run for prez.

[LiberalFighter]

13. None of them

Bayh needs to stay Senator
The best offer for Lieberman would be to send him to Israel as Ambassador
Zell Miller NFW.. he is a traitor!!! Would not give him anything when he comes out and says that he is going to vote for bush.

[JNelson6563]

21. haha Good one!

<snarf>

[HFishbine]

2. Will Pitt

Or anybody who didn't vote for the war.

[arewethereyet]

3. Me

I'd love a chushy job that pays like that and requires NO work !

And the pension can't be beat !

[blm]

4. I think there is a health issue for Graham, but I'm not sure.

Could just be rumors.

I'd like Julian Bond, myself. But, I'm pretty sure the DNC expects it to be Edwards or Clark.

[JCMach1]

17. Kerry has his own health issues...

:(

i.e. cancer surgery last year

[JCMach1]

18. If he was in a debate against Cheney though... you would have

to say...

WHAT HEALTH ISSUE!!!?

[blm]

24. heheheh...that's for sure.

.

[BeatleBoot]

5. Ed Rendell, Governor of PA

I think if we can win some mid-western states like Ohio and PA, maybe Florida won't be such a saga like in 2000...

[PAMod]

27. I think Rendell would appeal to FL voters too.

He has shown a real committment to senior citizen issues.

His big drawback is that he was one of the "get over it" Democrats in December 2000.

[lastknowngood]

6. Hard to think of anyone who would not out

shine him. Geb is about the only one I can think of.

[9119495]

7. There are only six possibilities...for better or worse.

Here they are:

1. Bob Graham: + he is from Florida, has an intelligence background and is retiring so his seat is irrelevant.

- He has this wierd notetaking habit and is uninspiring (but so is Cheney)


2. Evan Bayh: + he is attractive and right of center to attract independents

- His seat is too valuable as it would surely go to a Republican if he gave it up. Also, Indy is not a state we can win even with him on the ticket.


3. Tom Vilsak: + A not-very-well-known Iowa governor with an "Edwards-like story." He is adopted, from PENNSYLVANIA and is Governor of Iowa--both swing states.

- Not well known?

4. Bill Richardson: + Popular, from a needed region and state, intelligence background.

- Not well enough known?

5. John Edwards: + Good story, good contrasts, good support, and giving up his seat already.

-Not too much experience (but so what?)

6. Wes Clark: + military background, southerner

- may get into violent fist fight with John Kerry anytime they are in the same room as each other.


NOTE: These are not endorsements. I just think that because of the high stakes, our VP will be a white, Christian, male from a state or region we need that will not be giving up a seat in congress we desparately need. What do you all think?

[MAlibdem]

8. Edwards over Wes Clark

Just because Edwards has been much more positive all around, charismatic as well. And Clark is starting to go negative (truthfully or not, it is negative/comparative).

[Carolina]

29. Clark negative???

Sorry, Clark is simply pointing out how he differs from Kerry or Edwards. Talking about someone's record is NOT negative. Besides your guy can get pretty testy: Dean, Dean, Dean ....

[Hoppin_Mad]

9. Edwards - 2 Pro-war special-interest candidates is the hot ticket ! -nt-

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

10. Excellent call

Edwards would be good as well

[dorktv]

11. I have a nasty reply but I will be good and not say it.

[Quixote1818]

12. Bill Bradley or Wesley Clark

[LiberalFighter]

14. Max Cleland

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. Harry Reid, the Democratic Senator from Nevada

He really showed me his stuff when he stood up to Bush in filibustering Estrada and the other fucked up choice who's name escapes me now. He's a "real deal" in himself.

http://reid.senate.gov/bioprint.html

http://www.senate.gov/~reid/

[fujiyama]

16. You know...

I was thinkin the same thing.

Gore didn't lose that state by a huge margin...and picking up a state from that region sure wouldn't hurt...

Anyone know if he's popular in his state?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

20. Here's a nice bio.

I'm sure he's popular.

http://www.nvdems.com/nv_pi_electedofficials.php

[Momgonepostal]

23. Harry Reid as VP?

I've read his bios and other articles about him. He seems like a generally likeable guy, but I don't think he carries the strength a campaign would need. Nevada doesn't have many electoral votes, and it's not in a regional that many other states would identify with, meaning Californians or Washingtonians aren't necessarily going to jump on the Reid bandwagon because he's a westerner. Nevada is really in a category by itself.

Interestingly, as a Mormon democrat he's not the norm either. Mormon democrats don't exactly grow on trees.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

28. Hey. I thought it was intersting

and he's not too old. He was born in 1940 so he'll be 72 in 2012.

[Adjoran]

19. Limited choices

Despite the rampant optimism at some good Jan/Feb polls, if we win this election, it will be close.

The wise and prudent choice for VP will help us in a key state or two, perhaps a region or constiuency, and also help shore up the closer Gore states from 2000: Iowa, NM, Oregon. There is no perfect candidate, though.

Graham has the resume, but do we want another Senator on the ticket. Neither he nor Kerry is a very inspirational speaker. Florida is problematical this time, even with him. I doubt he'll be selected, but he might make "the short list."

Gephardt offers help in Missouri, where he is very popular and we lost by a reversible margin last time. He isn't a riveting speaker either, but could help with the rust belt states in turning out union voters.

Bayh could make Indiana competitive, but at the risk of his Senate seat, up for reelection this year. I doubt it will be him, either.

Edwards is young and dynamic, but he is also a Senator. He could help in the south. Kerry might not want a VP candidate with so much personal charm, either.

Bill Richardson is the ideal candidate. He's Hispanic, the fastest growing group of voters. He would shore up NM, stop all the repub talk of competing in CA, and help in several states like AZ, CO, LA, and FL. Richardson was a congressman, UN Ambassador, Secretary of Energy, and now serves as Governor of NM, so his resume is perfect. He also has no negatives, and is even liked and respected by repubs.

[randr]

22. Edwards

Kerry already has the important credentials that Clark would bring to the campaign. Edwards will definitely help in the south.

[TexasSissy]

25. Clark or Edwards. Graham doesn't have the vote-getting appeal

needed for this horrendous race coming up. Both Clark and Edwards have each won a primary in the south, Clark has placed second in a couple of states in other areas, third in New Hampshire (of all places!), and Edwards placed 2nd in IA and OK.

Both of these guys have shown appeal in areas in which Kerry is weak, esp. Clark.

[On the Road]

26. The Best Would be Dean

it would keep all that energy in the campaign. VP candidates are traditinally the ones on the attack, while the presidential candidate stay above the fray.

It would really surprise me if Kerry asked Dean. Not holding my breath for that to happen.

[stickdog]

30. Herve Villechaize

He would help with the believability factor.

[BearFlagDemocrat]

31. Richardson!

He's well respected, has a resume a mile long, and he's Hispanic, which could put much of the Southwest, Florida, and maybe even Texas(!) in play.

[adadem]

32. Max Cleland n/t