Would Kucinich as VP candidate help with the Nader situation?

[Pushed To The Left]

I think I've read that Nader would not run if Kucinich got the Democratic nomination. Would Kucinich as VP have the same effect? And would a lot of Nader/3rd party voters be willing to change their mind if Kucinich was the VP nominee?

[Blayde Starrfyre]

1. Bad idea

What if the presidential candidate wins two terms? Then we've got Kucinich running for President. And we die. The Nader problem is not of the magnitude that such a step is necessitated.

[Finch]

2. Sorry but thats stupid....

As with I think every one on this board I like and respect Denis but a Kerry/ Kucinich ticket has to be the surest way to a landslide defeat i can think of... the fact is that Nader may not be on the ballot in many states... his green party supporters will not vote for him another third or so of his supporters in 2000 who where dems will also probably not vote for him i would really doubt if in this election he will get any more than 1% nationally...

Kerry will be mercilessly attacked as a liberal weak on defense you do not need the likes of Kucinich to effectively make that correct... As i have said countless times Kerry needs a younger, charismatic , running mate with broad geographical apeal... in my view thats Edwards... and in the event why nominate Kucinich? to gain around 1% of the vote to no geographical gain not to mention the fact that Kucinich would probably never except the Dem party platform as it will likely be merely a (from his perspective) tame hybrid between 1990's DLC centerism and older style Dem liberalism and that will be far too moderate for Denis...

You need a candidate who can soften edges and appeal to the 10-20% OF "swing voters" in the country... and as i have already said thats Edwards...

[youngred]

10. Uh, sure

there's no rule that says the VP will run after 2 presidential terms.

Besides, Kucinich would make a great president.....far better than many I know

[mouse7]

3. No. Naderites would just call Kucinich a traitor.

There's no point. They would just paint Kucinich as a sell-out.

[PurityOfEssence]

4. You can't reason with the irrational

Hell, as a running-dog for the establishment, they probably wouldn't even listen to you. If you thought some of the partisans of certain candidates were sanctimonious and puerile, you'd better get a new chin strap, because you'll be hurtled into new heights of incredulity if you try to appease these people.

What Nader supporters there will be will be an agglomeration of narcissists, Luddites, contrarians, and dysfunctional intellectual hermits of many stripes. With luck, there won't be too many, but now that the die is cast, it's an inevitable drain that we can only hope to stanch by actively hammering on Junior and getting out the vote.

Don't even think about it.

[aquart]

7. Take back what you said about Luddites.

My sister is a Luddite. She's proud of it. It was even on her wedding invitations.

She is NOT a Naderite. She likes Kerry. (Okay, we differ there.)

But NOT for Nader. Not the last time. Not this time.

She's very intelligent. (Except for the Luddite thing, but you have to understand, objects with moving parts disassemble in her hand. All by themselves. She touched my computer once and it rebooted.)

[Forkboy]

8. I disagree about the contrarians

:D

[Crunchy Frog]

5. Not as much as it would hurt

the electability of the ticket. I don't mean any disrespect for Kucinich or his supporters, but I think that ticket would lose more votes from mainstream voters than it would gain from Naderites.

[Eric J in MN]

6. We do need someone anti-NAFTA on the ticket.

If John Edwards is the nominee for Pres. or VP, that would help.

Edwards has been more critical of NAFTA than Kerry, and talks about the poor more.

[Gore1FL]

9. People who plan to vote Nader this time are lost causes

Courting them will do no good. They have asked to be abandonned.