Skip Pres and suggest best VP candidate - because THAT is the attack dog role.

[blm]

I have no clue myself.

If the Presidential candidate is expected to be above the fray and dignified while presenting solid policy leadership, then who is best suited for the job of relentlessly attacking the GOP nominee?

If I had to propose the BEST attack dog who could also become president if necessary, it would have to be.............. I really can't think of who would be best, though the names that come to mind are Barney Frank and Maurice Hinchey.

- maybe Jim Webb.

- maybe Brian Schweitzer.

[Infinite Hope]

1. No need to have an "attack dog" so to speak....not someone who's nasty like the GOP has been. n/t

[blm]

3. not necessarily as nasty, but as relentless.

.

[snowbear]

2. VP candidate...

If General Clark opts not to run in '08, I think he'll be the top notch, #01 pick for whoever our candidate is..

[BlueIris]

4. GREAT thread. I have no fucking idea who I want as VP.

Well, okay, I'd like Clark, but if we can't have him as Veep, 'cause, you know, he winds up the nominee...uh...Boxer?

[babylonsister]

5. I don't understand how the VP is the GOP attack dog; can you

elaborate? Do you mean after an election? And Cheney compared to Gore was/is apples and oranges. I don't recall Gore acting 'pugnacious' like Cheney.
Also, if a rep. or senator were selected, what would happen to their seat?

[blm]

8. During the 92 campaign Gore was tough as nails. Not hard considering Quayle

was the counter and the Dem senate and congress had been pummelling Bush1 for his entire 4 years, but he was still tough.

[iamjoy]

6. Hillary Clinton

I mean, if you want an attack dog - she's it.

If you just want a strong person who has won red states without being a DINO - Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. From the little I know about her she's great. One of the nation's best governors (according to Time) and she looks competent and smart. Why her name is not mentioned as a contender is beyond me - maybe 'cos the media is so ga-ga over the idea of Hillary running and they don't think there's room for two women in the race.

[dsc]

7. Barney would be great

but a gay VP candidate, not in my lifetime.

[valerief]

9. Yeah, he'd never fly, especially with his "Hot Pants" past, but

he'd be a wonderful VP.

[blm]

10. I know - but when I think of a great counterpuncher, I always see Frank.

I do think Webb or Schweitzer would do well in that role.

[babylonsister]

11. If you're looking for a fighter, I think Feingold would fit the bill. nt

[blm]

14. I see Feingold as a good voter, but not a tough fighter.

He hasn't led any knockdown dragout fights in the senate on any issue, and though he has no trouible to sticking to his own guns on something, he doesn't stick his NECK OUT for a prolonged battle or in a consistent way.

I honestly expected he would be the one to surprise the party and come out of judiciary committee to lead a filibuster of Alito.

[Ninja Jordan]

12. Clark, because he has the credibility to attack on foreign policy.

[MannyGoldstein]

16. Absolutely Clark

He's a pitbull without the snarl. Add to that the military cred, he might be the best Democratic VP pick in the history of humankind.

Only potential issue is that his dad was Jewish - don't know if that'll help or hurt (obviously a non-issue to most on DU).

[Clark2008]

18. I doubt he'd do it. It's a severe waste of his talents.

If he's not president, he should be Sec. of State.

:hi:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

13. by this reckoning, Kerry should have picked

Gephardt. However, Edwards was a fine choice, probably the best.
BTW I was one of the few people who thought Harry Reid would have been a good choice for Kerry. He definitely knows "attack".

[cadmium]

15. That is interesting. I would not have thought of Harry

Reid in 2004. I was trying not to think of senators--for numbers reasons. Demographics would have ruled against it (2 Northeast white men) but I in my heart of hearts would have like to see Howard Dean in this role at the time. I liked Wes Clark for VP until the end when I was taken by the Edwards charm offensive. When he went on Imus and absolutely unashamedly promoted himself as VP choice I fell in line with Edwards.

Tim Ryan of Ohio or Deb Wasserman Schultz (sp) would tough VP candidates. Has anyone seen Tim Ryan on the house floor when he does his "pick an issue" presentation?

Oh I just thought of someone else---Paul Hackett---He would have to mend some fences (particularly with Jack Murtha) but I think he could do it.

[jcrew2001]

17. VP

Yeah, I think Kerry miscalculated on Edwards, they were too similar and Edwards didn't offer enough as the vp. He probably charmed Kerry into picking him.

Kerry was gung-ho for McCain, so they say, and if Kerry really wanted to go with that military theme, he should have chosen Clark - but I think he didn't was because they weren't very close and a lot of Dems don't like that Clark only recently switched to Democrat.

If Hillary wins the nom, I bet she will choose Clark for several reasons. (1) to balance the ticket and give white military males a reason to vote for her, and (2) Clark will accept because he is a Clintonite and will do whatever Bill asks of him.

If Edwards wins the nom, he may pick Hillary for the name recognition, or Clark, or maybe Richardson as a long shot.

[karynnj]

21. Kerry was not gungho for McCain

McCain, the media , and Joe Biden pushed this idea at a time Kerry said he would say nothing on VP choice - until he made it. The only direct Kerry comment is in Paul Reichoff's book where he and other vets suggested McCain - and Kerry said he was OFF the table. They then recommended Clark and were very angry when Kerry picked Edwards.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

23. actually Kerry asked McCain

if he would consider an offer "if" he made one.

[karynnj]

24. This was said to be true - but I have yet to see Kerry

or anyone close to him say it. McCain in fact at one time denied an offer was ever made. Given that they were far apart on the war and foreign policy - it seems unlikely. McCain has been all over the map on this - once saying it never happened, other times saying or implying it did and constantly expanding on the role Kerry offered him.

[blm]

29. Your info is wrong - Kerry and Clark are LONGTIME friends - in fact, Clark was

one of the few who would back Kerry up when he testified to congress that gays should serve openly in the military when it was being debated in 1993.

Kerry NEVER asked McCain to be VP, and that rumor started in McCain's camp as a bargaining tool to get what they wanted, higher profile within GOP, from Rove's camp.

Too bad the truth gets none of the media attention that lies get.

[SanCristobal]

19. Obama.

He is a media darling, but he is not a strong enough presidential candidate yet. He would make a VERY strong VP choice. I fully expect him to end up with the job, and another certain job come 2016...

[Thrill]

20. The young House member from Ohio

would be a great attack guy

[dsc]

28. I think he is too young

He is barely 30, if that. He needs to be 35. He will likely be my dad's congressman after redistricting if Dems keep control in Ohio. We will lose two seats one from Northeast Ohio and one from Southern Ohio. Latourette and Schmidt are the two likely candidates to be gone.

[Comicstripper]

22. Richardson

Governor, swing state, Hispanic, bright, experienced, strong on foreign policy (particularly North Korea), knows energy.

[cleveramerican]

25. Charlie Rangel

Bill Richardson, Wes Clark

[hijinx87]

27. I would pay any amount of money to attend that VP debate.

:evilgrin:

[hijinx87]

26. Jim Webb ?

a senator that will have 2 years of experience by the time the
election rolls around?

just for the sake of argument, say the nominee is obama. that
ticket would admittedly be high on charisma, but terribly light
on experience.

and shouldn't we wait and see what his voting record looks before
we start putting him on the ticket?

the veep nominee is largely irrelevant. yes, he is the "attack dog",
but doesn't get anywhere near the coverage as the person at the top
of the ticket. the most you can hope for out of a veep nominee would
be to deliver a state that may have gone the other way. (which is why
I thought that gephardt would have been a better choice than edwards in
2004, but that is water under the bridge at this point.)