Will you be disappointed if Kerry does not pick Clark or Edwards for posts

[kentuck]

in his Cabinet, such as VP or Secretary of State? Should they be rewarded by the nominee for being good soldiers behind his candidacy? Wes Clark has been an especially tough voice against the Bush Administration. If he is left out altogether, what will that say about Kerry and the Democratic Party? Should they be rewarded? We know that it is the perogative of the candidate to choose who he wants but should there be more consolidation within our Party, as far as building up strong leaders in Cabinet positions?

[Edgewater_Joe]

1. Yes - If He Picks Gephardt

That's the ONE guy I DON'T want.

[orestes]

6. I dunno

I would put Holy Joe lower on the list than Gephardt

[Kahuna]

2. I'll only be disappointed if Clark isn't picked...

I'm not in the Edwards camp.

[PurityOfEssence]

14. Yes, we're aware of that

How did you like Clark's comments a moment ago that we should pull in the troops and aggressively overrun Fallujah right now?

You okay with the endlessly repeated lies by Clark during the run-up to the Tennessee/Virginia votes that Kerry and Edwards voted for the Bush tax cuts? Does that bug you in the slightest? Remember, Dean had used this lie before and been called down for it, and Clark was aware of it. When politely asked by the Edwards campaign to retract this charge, Clark not only didn't, but countered with distortions about Edwards voting "with Bush" over 70% of the time.

Your guy's got some talent, and certainly brains, but don't you think his sloppiness or questionable tactics are a tad dangerous?

We're talking about various jobs as a POLITICIAN, and that's not his strong suit.

To use one of your favorite words: quit whining.

[Kahuna]

24. Somebody's cranky. Howza 'bout a time out..

:eyes:

[Bread and Circus]

29. The Edwards vs Clark sniping is alive and well....

Who's going to win? We'll just have to wait and see.

[Gloria]

33. Before the bombing started, Clark was adamantly AGAINST it...

because he knew it would involve firepower that would harm a lot of innocents. (He said this on Wolf, last Thurs.,I believe.)
He said that if they were going to go in without bombing, they would need a division for house to house searches,and they had only 3000 troops. He said we'd go in, but he basically took issue with the tactics. He also said that this type of action was why more and more Arabs from across the region are pouring into Iraq to fight Americans.

I didn't hear him today...what show was he on so I can catch the repeat...

It's obvious that with the bombing already a done deal, the troops are going to go in, however few of them. Did he APPROVE of the bombing in his comments??

[dedhed]

Absolutely!!

I like both of them, but if he can only pick one, I say pick Clark! I said it before, and I'll say it again... he'd be an excellent VP, but an even better Secretary of State.

[Commendatori]

3. Yes and no

I will be very upset if Edwards gets snubbed. However, and I mean no offense to anyone, I just don't like Clark. If he simply goes away to a peaceful and quiet retirement after this election, that would suit me just fine.

[soleft]

4. Yes - Dean too

Attorney General
Secretary of Defense
Secretary of Health and Human Services

[wndycty]

8. Does Dean have a law degree?

Has he ever practiced law?

[soleft]

22. I guess my post wasn't clear, sorry, my bad

Edwards - AG
Clark - Sec. of Defense
Dean - Health and Human Services

[Crunchy Frog]

44. Just so you know,

Clark is not eligible to be Secretary of Defense. The law says you need to be out of the military for ten years before serving in that position.

Do you think there are any other positions Clark might be qualified for?

[soleft]

50. How about National Security Advisor or Secretary of State

[stinkeefresh]

5. not sure he should...

I don't want cabinet appointments to be rewards. I want the best people for the job. On resume alone, I think that qualifies Clark for a position. I'm not sure about Edwards. Although I could be convinced.

[sadiesworld]

7. Clark yes. Edwards not really.

[NewJeffCT]

9. My picks

VP: Wesley Clark or Max Cleland or Bill Richardson
Attorney General: John Edwards
Sec of State: Bill Clinton
Nat'l Security Advisor: Gary Hart

[Catherine Vincent]

18. As much as I love the big dog, I don't think Kerry should choose

him for one of his cabinet posts. I can't see anyone as being Clinton's boss!

[serryjw]

46. Like your choices

VP would be happy with any of the 3
AG...is good....BUT not so happy with his positions on gay rights
SOS........FUNNY! It would never happen
Gary Hart>>>MY first Choice for Prez! I live in CO....or Sec'y of Homeland Security.

[Leilani]

10. Yes, I will be disappointed

but only about Clark, for several reasons.

I think Wes Clark is a wonderful addition to the Dem Party; he brings so much experience & credibility, it would be a shame not to use him.

I think Wes Clark, because of the Iraq War, would be the best VP candidate. Anyone with doubts about Kerrys military policies, would be reassured by Clark on the ticket.

Finally, He has shown his dedication to getting Kerry elected. I don t think ANYONE has worked harder.

Of course, Kerry will make his own choices...that is his right. But the people he chooses to help him govern will say a lot about him.

[bmbmd]

11. I don't believe that Kerry can win

without Clark or Edwards in the number two slot.

[Abelman]

13. Any ticket with Clark

Will most likely get a vote from me.

I still feel pain from the primaries, but the people spoke! And I will support Kerry no matter who he picks as VP. Unless he picks a cat or something.

[DjTj]

47. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

What's wrong with cats?

[Catherine Vincent]

12. I know one thing, he better not pick someone disappointing

such as Lieberman like Gore did. Lieberman was okay but I had rathered Gore chose someone else.

[jayfish]

15. Yes.

Clark because I am a supporter and Edwards because he needs a job.:evilgrin:

I think Clark would make a great VP,SoD or SoC. Maybe AG for Edwards.

Jay

[Bombtrack]

16. Clark'd be best for National Security Advisor and Edwards as AG

I'd like to see Fareed Zakaria as State secretary and Either Graham or Landrieu as vp

[earthside]

17. Of course not ...

Because Kerry will pick US Senator Mary Landrieu for his running mate.

A strong woman on the ticket will add to the coming Kerry landslide. Having another white guy as vice president doesn't move this country forward.

IT IS TIME!

[robbedvoter]

19. Not a matter of disappointment: WINNNING depends on a ticket

that is unassailable as national security.

[anarchy1999]

20. I believe if Kerry really wants to win he will ask Edwards to be VP.

Way too much to hope for, I'm sure. If Kerry did ask and if Edwards accepted, I do believe they would be unstoppable. Just in my very humble opinion.

[PurityOfEssence]

21. Not particularly

I'm a big Edwards fan, and as many of you know, supported him vocally from my first posts on the board in the summer of '01, but it won't be the end of the world if Kerry doesn't tap him for something. Clark has his strengths too, and I'm sure he'll be a useful public figure whether officially in government or not.

I don't think Kerry likes Edwards that much, and that's not the end of the world either. Perhaps Edwards needs a little time in the wilderness after the end of his term, after which he can come back to politics in full force.

I truly love John Edwards, and feel he's got the heart and soul of what's best about this country. Beyond this, he's a natural politician and can bind the wounds and have true crossover appeal. With his oratorial skill and his self-control, he would be very well suited and valuable for many jobs, and I hope Kerry sees this. Whether one likes him or not, one has to admit that he made virtually no missteps in the campaign, unlike ALL of the others save Mosely-Braun and maybe Graham.

John Kerry deserves the team of his choice, and he's a sharp guy himself. I WILL be incredibly disappointed if he goes with Gephardt as a V.P.; that would be an incomprehensible misstep.

[chimpymustgo]

26. Hi Purity! I think Kerry likes Edwards a LOT. It's the media pushing

the chilly story line.

Edwards really seems to give Kerry that missing spark, a certain glow that Kerry gets when the two are together. Remember the pictures of the two meeting in DC after Kerry has sown up the nomination? They truly shone together.

Also, don't forget, Kerry went out of his way to have cameras come in to show him watching Edwards' concession speech in Ohio.

That said, I do trust Kerry to make the very best decision for his VEEP. I think Clark brings a lot to the table in experience and his resume, and he generally performs well on tv. But he is clearly prone to mistakes and missteps that might make him a risk for the ticket.

Edwards ran a mistake-free campaign, is amazingly passionate and likeable. Might need a little more seasoning. Might not.

Go Kerry - just don't pick Lieberman.

[AP]

32. Putting Edwards on the ticket almost guarantees a second 8 years of a Dem

presidency.

Being VP patches the one hole in Edwards's resume.

How would you run against a John Edwards in 2012 who has been VP for eight years?

I just don't see the Republicans winning that race in any way shape or form.

He's also assassination and impeachment insurance for Kerry. Who's going to try to take down Kerry when Edwards is waiting in the wings?

It just is not going to happen.

[PurityOfEssence]

40. All very good points

Perhaps the distance between the two is a false impression. Certainly, they exude a warmth that is awfully impressive.

Much as I've been staying out of the Clark/Edwards wars, it's still mind-boggling how vehement Clark's supporters often are. Regardless of the passage of time and cooling of emotions, far too many of the Clark supporters exude a scorched earth attitude toward anyone not falling into step behind the white knight, and the smell of conservatism that accompanies the ridicule is simply tiresome.

Edwards is quite literally the best candidate that this party's had in forty years, and hopefully people will see that as they did in the primary season. Edwards' story--except for Dean's--is the most compelling pure eye-opening theatre of the whole process: here's a guy counted out, marginalized, overshadowed by Dean's groundswell, and then Clark's HUGE advantage of money and media favoritism, and he still did remarkably well in a idiotically short season. He remains the only person to beat Kerry in three contests (SC, OK and NC)in fact, he's the only one to beat him more than once.

Edwards is so good that he will be a force in the future; regardless of whether he's on the ticket, he'll be a major asset in the campaign.

The right is undeniably scared of him, and for good reason.

(Yes, if he's on the ticket this time, it would be the best move Kerry could make, and your analysis is dead-on.)

[DjTj]

48. Do these guys look like they don't like each other?

...Come on, how could anyone not like Edwards?

[JI7]

43. yes, he wanted Edwards to continue looking like a winner

kerry had the nomination pretty much locked up with edwards dropping out so kerry didn't need anything at that point in terms of winning the nomination.he didn't have to show how much he loved edwards in order to gain anything for himself such as an endorsement because it was a gaurantee with kerry winning the nomination. the only point of it was he wanted to show what lies the media were spreading about problems in their relationship and he wanted to show that edwards was still a winner.i think it's because he knew then edwards would be a consideration for vp for sure. kerry also listed edwards as his "special guest" on his website for the florida campaign event about a week ago. while in the senate kerry and edwards did not work together often because they weren't in the same committees,but kerry did take edwards to meet many veterans and they became friends outside of the senate. both guys and their wives are all good friends with each other. in fact, kerry's wife indicated she would be happy with edwards as vp.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

23. No.

[bcoylepa]

25. Not if he picks John Lewis

good day all - been reading for awhile and thought this as good a place as any to jump in
I am so tired of all the white guys in suits - none of them will shake this thing up
How about Congressman John Lewis?
read his bio - http://www.house.gov/johnlewis/bio.html
He would have them shaking in their boots and it would make me very be proud to be a democrat
you would have diversity - the south - integrity - the civil rights issue - I think he would make a great partner for Kerry and inspire a lot of people.Talk about thinking outside the box - thanks for the opportunity

[seabeyond]

27. i just want bush out for now

what comes after that. we have a lot of people we like have gotten to know and we can work the next four years as we see how kerry does and how dems do taking house and senate.

it took a while dems getting to this point, will take time to fix all this stuff

right now, i want bush out, for the peace adn happiness of htis house. i am talking a husband and two little boys will be much happier, cause mama will be much happier

[MrSlayer]

28. Yeah, I'd be very disappointed if Clark doesn't serve in some way.

He should be the President but since that's not happening he should be VP. Secretary of State is also a great option for Wes.






Edit: Spelling.

[Padraig18]

30. Edwards as VP and Clark as NSA

I'll be a bit mystified if he doesn't pick Edwards for VP, unless he selects Clark and makes Edwards AG...

[Gloria]

31. It's gotta be Clark for me for VP....

Frankly, I'm not sure if he should take it if offered, because he is much tougher on some of the Bush policies than Kerry is. Much more direct and not afraid to name names.
He would make an excellent attack dog, IF the variations in the policy could be resolved. I would like to see Kerry pull toward Clark's assessments, rather than the other way around. I do not want to see Clark whore himself too much.

That being said....I could go with it if I get the distinct feeling that he is aiming to work from within a Kerry adminstration to really put policy on the less Bush-lite course.

In terms of the election....the man has been doing all the heavy lifting on these very key issues AND now is defending Kerry's personal actions.
If Kerry doesn't name him...well, I will have serious doubts about Kerry's judgment and will probably devote most of my energies to local campaigns. Without Clark, I'm not all that revved up for Kerry.

[No2W2004]

34. Gephardt, Edwards Undergo Checks for Veep

WASHINGTON - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites)'s campaign has begun background checks of top running mate prospects, including former rivals Dick Gephardt (news - web sites) and John Edwards (news - web sites), while other hopefuls anxiously await word that they're worthy of a Washington "vetting."


Several Democratic officials familiar with the selection process said Wednesday that background checks have been under way for several weeks. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said individuals other than Gephardt and Edwards are under consideration, but they would not identify them — nor say how many there were.

The candidates are known only by Kerry, a handful of advisers and a team of lawyers conducting background checks that are described as unusually thorough.

One Democrat mentioned as a favorite of several Kerry advisers, if not necessarily the candidate himself, is Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. Officials said a background check — called "vetting" in Washington parlance — is underway or will soon begin. The head of Kerry's search team, Jim Johnson, has spoken with dozens of party leaders about the process and prospects. Officials who have talked to Johnson said he has expressed interest in Vilsack along with others, including Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey and former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=1&u=/ap/20040428/ap_on_el_pr/veepstakes

[Sparkly]

35. I'd be very disappointed

if General Clark were not part of a Kerry Cabinet -- not as a reward for anything, but as a matter of good sense!

[11bravo1986]

36. He could pick Mickey Mouse...

for all I care, as long as he doesn't pick Hillary, nothing against her but we are not ready for woman VP. BTW I have tremendous respect for her but it's not the right time.

Please don't pick Gephardt, Clark or Dean, the only logical choice has to be Edwards. Even though I hate to admit it, we need a southern presence to win.

The only fault that I could see regarding Edwards is his lack of military service. However if Kerry chooses Clark for his Sec. of D then that should cover it.

[chimpymustgo]

37. I'm pulling for Edwards. But last week I dreamed Kerry picked Evan Bayh.

I hope that dream doesn't come true.

Edwards for VEEP is a real dream...16 years of Dem rule.

[Sparkly]

39. Clark can't be Sec of Defense

because he hasn't been out of the military long enough. As for a Southern presence, Clark is from Arkansas.

[Pepperbelly]

38. I hope he stays the f*ck away from Holy Joe! nt

[BabsSong]

41. Usually there isn't this 'reward' thing. The soldiers do their thing

for the candidate and that brings support, etc. from the party for other edeavors. They may want one of them to run for a govenorship or a Senate seat down the line, etc. They don't usually give our consolation prizes of cabinet posts. And actually they should fill those important posts with people well qualified in the area. I thought someone said the Clark couldn't be Sec. of Defense (where he, of course,is very qualified) because the law says he can't??

[JHBowden]

42. Not really.

Lieberman or Bayh would really annoy me, but I'm loyal to Kerry no matter who he picks.

[Nashyra]

45. Only disappointed if Clark was not included

Would love to see Clark as veep and Edwards as AG, Edwards is too vulnerable to partisan political attacls because of his malpractice trial lawyer past. It makes no difference that he was etical and fair but most of the electorate votes on soundbites and the repukes will soundbite Edwards to death. Also there should not be 2 senators on the ticket.

[Tellurian]

49. My picks...

Clark for VP (no one else, please- thankyouverymuch!)

Dean for Surgeon General

Richardson for DEM


aside: I've never warmed up to Edwards. I didn't know why

until I found out he coauthored The Patriots Act for Bush..

That did it for me.

I can't think of a real hawk for AG..

any suggestions?

[AP]

52. Would the truth make a difference: Edwards authored NO part of PA.

He was on the committee that was responsible for producing it (as were about seven or eight other good Dems). He didn't author any of it and actually spent a great deal of time trying to keep bad stuff out of it.

This was discussed ad nauseum here at DU. Apparently you checked into DU at about the time this lie was being spread and checked out when it was debunked.

[Tellurian]

54. "Would the truth make a difference: Edwards authored NO part of PA."

It isn't a matter of Truth per se, that I chose Clark as Kerry's running mate. I feel Clark and Kerry can forge an effective, complimentary relationship as a team because Clark has the expertise in areas that are critical for our times. Clark is of a similar contemporaneous time as Kerry both having common cultural characteristics and attitudes which lends itself to a united front.

I'll take your word for it, if as you say you've done your homework and Edwards was not co-author of the PA. In fact, I feel better about it now.

"This was discussed ad nauseum here at DU. Apparently you checked into DU at about the time this lie was being spread and checked out when it was debunked."..

Could be right on that..

[Renew Deal]

51. Clark yes, Edwards no

Edwards is a politician. He can always get back into politics. Clark isn't a politician.

[IronLionZion]

53. Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean

if he doesn't put Howard Dean in his cabinet, I will be quite mad. How about Secretary of Health and Human Services? Or Labor? or Surgeon General? anything?

[VolcanoJen]

55. Absolutely. Yes.

After our spirited and historic Democratic primary, if Kerry does not choose one of our major candidates for a high-level cabinet position, or Vice President, I'll be more than disappointed.

If Kerry is a leader, he won't squander the wealth of political and intellectual talent evidenced in the Democratic Party.

VEEP: John Edwards

NSA: Wesley Clark

DNC Chair: Howard Dean!!!!

That's just my short list.