Posted on 06/16/2004 8:31:22 AM PDT by Servant of the 9
IN the race among Democrats to become John Kerry's running mate, former Sen. Sam Nunn, 65, is ahead by a nose. Sources say the FBI has started combing through records of his business dealings, reviewing files and relationships. No wonder they started early — Nunn, a native of Georgia, serves on the boards of ChevronTexaco, Coca-Cola, Dell, GE, Internet Security Systems and Scientific-Atlanta, in addition to acting as co-chair and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative. A rep for the Kerry campaign said, "We're not commenting on the process."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Nunn would bring Georgia into play, much more than Edwards would NC or SC.
Nunn will also play well in SC, Tenn, and Fla - though probably not enough to tip those states to Kerry.
The problem for them will be Nunn's Beliefs -- he is actually a Republican who was a Democrat because that's what you had to be to get elected in Georgia in the past. To carry Georgia or any other state, Nunn will have to run OPPOSITE of Kerry's stated positions, if he changes his views to those of Kerry then even Georgia will turn on him.
Nunn could possibly carve some of the South away from Bush.
Does anyone think that, if Nunn is selected, the mainstream press will immediately start using the phrase "Kerry needed some gravitas"? Or is that only reserved for Republicans?
True.
Now a Zell Miller/Sam Nunn ticket would cause some pain.
SO9
I don't however think Nunn is going to sellout a lifetime of credibility to be on the ticket with a inane jackass like Kerry.
Suddenly Dick Cheney would appear light-hearted and flamboyant!
Good point. I remember being concerned at the time because I thought Cheney would be a fantastic Vice President, but was a terrible VP candidate because he didn't bring anything to the table in terms of electoral votes in key states.
I agree it won't be Nunn. He is too conservative for Kerry and his past votes will be a problem for the libs. I cannot imagine he would ruin his good will by signing on here. I think he leads a charmed life now-why throw that away?
Yes, competant and far too smart to consider #2 on a Kerry ticket, or any ticket.
It would be a huge hit among the chattering classes and might help Kerry w/ some swing voters but it would be at the peril of driving away the left wingers who would have serious issues w/ Nunn's corporate work and his voting record. The GOP should be preparing the commercials now --
We welcome Sen. Kerry's choice of his runningmate, Sen. Nunn. He has served his nation well over several decades and since leaving the Senate he has served quite ably on boards of some of the largest multinational companies in the world, including Chevron.
We also welcome the choice of Sen. Nunn as a validation of Pres. Bush's policies as there is very little to distinguish Sen. Nunn's views and those of the President's regard a strong US foreign policy.
Despite all the coy pretensions, has anyone ever really turned down an offer to be the VP candidate? Nunn used to have presidential ambitions. He could see this as his last best chance.
If Breaux joins Kerry, LA becomes a Kerry state. If Nunn goes on the ticket, would GA then become a Kerry state? And would that end Isakson's chances for the Senate?
Are you sure that isn't a picture of Tuh-Rey-Za without her wig?
I'm with you. If he wanted to play second fiddle to a world class schmuck, he probably could have gotten on with Algore.
He may be "baiting" Kerry here to raise his profile in some of his business dealings.
I knew a guy who lived in Waycross and was discussing Nunn's next campaign and a possible presidential run. This guy said he knew Nunn's family and he was certain Nunn would not run.
I asked him why and he would not tell me although he did say he had some skeletons in his closet which were beginning to be known.
I was surprised when he didn't seek re-election, but remembered what the guy had told me.
This is just a ploy by the Kerry camp to make some people think they are seriously considering Nunn, in an attempt to bring in some southern/moderate voters who might remember this consideration come election day. A few more such names will pop up in the coming weeks of a similar nature, but none (as with Nunn) are really in the running for VP.
You could be right. Then again if he still had Presidential ambitions we most likely would have seen him in the primaries.
You and I both see this the same way. Its my pet theory the Democratic Party isn't a "political party" as we know it, but a fragile coalition of various minority viewpoints. They are already a shrinking political "group" as the past decade has demonstrated. Not just with the loss of the House after four decades, but at the local and state levels. Membership is down, contributions aren't what McAufile suggested they would be four years ago.
In short, they can't afford to "offend" any single part of this "fragile coalition" mascarading as a viable political party in the traditional sense.
Which is why I think Gephardt is the only choice at the end of the day. He's not a trial lawyer, like Edwards, which would kill Kerry's rants about Health Care Costs. He's not a oil man ala Nunn, nor a warmonger as some on the left have viewed Nunn quietly out of camera and reporter range.
And Gephardt literally has nothing to lose at this point in his political career. Even if Kerry gets creamed in November, Gephardt would cement his stature for "fighting the good fight" and that plays well into his future as a leftwing lobbiest.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.