http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20040720/ap_on_el_pr/democrats2008WASHINGTON - Delegates to next week's Democratic National Convention already have an idea about 2008 if presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) should lose this fall: They would favor Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites) over John Edwards (news - web sites) as their next standardbearer.
An Associated Press survey found that the first-term New York senator is the choice of more than a quarter of the delegates while Edwards, recently tapped by Kerry to be his running mate, was favored by some 17 percent.
Clinton — former first lady, best-selling author, Democratic star and the politician Republicans vilify for fund-raising appeals — often was a top pick of Democrats in opinion polls prior to the 2004 primaries. In November 2002, the favorite candidates were Al Gore (news - web sites) and Clinton, with all others in single digits.
Kerry emerged from the primary process as the Democratic candidate, and Edwards was the last major candidate to bow out. Kerry's choice of Edwards to be the vice presidential nominee raised the profile of the freshman North Carolina senator and pushed his name to the top of the 2008 list, if Kerry falters.
Among the more than 3,000 delegates interviewed, or roughly 70 percent of the 4,300-plus who will attend the four-day event beginning Monday in Boston, most were reticent to offer a favorite, optimistic about Kerry's chances on Nov. 2. Some 36 percent said "none" when asked whom they would like to see as the party's candidate in 2008.
Clinton was favored by 26 percent overall and Edwards 17 percent. Among women, Clinton led Edwards 34 percent to 16 percent. The breakdown among men was Clinton 22 percent, Edwards 21 percent.