What about this scenario?

[jos]

The day after Labor Day, Dean and Clark hold a news conference where they announce they've decided to join forces in a Dean-Clark ticket. This would be consistent with Dean's "thinking outside the box" campaign. It would also give the general public plenty of time to become familiar with both men.

Any thoughts?

[Proletariat]

1. Is that even legal?

[jos]

4. What's illegal about it?

There are no rules against it.

[Proletariat]

7. The idea of having two candidates as one.

In essense you're voting for two people in a primary, not one. The whole process is to see who will run as president.

[jos]

9. No

You only vote for the Presidential candidate. Just in this case you would know who is veep would be. Actually, I think it gives the primary voter a fuller understanding of the presidential candidate.

[molly]

2. I really don't think Clark will align himself with Dean

[Proletariat]

3. I agree. Not now anyway.

Clark has played the cards very well so far. I don't think he would put everything on the line this early in the game.

[liberalhistorian]

5. Do you think Clark will decide to run?

Right now, I'm a Dean supporter, but I could very easily support Clark as well. Do you think there's a strong chance he'll decide to run?

[Proletariat]

6. Yep, by the month's end.

[PATRICK]

8. Shooting too early

That is a valuable tool to expend at the beginning. It's been done by losing candidates only? Reagan tried it as a last ditch effort against Ford's lock and just got shot down. The campaign against your ticket starts earlier and more critically- no general basking glow of a united party.