Senators asking Senator to pick one of their own (Senator) for vp

[JI7]

seems many senators see edwards as being more of a help in getting other democrats elected in the south than kerry. this way if edwards is vp the southern candidates can campaign with edwards rather than kerry but still help the ticket in getting votes.

edwards has some good advocates for him though because many of them are very close to kerry and very good friends with him and they were there for kerry during the primary.

<WASHINGTON, June 13 - Democratic senators and Senate candidates are pressing John Kerry to name one of their own, John Edwards of North Carolina, as his running mate, in part because they believe Mr. Edwards would help Democrats in five tossup races in the South and give the party a fighting chance to recapture control of the Senate.

The Democratic senators, from the South as well as from other parts of the country, say the choice of Mr. Edwards would allow candidates in North and South Carolina, Oklahoma and Louisiana to openly associate themselves with a national ticket that they have mainly avoided. Beyond that, they say, Mr. Edwards would be a strong candidate elsewhere in the nation.

"Edwards is from the South and speaks Southern, and I think would be helpful to the candidates in that regard," Senator John B. Breaux of Louisiana said. "I think he can campaign well in the South, and I think the candidates would be proud to stand with him when he comes down there."

Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota, whom Mr. Kerry considers one of his closest friends in the Senate, said he had talked up Mr. Edwards to James A. Johnson, the veteran Democratic operative who is directing Mr. Kerry's selection process.

"We've worked with him, we know him, he's been part of our caucus, he's got the skills that translate on the campaign trail and I think he plays well in a lot of our states, but I'm not going to endorse anybody," said Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who raised $200,000 with Mr. Edwards's help in April.

if you could poll the Democratic caucus anonymously, Edwards would win with 30 votes.">

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/14/politics/14veep.html

[Catch22Dem]

1. Edwards would be a fine choice

As would several others.

[JI7]

2. Breaux is advising Kerry on how he can win in the south

and he said he thinks carry can win his home state of louisiana.

[chimpymustgo]

3. Edwards' campaigning and fundraising for Senate candidates

would be ENOUGH reason to pick him for VP - not to mention his other outstanding attributes and abilities. This part of the article is a stark reminder:

-snip-

"Edwards is from the South and speaks Southern, and I think would be helpful to the candidates in that regard," Senator John B. Breaux of Louisiana said. "I think he can campaign well in the South, and I think the candidates would be proud to stand with him when he comes down there."

In North Carolina, the Democrat who is running to succeed Mr. Edwards was even more blunt about his desire that Mr. Edwards be named to the ticket.

"I've had lots of people who are close to Kerry ask me, and I've always been very candid: he'd be nuts not to pick him," said the candidate, Erskine Bowles, a Charlotte investment banker and former White House chief of staff.

-snip-