Kerry's Final Three for Vice President (Iowa Gov. Vilsack, Sen. John Edwards and ??)

US News and World Report ^ | 6/14/04 | Paul Bedard

[Rebelbase]

Clark would steal Kerry's Vietnam "Thunder". The Iowa Gov. is too obscure to be viable. Kerry needs to win the South. Edwards can play the poor millworker's son in every podunk Southern town between Memphis Tenn. and Fargo, Ga. which are places Kerry would stand out like a sore thumb.

Kerry/Edwards.

[Mike Bates]

And the top-secret third contender is. . .

[Rebelbase]

"I think nicole kidman is a massively hot babe, but I would never vote for her . . ."

Men don't vote based on looks. Many women do.

[varina davis]

You got it right, Rebelbase. I also look for Edwards to become much more of a good ole Southern boy during the next four years -- maybe even affecting something of a Dixiecrat tempo.

[POA2]

I agree with your friend - Kerry will not pick anyone that was up against him in the primary's nor will it be Hillary -

My best guess is Bill Richardson (who keeps NM) and adds Hispanic votes in the battleground States -

The only other person would be someone who can bring ONE State - If VA is close (internal polls) maybe he takes the DEM Gov that is currently there -

[oceanview]

the polls and the demographics are clear on this. i had this same argument with someone a while back - amongst independent women, younger women, its definitely a factor. those women vote too you know.

[Alberta's Child]

Smonk raises a good point, though.

If Edwards has any White House aspirations, he's sure going about it in an odd way. He won't be running for re-election in the U.S. Senate, so he's going to be out of the limelight completely for at least another four years.

[varina davis]

Could be because he has a bit of inside information that he WILL be Kerry's choice.

[oceanview]

and Republicans use this also - it was a factor in Mitt Romney's election.

[Rebelbase]

Will Cheney get out and Campaign? He's been pretty low profile.

[smonk]

where the clintons are involved, maximum cynicism is
indicated.

I would bet a decent amount of money that she runs, allright.

that would be the only reasonable explanation for her sudden
lurch towards moderation (since her time as "assistant prez")
in the senate. either that, or all those republican
constituents in upstate NY.

[Rebelbase]

"I have a friend who is quite astute when it comes to politics, and he predicted (without any inside knowlege, as far as I know) months ago that the VP candidate would be someone who was not running in the Democratic primaries."

Al Sharpton is very sad.

[varina davis]

Yes, I expect Cheney to deliver another dynamite speech at the convention. Other than that, he's been meeting with the movers and shakers and party money folks all along. That counts as much as tv face time. Party politics is built and nurtured at the grass roots level and the GOP is in every nook and cranny in the country -- as it should be.

[Alberta's Child]

I don't think so. There was a very informative article in National Review a few months ago right after he dropped out, and all indications are that his political career is over, or at least on hold. He decided not to run again for the U.S. Senate because he was almost certain to lose, and when you add up his delegate totals you realize that he got more media coverage for a guy with 15% of Democratic voters than anyone else would have gotten.

[smonk]

perhaps it's the ONE remaining non-cynical thought left in my
head, but I would hope that "stupid women that vote for
president based on looks" wouldn't constitute a large enough
voting block to worry too much about.

[Sybeck1]

His district of Memphis is in shambles and he owns it for life.

[varina davis]

Well, I'm no seer, but Edwards has had an almost meteoric rise in politics and he did get there by being dumb and uninformed. I sure wouldn't count him out.

Plus, just look at the bunch of has beens in the Democrat party who aspire to high office. Not a whiff of charisma among them.

[POA2]

My gut tells me Cheney will be on the ticket - just because GWB has such a history of keeping friends close and asking them to stay on -

My brain tells me, he just might step aside - If it were a GWB / Rudy ticket I can't see Kerry winning - Rudy brings NJ (like 80% chance) and also makes NY somewhat in play (say, 50%). This would cost Kerry $ millions trying to keep these to MUST States -

I also think Rudy might help in some States like MI and MN (just because of the name) - and I don't think he hurts GWB in the South at all - to the South, GWB is still the President (top of the ticket and they can Vote Rudy down in 2008 if they feel like it).

I love Cheney, but I don't think he campaigns well at all - not in terms of his message - in terms of him not wanting to do it - You have to want it, you have to be motivated to go win!

[varina davis]

Should be "he didn't get there"

[smonk]

(did he get 15%? I though he won SC, and that was it)

you can't judge too much by media attention. the national
media WILL cover the horse race aspect of a primary election;
they can't help themselves. it's in their DNA. And there
can't be a horse race without at least two horses.

Edwards is a bleeder. he's the straggler kid in a slasher
movie; you just KNOW that he's not going to make it to the
end of the movie.

the media made him into a contender for their own selfish
purposes, not because he really was a contender.