When the hell will Kerry announce running mate?

[Mobius]

Im getting sick of waiting.

[Nimble_Idea]

1. He will bring out Clark at the Convention

I hope he announces like a week or two earlier, to get more BUZZ for the money.

[stellanoir]

2. when he damn well feels like it. . .

He only acquires more "coat tails" through a delay. And the media will be all over whomever he chooses in short order. If the 9/11 commission is submitting their report on the eve of the convention, then there will be less uproar if he announces closer to then. Till then, he's got nothing but time. . .

[Mobius]

3. maybe a "leak" of some sort

the press will report it more, if they think Kerry or Clark doesn't want it to get out.

[skooooo]

4. Clark would be awesome...

...a winner for sure. Edwards would be good too. ANYONE but Evan Bayh!!!


Evan Bayh <----- :spank:

[DaveSZ]

5. As long as it's not some lame ass

Evan Bayh fits into the lame ass catagory.

:)

He needs someone energetic and hip to get the younger voters.

[bravejet69]

6. His choice should be a no brainer

There is no better choice than General Clark, and if Kerry doesn't realize that then pity him, and pity us if Clark is not on the ticket with Kerry.

[cheezus]

8. The ticket already has a "war person"

[Mobius]

12. "war person"?

define a war person, please. Both men fought in the Vietnam War. One went home and protested it, the other continued to the rank of 4 star general during the next 30 years. Thier viewpoints seem different. Maybe its just me. I see the Clark bashers are coming out again, since Clark has been in the news more lately...

[newyawker99]

34. Hi bravejet69!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[MoonRiver]

7. I think about 4 weeks.

Clark is getting maximum meida exposure in preparation for the big event! :D

[eumesmo]

9. I think he would be foolish to wait until the convention.

He can expect a bounce when he selects the V.P., whoever it is. Another bounce at the convention. If he does it all at the same time, the bounces won't be cumulative, so it makes a lot more sense to separate the events. OTOH he won't want to announce the V.P. too soon -- there's no reason too. It's not even May yet. In many cycles the nomination would have still been being fought over.

[fujiyama]

14. It's kind of like

Having your birthday at Christmas time in way. You get screwed with the presents, because people might combine them.

And BTW, Welcome to DU.

[eumesmo]

31. Good analagy

I know someone who had a birthday like that whose family celebrated it 6 months off.

Thanks for the welcome.

[Dinger]

10. Hi Mobius!

And congratulations too.
It'll kill me, but I think I'll have to wait till near the convention till Kerry picks General Wesley Kick-Ass Clark, but it'll be worth the wait.

[Mobius]

13. Oh my God Dinger, as I live and breathe!!!!

like my sig line graphic? O8)
Thanks for the congrats.

[Nicholas_J]

11. Kerry will either bring out Edwards

Or torally surprise us with someone who was not a noninee. Edwards will be the only person that Kerry was running against who he will consider for his running mate. A small possibility of Gephardt, because right now in order to lock up an electora college stragegy, Kerry needs to insure that he takes several midwestern states, Ohio, and perhaps Wisconsin, and pershaps even Missouri, which Gephardt may be able to deliver. The only sounther states in which Kerry is either ahead of Bush or close are Florida and Arkansas, The rest of the south seems to be solid red, though it is possibly that Edwards will be able to deliver North Carolina, as a recent mock election there indicated that if Edwards were running for President againt Bush, he would beat him today.

[saracat]

16. I Agree

I think it will be Edwards or someone unexpected. And I think it will be at the convention. He gets milage before the convention by keeping the Press guessing, and will get more mileage out of introducing the new VP into the Campaign after the convention which otherwise would be dead time leading up to the Repug convention.And I think Clark has already made a deal for a cabinet post!

[Nicholas_J]

22. Yah..

Kerry should keep whoever his VP choice is for as long as possible
in order to prevent the Bush people from being able to form an attack strategy for that candidate, which they will have to do. The less time they have to attack the VP running mates record as well the better off the ticket will be.

[Jai4WKC08]

26. Yeah, I can see your point...

If I thought Edwards was going to be the running mate, I'd be worrying about the GOP attack plan too.

[AlFrankenFan]

15. Convention...

But it would be wonderful if it was tomorrow...:P

[RoyGBiv]

17. A Little History

Okay, I understand all the anxiety, but let's kinda take a step back for a minute and gather some perspective by looking at a little recent history. This a list of recent candidates and when they announces their VP choice:

Dukakis : July, 1988
Bush I : July, 1988
Clinton : July, 1992
Dole : August, 1996
Gore : August, 2000
Bush II : July, 2000

Note the pattern. In all cases, the formal announcement came within a few weeks of the convention, sometimes just a week or so.

I suppose it is possible that we could hear a very early announcement because there's a lot more unity, at least outwardly, among the Democrats than is normal for the opposition party. Still, the choice of a VP involves a lot of internal party dynamics and campaign strategy. Several names will be floated, and we may have a pretty good idea of who it will be before the official announcement. But, I'm not looknig for that announcement until the early summer.

OnEdit: Fixed an error with the list

[Toucano]

21. I appreciate that list

But I also note that in none of the election cycles did the nominee have the required delegates in March.

So we've known it will be Bush/Cheney v. Kerry/? since early March.

There's a lot to be gained by making the decision sooner, rather than later this time.

[RoyGBiv]

24. Possibly

This is why I decided to add that we may see an earlier one this year.

I'm still not going to be expecting it until late May/early June. I just don't think he's really had the time yet to go through all the variables that he and his staff would like to go through. One of the benefits of having a de facto nomination in March is that he has the extra time and isn't having to satisfy any outwardly extremely disgruntled former challengers. He's using it.

Of course, with the way things run in my life, the moment after I post something suggesting it's going to be awhile, I'll go back to the main page and see "Kerry announces VP" on LBN. :-)

As for the list, I was initially going to go back to Nixon because I thought it wouldn't take long. But then Dukakis' announcement was a pain in the butt to find, so I decided to end it there.

[VolcanoJen]

18. 8 Weeks. Mid-June.

Nice surprise announcement, sweet pre-convention bounce and momentum.

But, who's it gonna be...? Damn, I love politics. :D

[Piperay]

19. Hopefully at the convention

or just before, keep them guessing and sweating. :evilgrin:

[Toucano]

20. It can't be soon enough for me.

The front-loaded primary schedule gave him the nomination in March rather than May.

His VP pick should come in May rather than June.

The VP can be on permanent battle ground state rotation, campaigning and raising money, and articulating the message.

[LandOLincoln]

23. I agree, and anyway I thought the Kerry campaign had already

said they were hoping to make the announcement some time in May...?

[Mobius]

25. Oooh If you got a link for that info, I would salivate over it

:)

[shivaji]

27. Anyone but Clark is ok with me..............

Clark is a loose cannon, egomaniacal, self centered SOB.

The best choice would be Gephardt since he can deliver
missouri. Clark delivers zilch. Evan Bayh would be the
best ideological balance with the so called northeast
liberal stamp on Kerry. Bayh could also deliver Indiana &
Ohio.

[LandOLincoln]

29. I think the most charitable thing I can say here

is that I believe we inhabit parallel but very different universes.

It's the only explanation that makes sense.

[Moloch]

36. Clark

Clark is a loose cannon, egomaniacal, self centered SOB.

Why on earth would you say that? Clark did not even plan to run for president, he was asked to do so by thousands and when it became clear he would not win the nomination he gracefully (unlike some of our other candidates) withdrew and endorsed Kerry. Those are hardly the actions of a loose cannon, egomaniacal, self centered SOB...

[tritsofme]

38. Why Gephardt?

He couldn't even do better than fourth in Iowa.

I don't see him bringing anything to the ticket.

Ideally, I'd favor Richardson, but he won't accept.

I think it will be Edwards, maybe Bayh, although I don't know if his being on the ticket could assure Indiana, and Ohio is in play anyways..

[JNelson6563]

28. As one who isn't wild about Kerry

I think he is smart to not do it too soon. The speculation leads to anticipation which is good publicity. All are watching and waiting. For free.

Julie--who likes to give credit where it is due

[liarliartieonfire]

30. I agree with you JNelson6563:

Kerry is a methodical type. He knows who it will be. And so does his running mate.
He's content to play the game smart, close to the chest on this one.

He's doing it for the momentum as well as for the freaky Repugs. He's watching them do the "wet my pants dance". By waiting, Kerry controls their spin.

Love it.

[DFLforever]

32. I agree with those who say Kerry's choice is already made

and I think he'll announce it sooner, rather than later, probably by Memorial Day. They'll want some excitement preceding the July convention. Things are a bit stagnant for Kerry now.

[Kerry Edwards 2004]

33. Change the Tone of The Media Coverage

Announce sooner, rather than later! I want some positive buzz going into the convention. An earlier announcement would also get more volunteers going in the same direction. The arguments about who is the best VP choice keeps us divided. We all need to be able to get behind the "real" ticket asap.

[VOX]

35. Per the New York Times, it will be before Memorial Day weekend...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30716FF3A5D0C778CDDAD0894DC404482
NEW YORK TIMES | NATIONAL DESK | April 4, 2004, Sunday
A Quick and Quiet Search to Fill the Democratic Ticket
Senator John Kerry has told associates that he wants to select a running mate within eight weeks , an accelerated schedule intended to help him raise money and respond to a bombardment of attacks from President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney...
<snip>

[GreenPartyVoter]

37. Let it be soon, and let it be Dennis

[tritsofme]

39. Only if we want a 1984 redux. nt

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

40. It will make sense for him to wait until all the states have had their

primaries.

[beyurslf]

41. I think he should pick the Veep soon.

Get that person out there raising money and spreading the message. Bush has his team out and Kerry needs to get out a team too.