Edwards Tops VP Field, But… (CBS News)

[chimpymustgo]

Edwards Tops VP Field, But…

NEW YORK, June 15, 2004


Who Will Run With Kerry?

(CBS) By David Paul Kuhn,
CBSNews.com Chief Political Writer

John Kerry will choose fellow senator John Edwards to be his vice presidential running mate. But no one wants to say it inside Washington, not so bluntly at least. Why is that?

The reason is twofold. First, Edwards is the most obvious, most likely and, by most informed guesses, the best selection. Second, vice presidential predictions are more often wrong than right.

So are we back to square one? Not quite. There are three candidates the Kerry campaign has clearly vetted. One is Edwards. The others are Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri and Gov. Thomas J. Vilsack of Iowa.

-snip-

The media likes John Edwards, like it liked John McCain when the maverick Republican ran against Mr. Bush in 2000. They are exciting men. Very political, yet somehow, on a personal level, they come off as apolitical – and tremendously personable.

-snip-

So now Edwards is number one.

Here’s why: Edwards had a hugely successful run against Kerry during the Democratic primary campaign. He comes into the Democratic convention with the second highest delegate total, after Kerry. Democratic congressmen like him because, with his broad appeal, he can help them win their local races.

-snip-


There are still some other names in the mix. The fourth most-mentioned choice is former Gen. Wesley Clark. The onetime NATO Supreme Allied Commander, of centrist Southern values, carries national security credentials when national security matters this election year. But he had a mixed run in the primaries. He just seems to have left the political gate too early.

-snip-

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/15/politics/main623330.shtml

*****

More analysis in the article. Prediction that announcement will be the week after the 4th of July.

So tonight - Al Franken, Bill Press...everybody loves Edwards.
(does that mean it really is gonna be Gephardt?!)

[Scoopie]

1. I don't have the links

because I Googled them at work (and will post them tomorrow, if you like), but I researched Al Gore's pick - and Lieberman, like Clark, was low on the pundit's radar. They had no clue then, like they have no clue now.
It's all speculation.
Just to remind folks, too: Al Gore/Joe Lieberman DID win the election, so it's not that the pundits were right and Gore was wrong. It's that the Supreme Court with it's 5/4 split appointed Bush.
Gore is my president. (Spoken like a true Tennessean - not some of these weirdo knee-jerk gun nuts who now rue the day they voted for Shrub since he's torn up our environment so much! ;) )

[chimpymustgo]

5. That very point is made quite well in the story.

The pick is always a surprise (which means Clark is too MUCH on the radar as well, by that measure).

-snip-
"But," says Cook, "the last time a journalist predicted a vice president was David Broder predicting Spiro Agnew in 1968. It would be a huge mistake to try and predict it. We are always wrong."
-snip-

*****

But - every year is different. Just because the underdog has never won the series in 5 games doesn't mean it's never going to happen...

And when in the same night both Al Franken and Bill Press say they like Edwards for VEEP - gee, who knows?

[David Dunham]

2. Edwards would be the best choice.

[Dinger]

3. It's Now Or Never For Clark

What does he have the Clark does not? I ask because Clark has plenty that Edwards does not. I posted a point by point comparison quite a while back here. I willo vote for any ticket Kerry is on, but with a heavy heart if it's not Wes, because it's now or never. Please let it be Wes! Pleeeeeaaase!

[lancdem]

8. He tops my list

[saracat]

4. Gep?

Gag! The kiss of death.

[sallyseven]

9. Clark said he didn't want to be

VP and his wife doesn't want him to be either. Clark for DOD clean up the Pentagon and fire the stupid generals. those morons are just too fat and lazy.

[Padraig18]

10. Clark can't be SecDef.

You have to be out of uniform for 10 years before you can serve as SecDef.

:)

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Crunchy Frog]

6. I hope that means

that it's gonna be Clark.

Whoever it is, I'll be glad when the waiting and guessing is over with.:)

[meti57b]

7. Edwards wasn't my favorite, but he is now.

[Kahuna]

11. "Hugely successful run against Kerry.." What a load...

Talk about your media hype. Winning one state is NOT "hugely successful.

I've resigned myself to Edwards as VP. I prefer him to Gephardt and Vilsack. But to say that he ran a good challenge to Kerry is pure nonsense. He would have had to win more states than just his home state to be able to say that.

[Auntie Bush]

12. He didn't run a GOOD campaign...he ran a LONG campaign.

And there is a difference!

[chimpymustgo]

13. It was an excellent campaign - and more people know Edwards and like him

as a result.

Edwards had been driving around in that bus all over Iowa and New Hampshire all last summer - and he was just a blip in the polls. But as the caucuses approached, his crowds were overflowing - there was energy and excitement - Edwards came out of NOWHERE. He ran a positive upbeat campaign that was a joy to be a part of.

Whether Kerry picks him for Veep or not, an overwhelming number of Dems want Edwards on the ticket. He is beseiged with fundraising and speaking requests for party leaders and Dems running for office (including Kerry).

Oh yes. John Reid Edwards ran a very successful campaign.

[AP]

22. No primary loser has ever come out of the primaries looking like...

...such a winner.

I think the VP pick is so often a surprise because once you discount all the primary losers, who do you pick? You have the entire universe of American Dems from which to chose.

This year is different. There is a primary loser who is really a winner.

It would be quite a move to take a pass on that energy.

I don't think that means Edwards will get picked, but it's worth noting.

[deminflorida]

14. If the Talking Heads in the Media want Edwards then look out...

They are SO for Bush pulling it out in November....They know that Edwards against Dick Cheney in a Televised Debate is the GOP's best chance of keeping the White House...

Edwards has limited National Security knowledge and Cheney will smoke him.

[chimpymustgo]

15. Al Franken and Bill Press both said tonight they'd love to see Edwards

debate Cheney. Franken said, "Edwards will tear Cheney's kneecaps off." Or something like that. Both Franken and Press think Edwards should be the Veep.

That's representing.

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. Bingo...No Foreign Policy experience

no win in 2004. Clark is, by far, the best choice in VP. The media has always favored Mr. pretty boy, nice hair, two Americas, good stump speech Edwards over Clark. This is nothing new. We shall see, we shall see.

[Darkamber]

18. Remember in a debate there is more then one issue

They will most likely have one section on the war. But the debate is not going to be 100% about National Security. Edwards can cover a broad range of subjects and he's quite able to tear Cheney's guts out and make you smile and agree with him while he does it. How do you think he won all those cases? Because he wasn't able to present his case before the public?

And I'd hardly call Al Frankin part of the group that wants Bush to win.

Edwards would toast Cheney in a debate and I'd love to see the comparison between them.

[in_cog_ni_to]

19. Cheney will have Edwards for lunch

in a debate. The media will ask the questions that will favor Cheney, not Edwards. Remember, the media works for the WH. Cheney wants FP questions? he'll have FP questions.

Al Franken said ALL of the top choices would be great...not just Edwards. Tweety FORCED him to pick SOMEONE so, he did.

[saracat]

23. Not true

He is an excellent trial lawyer and very quick on his feet.And he would make Cheny look like a decrepit old man with a heart conditon, which he is!

[spooky3]

25. better than that, he'd show Cheney to be the lying, corrupt bureaucrat

that he is.

[Darkamber]

26. sorry...don't believe your media conspiracy theory

NO debate is going to be an hour or more on just questions that will favor Cheney. And even if they did so what? Do you think that Edwards can't turn an arguement around? Do you think his time as a successful lawyer and winning cases are worthless? Edwards knows how to take a point and turn it around.

And again...if the only thing that the people of the US want in a President or Vice President is FP experience then Wes Clark would have won. He didn't.

If the boost Edwards gives Kerry is enough to give Kerry the White House and then Clark can be given a administration position where his FP experience can actually be used, then why be against Edwards?

And yes, myself and every other voter who supported Edwards for Pres or for VP believe that he is quite capable of being the President. And Edwards does have a huge grassroots organization that comes with him and that doesn't include the big money donors who will seriously get active if he is picked for VP. This is a group who have not donated in the past to any campaign but were inspired and impressed with Edwards.

[Gloria]

20. I hope this is disinformation....because if Clark isn't out there

clearly articulating security/military issues as the VP nominee, you can bet he will never be heard from again because the media won't go near him.

If Kerry actually picks Edwards, my enthusiasm for his campaign will sink to 0. With security on the minds of so many Americans, with Iraq, Afghanistan and all the other places Bush can manipulate between now and November....to bypass your clearest and most solid resource....is just plain silly. And, it proves that Kerry is ready to sink back into the
clutches of the party hacks who are way too comfortable with the state of things today....

PS...Clark taught economics, had some very interesting ideas on economic issues, AND ....was talking about the economy today on Capitol Report on CNBC.

If Kerry is a leader he'll stick to his guns...because from the get go said that his VP needed foreign policy experience.

[chimpymustgo]

21. Please let's keep our hope and our heart - regardless who is chosen.

Edwards has the mo' right now - but who knows how Kerry will pick. We have so many STARS in the party - Edwards, Clark, Dean - if Kerry uses them all, we are assured the White House.

Let's WIN.

[flaminbats]

24. Remember Clinton's finalists?

The press gave a great deal of attention to Bob Graham, Bob Kerrey, and even Harris Wofford..shortly before Clinton's choice was announced. It also speculated that Lee Hamilton and Al Gore were possible running mates, both of which I didn't think he would seriously consider at the time! It made me extremely angry after the primaries that the media didn't even mention Paul Tsongas as a possibility, only time would reveal that my pipe dreams were flawed.