Veepstakes
So, any bets on who Kerry picks as Vice President?
The leading candidate these days seems to be John Edwards, the last competition standing in the primaries. (Sorry, but Kucinich didn't count as competition.) But his total governmental experience amounts to a Senate term he's finishing out now.
For a while it seemed like Kerry would pick Dick Gephardt, but the only people that excites are the rapidly-shrinking ranks of union members. Gep turns off everyone else.
If Kerry wants national security and diplomatic credentials he might pick Gen. Wesley Clark, but he's never held elective office, and showed himself to be a weak campaigner in the primaries. There are also some senators that might be chosen for similar reasons, but they're all pretty old -- not a good match for a guy who looks like a cadaver at 60. (Compare with the buzz for young-looking 50-year-old Edwards.)
Not too long ago rumors were floating around that Kerry wanted Republican Senator John McCain as VP, but McCain doesn't want the job. For a Republican in today's partisan climate, I like McCain, but I wouldn't want him as Kerry's VP. The interest does give some clues about what Kerry might be looking for - war hero, national security, unification of the country, making a splash with a bold choice.
Well, it seems that the latest rumor is that Kerry is considering Howard Dean. Dean had been initially discarded (even by Dean himself) as a VP possibility because he's another New Englander, and everybody always wants geographic balance. On the other hand, Clinton/Gore are both southerners, and Bush/Cheney are both Texans (despite Cheney's house in Wyoming). Maybe that "geographic balance" thing is just code for "there has to be at least one southerner on the ticket, preferably two." Dean also has plenty of executive branch experience and loads of followers.
The most interesting thing about choosing Dean is that Kerry's image is more centrist than his reality, while Dean's image is more left than his reality. I guess the combination would let them merge the image and reality of both.
Anyway, I know I'd be happy with a Kerry/Dean ticket. I don't think it'll happen, but it would be really cool. I'm sure next week there'll be some other rumor floating around.
The leading candidate these days seems to be John Edwards, the last competition standing in the primaries. (Sorry, but Kucinich didn't count as competition.) But his total governmental experience amounts to a Senate term he's finishing out now.
For a while it seemed like Kerry would pick Dick Gephardt, but the only people that excites are the rapidly-shrinking ranks of union members. Gep turns off everyone else.
If Kerry wants national security and diplomatic credentials he might pick Gen. Wesley Clark, but he's never held elective office, and showed himself to be a weak campaigner in the primaries. There are also some senators that might be chosen for similar reasons, but they're all pretty old -- not a good match for a guy who looks like a cadaver at 60. (Compare with the buzz for young-looking 50-year-old Edwards.)
Not too long ago rumors were floating around that Kerry wanted Republican Senator John McCain as VP, but McCain doesn't want the job. For a Republican in today's partisan climate, I like McCain, but I wouldn't want him as Kerry's VP. The interest does give some clues about what Kerry might be looking for - war hero, national security, unification of the country, making a splash with a bold choice.
Well, it seems that the latest rumor is that Kerry is considering Howard Dean. Dean had been initially discarded (even by Dean himself) as a VP possibility because he's another New Englander, and everybody always wants geographic balance. On the other hand, Clinton/Gore are both southerners, and Bush/Cheney are both Texans (despite Cheney's house in Wyoming). Maybe that "geographic balance" thing is just code for "there has to be at least one southerner on the ticket, preferably two." Dean also has plenty of executive branch experience and loads of followers.
The most interesting thing about choosing Dean is that Kerry's image is more centrist than his reality, while Dean's image is more left than his reality. I guess the combination would let them merge the image and reality of both.
Anyway, I know I'd be happy with a Kerry/Dean ticket. I don't think it'll happen, but it would be really cool. I'm sure next week there'll be some other rumor floating around.