Vice President Gephardt

[gottaB]

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I know what he did in MO

when the labor unions endorsed Dean. It was mean and anti-union.

[11cents]

2. He engineered the Democratic cave-in on the war resolution

When Biden and Lugar were trying to push through a more restrictive resolution, Gephardt did a private deal with the Bush regime. Stabbed them in the back. Bleah.

[Colin Ex]

3. Gephardt would be awesome.

It'd balance out Kerry's perceived elitism, plus give unions and blue collar labor a good reason to endorse the ticket.

A winning choice, in my opinion.

-C

[chimpymustgo]

12. Gephardt would be awesome...for Bush.

Unions and labor unions will endorse the Democratic ticket. Gephardt brings ZERO star power and energy. He and Kerry would be dull and duller. Kerry has wonderful gifts and will make a fantastic President, but he needs some dynamism on his ticket.

Kerry/Edwards '04. And beyond...

[JHBowden]

4. Head: Yes. Heart: No.

It makes sense electorally, but it could be a kick in the balls for a lot of people.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Gephardt's appearance in the Rose Garden with Bush angered me, but...

I have always felt that he did it primarily to protect his fellow House members in the upcoming Congressional elections from the inevitable Republican attacks on their patriotism.

He seems like a very decent man who has given many great stem-winding and powerful closing speeches in the House to rally the troops for an uncoming crucial vote. And you have to admire a man whose net worth so little--who evidently has not cashed in--like so many others in powerful positions in the government.

[AntiCoup2K4]

6. Another Bush-blowing DLC traitor who helped destroy this party.......

Stay retired Dick. We don't want you and we sure as Hell don't need you.

[Finch]

17. No way is he a DLC'er...

...get your facts right man!

Gephardt is economically one of the most liberal members of congress, he would bring nothing to any ticket however and would not help balance Kerry in anyway... it would be like Dukakis choosing Mondale (without the VP experience) as his runningmate... if Kerry did this, boy would that be a death nell... but calling him a DLC'er is just baloney, Gephardts been wrong too often however and is too much of a partisan on many issues to appeal to moderates...


...Then again I have no problem with the DLC and agree with them a great deal..

[quinnox]

7. No problems with it

Gephardt like the others has pluses and minuses.

I am cool with Gephardt, Clark or Edwards getting the vp slot. The one I don't want to see is Graham because I don't think he would add much.

[legin]

8. Prefer Sponge Bob n/t

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. Gephardt is too associated with the failures of the past

and he generated no enthusiasm on the campaign.

[Padraig18]

10. No, thank you.

:puke:

[Nicholas_J]

11. Gephardt is the best choice

strategically. He can bring in more of the states that are critical for Kerry to win in order to win in the electoral college, and the states in which Kerry is running closest to Bush, and which are too close to call. In most of the south, Bush is too far ahead fot Kerry to try to gain states through a win the south strategy, but he is beating Bush in most midwestern states, or is only a few points behind Bush in polls where Bush is ahead in the midwest. There are simply more double states in the south where Bush has double digit leads over Kerry, but that is not so in the rust belt, the great lakes area, and most of the midwest. Edwards cannot deliver a large number of southern states for Kerry, and is given the percentages of the vote he took in most of the states that Kerry needs to focus on, he will not be as much of an asset to Kerry's campaign than Gephardt would be. Edwards lacks of experience is something else that the Bush machine will be able to attack Edwards on, plus Edwards ran a relatively shallow campaign and his lack of experience and knowledge in many of the critical political areas in which there are big problem were very obvious. He was really unable to speak in depth and at length about foreign affars and national security and most of his campaign was limited to very catchy phrases and buzzwords that made the public feel good about him, but didnt necessrily translate into ability, Gephard has considerable experience in those areas, and will not be as easily thrown by Rovian tactics as Edwards would be.

Kerry will have a hard time with a "must win the south" strategy, which he obviously is not playing. Kerry seems to be playing a strategy of winning the largest electoral vote states, and right now he stands well in that arena, as he now carries most of the largest states, and does so with double digit leads on Bush. All that is needed is for Kerry to bring Ohio, and Wisconsin firmly into the democratic fold, and move Illinois from a state that is leaning towards Kerry (strongly and consistantly I mght add, but not yet a certainty), and then a Kerry win becomes a downhill race.

Tom Vilsack could also do a good job of brining a necessary region firmly onto Kerry's side, but Iowa is already leaning towards Kerry, and while Vilsack could firm that up, it would be nice to see Gephardt bring Missouri over from leaning towards Bush to Kerry.

[chimpymustgo]

13. Hi Nick!!! But disagree about Gep. What states could he bring?

He only represents a Congressional district in Missouri, and couldn't even win the Iowa Caucuses. Gephardt, is a good man, I'm sure. But he's a loser. We need some energy, some charisma - some John Reid Edwards.

Yes, he's a tad short on experience - but Kerry's got that. What Kerry doesn't have is that sunny glow, that "likeability" aura that I think he gets when he and Edwards are together.

A decision like this is made by trying to assess intangibles. I do trust Kerry to make a good pick.

[JHBowden]

15. Gep takes Michigan out of play,

tips close rust belt states Pennsylvania and Ohio in our favor, and puts Missouri, another swing state, in play.

Gephardt was moderate in the war, and is populist on trade issues. Hence he would bring in new voters to Kerry from the right and the left.

I personally loathe Gephardt for what he did in the Rose Garden. However, while Geppy is a putz, he hasn't tried to channel unborn children or anything wacky.

[nickinSTL]

14. He can bring in more of the states

Which states?

I have my doubts that Gep can even deliver Missouri.

He's popular enough in the Democratic areas in/around St. Louis, and probably in KC as well, but the rural voters probably don't like him.

You know, the ones who voted in the f*^%ing insane majority in the MO legislature.

[NoPasaran]

16. Colder than cold

Think liquid nitrogen