I want John Kerry for president and Howard Dean for vice president.

[not systems]

Sound imposable?

I think the days of regional candidacies is over.

John Kerry and Howard Dean represents to very different strains in the democratic party.

Howard Dean is a radical, an American populist.

John Kerry a liberal, an traditional American hero.

Both have reached people across the political spectrum.

Dean has connected with the young, the professional, the educated and the libertarian.

Kerry has connected with the center, the veterans, the party stalwart and the pragmatic.

Both take stands I disagree with.

Both take stands I support.

Kerry and Dean both connect with the traditions of Americanism that reach for our best nature.

Wesley Clark and John Edwards also do.

I think that the regional appeal of one or another candidate should not rule out a Kerry/Dean ticket in 2004.

I am a Dean supporter and unlike some will support whoever becomes the parties choice this year.

I know that the candidate will triangulate against my basic values.

This is because I am a Democratic voter.

I will trust that the best candidate will be chosen for the general election.

I hope that Dean will not be ruled out because of his regional and populist appeal.

Dean supporters will have a place in the Democratic party this year.

I think vice-president is a good one but president would be better.

:)

Kerry/Dean 2004

[D G]

1. Dean's up for it!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/06/politics/campaign/06CND-DEAN.html?hp

[lastknowngood]

2. regional won't work anymore the South is gone until the Dem's

start trying to work some of their issues. Kerry's a loser no matter who the VP is I doubt if Kerry wants a running mate who is much more charismatic and impassioned than he is.

[not systems]

16. I hope that Kerry and Dean can send a message that they...

will not take guns from the people or let America become victim of an attack from outside.

They need to reach out to the south ASAP and bringing on a shadow cabinet with Clark and Edwards would be a good start.

They should also reinforce the message that the poor will not be forgotten once they get to Washington.

[JI7]

3. weren't you a dean supporter ?

[not systems]

8. Yes and I still am a Dean support. I support Kerry, Clark, and Edwards...

also.

If Kerry is running for president I want Dean for vice-president.

[dflprincess]

4. I like the idea but

all we'd hear from the media is "..two Northeastern liberals on the same ticket blah blah blah.." With the implication that this wrong.

There was already a letter to the Minneapolis paper (from a wingnut) slamming Kerry for being a "Northeastern liberal".

Does anyone know when being liberal and from the northeast became such a bad thing? Of course if they were from Minnesota and Iowa then we'd hear they were "two midwest populists".

[not systems]

10. Clinton and Gore were co-regionalists...

and it worked out fine.

I don't think Kerry and Dean pigeon hole-able ideologically.

[MAlibdem]

15. Those "co-regionalists" were from the South

Changes things a bit. I think the portrayal of "Northeastern liberalism" would be too easy, tho it would probably throw NH our way if the Repugs started bashing NE and the northeast.

[Eloriel]

5. I won't vote for Kerry for Prez under any circumstance

and I'm utterly opposed to Dean being in ANY VP slot, but esp. one with Kerry.

And I know an awful lot of people who feel just the way I do.

[D G]

6. Dean disagrees with you

since he's said he'll vote for the Democratic nominee (I'm not saying it will be Kerry, but it might be) and he seems open to a VP slot.

But I respect your right to vote as you see fit.

[not systems]

9. I know but I like Bush much less than Kerry.

I hope you can all reconsider.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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

[mikehiggins]

7. On Crossfire tonight a top Dean guy and a top Kerry guy agreed

that a Kerry/Dean ticket was doable.

These weren't two guys argueing on DU but spokesmen for their candidates. Begala and that old fart were taken by surprise at the flat "yes" answers from both men.

I wouldn't be too surprised if that was in the works already.

I know the Kerry people will like that, but the Dean grassroots that has donated so much time and money? That, my friend, might be a whole differant story.

I don't see Edwards plowing on if Kerry keeps on winning either.

So, it may wind down to Kerry vs Clark in the end (with Dennis and Al along for the ride) and how far that goes depends entirely on how stubborn Clark can prove to be, and if the Dean folks will switch over to him when their candidate gives up.

I'm not sure but I don't think a candidate can direct his delegates to vote for someone else. In that case, Dean's and Edwards' delegates will simply disappear from the totals. The number needed to win will remain the same.

The "race" may well depend on how pissed off Clark is at how this campaign is playing out. If he is the only viable anti-Kerry candidate left he still might pull it off, assuming he is able to stay in.

We'll see.

[not systems]

12. interesting. Clark brings alot to a ticket also.

I am optimistic about out ticket this fall.

[Nicholas_J]

11. The problem is

that Dean is hardly a radical, at least from his record as Governor. As Govenror Dena was rated by the Cato Institute as the fifth most conservative governor in the United States:

Overall Fiscal Policy Grade--Pre-1994 Governors
Governor State Score Overall
Fiscal Policy

Grade
Steve Merrill (R) New Hampshire 69 A
Fife Symington (R) Arizona 66 A
William Weld (R) Massachusetts 63 B
Roy Romer (D) Colorado 59 B
Howard Dean (D) Vermont 58 B

Although Republicans tended to do somewhat better (their average grade is C+ versus an average grade of C- for Democrats), there were notable exceptions. Two of the top five pre-1994 governors were Democrats: Roy Romer of Colorado and Howard Dean of Vermont. Two of the five most pro-tax-and-spend old governors were Republicans: George Voinovich of Ohio and Marc Racicot of Montana. The worst fiscal record of the new governors was compiled by Rhode Island Republican Lincoln Almond, who is out of step with his northeastern neighbors.

http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-257.html

In fact they note that Dean is a rarity among Democrats in scoring much higher than the average Democrat dies by their measures of conservatism.

No, radical is not a term than I can imagine anyone familiar with his actual record applying to him

[not systems]

13. Dean represents the radical middle of American populism.

The people who ended slavery.

The reformers who have changes the unchangeable in American history.

[Shakira]

14. Yes, it is just unimaginable that Dean

ever got tagged with the term 'radical'. The only way he might be considered one (and that would only be in the US) is the way he has reached out to my (the Arab) community. I would love to see him as President because he would certainly be less pro-Israel than Kerry; no matter that Dean's wife is Jewish! He is definitely the man in that home!

[aldian159]

17. Welcome to DU!

Hope you enjoy the stay.

[not systems]

18. Dean can reach out to all Americans.

I support the idea that balance must be found in foreign policy.

I think Dean can do this.

[dansolo]

19. I'm a little torn on this

Having Dean on the ticket isn't going to make me like or respect Kerry any more. However, what I am most afraid of is Dean being completely marginalized. If Dean being VP means that he will no longer be shut up by his own party, then I guess it may be the best possible scenario. If Dean promises to keep fighting, then I will continue to support him.

[not systems]

21. Same here. As long as Dean fights the good fight. I'm in his corner.

I do respect Kerry and think he brings a record of achievements to the ticket.