The ideal VP candidate for John Kerry?

[Dan]

Now that Senator Kerry is the de facto nominee for the Democratic Party candidate for President, it's time to look at who would be the best choice for a veep. The poll includes some suggestions; vote and discuss.

Right now, some pundits think the best move for Kerry is to pick Dick Gephardt as his running mate. The operative issue is that Gephardt can supposedly deliver Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, and possibly Pennsylvania, giving the Dems a pretty sure bet on winning.

 

[Super Amputee Cat]

How about Edwards? I think the #1 and #2 guys running together would be a ticket that could seriously put a dent in Bush's reelection chances in November.

 

[Repo Man]

I tend to think he will go with Edwards because Edwards has now established some strong support. Florida's Bob Graham also seems to be a possibility because he would help carry Florida and possibly some other southern states

 

[Seabishop]

I disagree about Gephart (not that I am a political pundit). Especially after losing badly in Iowa he screams "washed up." He was supposed to carry that state too.

 

[The Irish One]

Bill Richardson then he'll win Arizona

 

[Habanero]

I think it'd be better to go with Edwards. Bill RIchardson is from NM and although he may be a contender I'm not sure he would be able to win AZ.

 

[SlaveToTheGrind]

I'd have to go with Rumpy Tunanator.

 

[Gedunker]

This one would make eG's head explode were it to succeed:

Kerry
Clinton
2004

Personally, I like Evan Bayh (D-Indiana).

 

[GeogPlanner]

This one would make eG's head explode were it to succeed:

Kerry
Clinton
2004

Personally, I like Evan Bayh (D-Indiana).

Hillary wouldn't bring Kerry any new votes...so cross that off of your list already. And she would polarize the right even more than it already is...

 

[Rumpy Tunanator]

You guys are all way off, the only way Kerry will win this election is if he has a running mate who can steal the votes away from Independant canidate Nader.

Enter the "Body"

 

[Wannaplan?]

This Cult of Personality B.S. Does Not Interest Me One Iota

As a registered democrat, I could care less who the potential VP nominee is. All the focus is on "beating" Bush in November. However, even if the Kerry ticket loses in November, this country will be still better off if Democrats are able to take over the House or Senate. Political parity is important to bringing balance to this country.

Remember Jim Jeffords in January of 2001? We got lucky for a short period. Nevertheless, that didn't last. The election of 2002 gave the democrats a swift kick in the ass. Who are your district representatives? Pay attention and vote appropriately in November.

 

[michaelskis]

KERRY
DOLE

*it is to clean up the liberal side, because well... even with the little blue pill, he can't get it up, so you know his interns have nothing to worry about.


fo mo years!!!

 

[Cardinal]

Kerry will do well in the northeast and in the Great Lakes states. As long as unemployment remains high on the west coast, he should do well there. He will lose the mountain states, but so what? There are not that many electoral votes there. You've got to figure he will lose in Texas, too.

This election will be decided by who wins the lower Mississippi, Arizona and the southeast. Edwards would appeal to people in those states. Graham would be another good choice, and perhaps there are a couple other names than might be considered.

 

[oulevin]

Richardson

Richardson is smart, TV savvy, and has the foreign policy credentials. He would lock up the sought-after Hispanic vote.

But Edwards is a better red-meat rhetoric campaigner

And NY Senator Chuck Schumer would go toe-to-toe with Cheney in the debate

 

[Zoning Goddess]

I like Bob Graham for veep, and not just because he's from Florida.

 

[el Guapo]

This one would make eG's head explode were it to succeed:

Aye Gedunker...like a Kennedy in Dallas...aye....

Kerry is going to lose. He might as well go down swinging!

Louie Farrakhann for VP!

Can ya dig it Gedunker?

My bothers in the NRA are down with the choice of veep!

 

[Richmond Jake]

I think he should select Bob Hunter as his VP. But then, I'm half drunk tonight...gotta get some sleep. :b:

 

[ilikefish0]

[sarcasm]How about Nader? He's the perfect running mate. Not only will this guarantee that the vote will not split, it also shuts up our favorite consumer advocate. It's perfect![/sarcasm]

 

[The Irish One]

How about a liberal republican?
AHNULD
AHNULD
AHNULD

 

[gkmo62u]

Of course this is with all things being equal. If something real negative happens with the administration or Kerry takes to sitting on tanks with Jane Fonda, well, all bets are off.

The key to the VP is that he must win you a state you would otherwise not win. That's the problem with Edwards. He can't bring you a state. The fact is that 40 or 43 of the states will vote exactly like they did in 2000.

That is why Graham makes sense in Florida (assuming he can gurantee victory) and Gephardt makes sense in Mizzu. They are legitimate swing states. Even Bayh and Richardson make sense as well.

Whomever said Chuck Schumer should be disqualified from political observations in the future ;-)

 

[oulevin]

Actually, I kinda like the Bush-Cheney model: have a populist, charismatic front man and a respected, experienced VP; someone who complements the candidate governing-wise; it was the (relatively) centrist leading and the stalwart ideologue following (at least that's the way it seemed initially) to shore up the base; I

That ticket also blew the myth that you need a big swing state VP; if the candidate is strong enough, you shouldn't need to pick someone via electoral map

But above all, VP should be someone who can be president (but in ideal world doesn't want to be president - it keeps them honest - I'd rather see a fresh face run after a second term; by that time everybody's tired of president's veep and cronies)

 

[The Irish One]

VP should be someone who can be president (but in ideal world doesn't want to be president

That's why he shouldn't choose Graham.

 

[Greenescapist]

Bill Richardson then he'll win Arizona

I think Richardson is money. He's Hispanic, has federal and state experience, he's moderate, smart, likable and comes from the West. If Kerry could pick up Arizona (next door state), he wins.

I don't think Edwards would work too well. They'd get ridiculed for both being Senators. I would make Edwards Attorney General in a Kerry admin.

 

[Downtown]

Whomever said Chuck Schumer should be disqualified from political observations in the future ;-)

someone was quoted saying about schumer: Sharing publicity with Chuck Schumer is like sharing a banana with a monkey. Take a little bite from his banana and the monkey will throw his feces at you.

as for Veep. I don't care. i just want the evil empire ousted.

 

[El Feo]

I think Kerry should pick himself as his running mate.

 

[Richmond Jake]

Or how about this choice:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2096568/

 

[oulevin]

Agh, Richardson said Gephardt would be a better VP. Yeah, it makes some sense: presidential, probably not interested in running, would solidify labor, possibly make inroads in Midwest, more of a firebreather than Kerry. But I still think that "old news" critique applies

Yeah, it was NJ Jon Corzine who said that about Schumer. He would be all over droll Cheney!

Those McCain and Miller rumors are just something to keep us salivating during the springtime; it will be a long eight months

 

[freewaytincan]

 

[Greenescapist]

Agh, Richardson said Gephardt would be a better VP. Yeah, it makes some sense: presidential, probably not interested in running, would solidify labor, possibly make inroads in Midwest, more of a firebreather than Kerry. But I still think that "old news" critique applies

I think Gephardt is a disaster. He is very old-school protectionist and did pathetic in Iowa considering it was his neighboring state, which he had won in 1988. The Democrats lost more and more seats in the US House under his watch. I hope Kerry picks a non-Washington person.

 

[Chet]

Or how about this choice:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2096568/

Cool, thanks for the link RJ. Thats a really interesting rumor that would definitely make this election the most interesting since.... oh who am I kidding, since 2000.