Potential Vice Presidents

[midnight armadillo]

Ok, putting aside Dean/Clark or Clark/Dean combos, what people in the Dem party outside of the pres candidates do y'all see as potential VP candidates? How about Jesse Jackson, Jr.?

[goobergunch]

1. Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) (n/t)

[Padraig18]

2. Bob Graham, Dick Durbin, Patty Murray, Russ Feingold, John Edwards.

Lots of good VP material out there...

[midnight armadillo]

3. Russ Feingold

Hmm, interesting choice. I hadn't thought of him, and come to think of it I haven't heard much about him recently.

[zulchzulu]

11. Keep Russ in the Senate!

[goobergunch]

14. I strongly concur. (n/t)

[NewJerseyDem]

7. Murray and Feingold have to run for reelection in 2004

I don't know what the law is in their states but it will certainly complicate their reelection efforts. Both are kind of vulnerable, particularly Murray, and we don't want to hurt their reelection when the senate is so close.

Also, Murray's comments about Osama Bin Laden will certainly be unfairly used against her if she is the vice presidential nominee.

[jsw_81]

31. Not Murray

I live in the state of Washington, but believe me, it's extremely unlikely that we'll ever see Patty Murray on our ticket. She doesn't come across very well on television, and unfortunately she's made some rather stupid comments in the past. But keep your eye on my state's junior senator, Maria Cantwell. I wouldn't be surprised to see her on the ticket someday.

[adamrsilva]

4. Definitely Bob Graham

Best choice for Dean after Clark, anyway. Southern, foreign policy expericence, he wants it, Dean has him on his list...

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. I like Graham and Dick Durbin. n/t

[texasmom]

40. Yes! Graham and Durbin

are my two top choices, too. Background, experience, and geographic advantages.

[Sean Reynolds]

6. Dean/Braun

[ringmastery]

8. not feasible

She has a shady ethical past.

We aren't even getting into whether America is ready to shed its racist past for a african american on the ticket, yet alone a woman.

This election is too important to take chances.

[Alex146]

13. a shady ethical past?

any more info on that?

[mouse7]

29. Charges were typical neo-con crap

There was a several thousand dollars in CMBs mother estate that got mixed up in CMB's accounts when CMB was handling her mother's finances while her mother was in a nursing home. The neo-cons blew it all out of freakin' proportion like they do anything.

The only "legit" charge against CMB was visiting an African dictator that was a legit human rights violator. A legit screw up, but something a white male (particlarly a conservative one) would have been allowed to apologize for and have it disappear from memory.

[jsw_81]

32. Even if the charges were totally false...

She would still be tainted forever. Plus she's a black female, and unfortunately America isn't ready for a black female president or vice president. We'd get crushed in November if she were on the ticket. Sadly, the same thing would happen if Jesse Jackson Jr. were on the ticket. The only black person with a good chance of winning a national election at this point is Colin Powell, and unfortunately he's sold his soul to the GOP.

[TeacherCreature]

45. she has a past that was smeared by a dirty election campaign

screw them.

[pasadenaboy]

9. IF Dean or Clark is the nominee

there best choice (leaving out each other) is Edwards.

Edwards is great on TV, is southern, has charisma and charm.

As a Dean supporter, I would say Edwards is a better pick for him than anyone, even Clark.

[TexasSissy]

24. Not Edwards for Clark. Two southern moderates won't work.

Clark would most be helped by someone from the north.

Wait a minute. Hold on, there. Both Clinton & Gore were from the south, weren't they? Hmmmmm.

[hellhathnofury]

27. Yeup.

[zulchzulu]

10. John Edwards/Bill Bradley/John Breaux/Joe Biden...

[ncrainbowgrrl]

12. Senator John Breaux

Moderate Democrat, plays well with others, would do well to balance the perceived weakness of a Dean candidacy, and as a southerner, could help to get the vote in the south!also-As he's retiring from the senate already, no seats would be lost...

[Padraig18]

17. Breaux would be an excellent choice!

:)

[TexasSissy]

20. Breaux was co-sponsor of that awful Medicare bill. Political suicide.

It would be political suicide to put Breaux on the ticket at VP at this time, since he co-sponsored that awful Medicare "reform" bill that was written by the pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies.

[amazona]

39. it wouldn't be political suicide for a couple reasons

First off, sad to say, at this moment in time, a great many people still believe the "reform" was just peachy, and it will be quite some while before its full effects are felt -- if it is ever fully implemented without further tinkering.

Second off, the bill is supposed to bring (if I recall the number correctly) $60 million dollars in federal matching funds to Louisiana's charity hospital system. This is badly needed money in a relatively poor state. As a Louisiana Senator, it's Breaux's job to cut deals that bring the cash here. All Senators would do the same if they had the power and the deal-making expertise.

Breaux is widely recognized for his ability to build bridges and create coalitions. He is popular. He is not disliked for his role in trying to craft some reform, especially in the area of health care -- he is admired for it!

I don't necessarily agree with many of his decisions but as I said on another discussion I think Clark/Breaux for one is an unstoppable combination.

Also keep in mind -- if we have someone on the ticket who is widely respected by Big Industry then they have less reason to throw the election to the other side. If Big Pharma and Big Oil really don't care who gets the White House, then they have less incentive to be involved in any funny business. Just a thought.

[amazona]

33. i agree NT

.

[hellhathnofury]

28. Breaux is oil dirty too, I think.

I don't like Breaux, he votes with the Reps alot.

[rock]

15. Hilary Clinton

Though it may be hard to get her to compromise on her promise to run the course on her term as senator.

[TexasSissy]

21. She's Prez material, isn't she?

[Capn Sunshine]

25. BILL Clinton

THAT would drive ythe wingnuts into a complete spinning howling lather beyond all proportion

[R3dD0g]

16. What about House members?

My favorite of the current crop is Henry Waxman!!!

Hank kicks ass!

[jsw_81]

34. Waxman has zero chance

He's far too liberal, doesn't come across very well on television, and represents what is possibly the most liberal district in the country (Beverly Hills, CA). I think he's a terrific representative, but we'd get creamed if we ever put him on the ticket. The only current representatives that I would consider for the national ticket are Gephardt, Spratt, and a few others, including Kind of Wisconsin and Davis of Florida.

[Eric J in MN]

18. John Edwards would be great. Can you imagine him debating Cheney?

Edwards emphasizes populism the most of the candidates.

I'd like to see him debate Cheney, who makes millions from Halliburton, and whose stock options are going up thanks to the no-bid Iraq projects.

[TexasSissy]

22. Agree. Edwards would be great with Kerry as Prez.

But I don't think he'd bring anything to the ticket for Clark, Dean, or Gephardt. Well, maybe Gephardt.

But doesn't look like Kerry will win the nomination. Of course, ANYTHING can happen in politics. It ain't over 'til it's over.

[Eric J in MN]

23. For Clark, an Edwards vp would add economic populism and

For Clark, an Edwards vp would add economic populism and reinforce that Clark is a Southerner.

The Democrats won in 1992 and 1996 with 2 Southerners on the ticket.

[jsw_81]

37. Yes

But don't forget that Edwards is a freshman senator. Do we really want to put a freshman senator up against Big Time, a man who's been in Washington since the Nixon administration?

I think we'd be much better off with Graham or Richardson.

[TexasSissy]

19. Spitzer, the NY Attorney General.

[mouse7]

26. CMB

It's very, very sad that y'all are not considering her as a VP candidate.

The Dems are supposed to be the party of diversity. A bunch of white guys and a white woman who was married to a white guy President is not practicing diversity.

[jsw_81]

42. We ARE the party of diversity

Remember, the Democratic party is the only party that ever nominated a woman (Ferraro) or a Jew (Lieberman) for national office, it's the first party to appoint a female Attorney General (Reno), the first party to appoint a female Secretary of State (Albright), and the first party to elect a female to its Congressional leadership (Pelosi). And Democratic presidents, namely Bill Clinton, have appointed more black, Hispanic, Asian, female, and gay/lesbian appointees than all the other presidents combined. We've also elected far more female governors (Granholm, Napolitano, Minner, Sebelius, Blanco, Richards, Kunin etc.) than the Republicans, we're the only party to ever elect a black governor (Wilder), and the only party to elect an Asian-American governor (Locke) outside Hawaii. When it comes to diversity, the Democrats can't be beat.

As for Carol Moseley Braun, the fact is that she was involved in all kinds of scandals during her Senate term and ended up losing her seat in a Democratic state during a year when most Democrats won handily. It would be foolish to put someone like that on our ticket unless you want Bush to win. And sadly, America just isn't ready for a black president or vice president with the possible exception of Colin Powell who would, in my opinion, win the election handily under the banner of either party.

[zulchzulu]

43. Too much dirt on CMB

She's been getting a free pass. People in Illinois HATE her for a number of scandals.

I was in Chicago last August doing a film shoot of the AFL-CIO debate and was very puzzled by people who would boo very loudly whenever she talked in the debate (this was at a location that aied the debate).

It turns out she did a number of things that pissed off many people. One story is about how she took 9 months to go to Paris to "check out the educational system there" and stayed at 5-star hotels and was wined and dined. Meanwhile, Chicago went through some strikes and other problems. She then came back empty-handed without any solutions. The little soiree cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars and they got nothing for it.

She should stick to getting gigs such as ambassador to New Zealand. Period.

[jsw_81]

30. My favorites:

Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL)

Bob Graham is arguably the most popular politician in Florida, having served two terms as governor and three terms as U.S. senator following a successful career in business. A Harvard Law School graduate, Graham currently serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee and has been one of the Bush administration's most vocal critics, attacking Bush on everything from the war in Iraq to the phony war on terrorism. And at 67, Graham would definitely add a certain amount of "gravitas" to a Dean ticket, much like Cheney did with Bush in 2000.

Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM)

Virtually everyone would agree that Bill Richardson has one of the finest resumes of any political figure in the country. He served several terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, served as U.N. Ambassador and Secretary of Energy under President Clinton, and now serves as governor of his home state of New Mexico. That's a rare combination of legislative, foreign policy, plus executive experience that you just don't see very often. Plus Richardson is Hispanic, and if we were to nominate the first Hispanic vice presidential nominee we would almost certainly sweep the Southwest, taking NM, AZ, NV, and possibly FL. If Dean can hold on to the Gore states and take the Southwest, he's going to the White House (even if he should lose the entire South).

Gen. Wesley Clark

Like Richardson, Clark has compiled one of the finest resumes in the country. He was first in his class at West Point, a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, a Vietnam veteran, a four-star general in the U.S. Army, and NATO Commander. He's also been a successful businessman in the private sector. Although Clark has denied any vice presidential ambitions, he would definitely be an enormous help to any Dean ticket, and might even help put Arkansas back in the Democratic column. I personally feel that Clark would be better suited to be Secretary of Defense (or maybe even governor of Arkansas in '06), but you can bet that Clark will be at the top of the governor's list of potential running mates if he should win our nomination this summer.

Dark horses for vice president: Sen. John Edwards (D-NC), Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

[oasis]

35. Kerry/Edwards or Clark/Edwards. This would snuff Hillary's hopes

a future presidency because he would be the next in line. Having a "Hillary-on-the-horizon" proof ticket would be a big plus for 2004.

BTW, I adore Hillary, but sadly, America is not ready for her.

[SCB]

36. The strongest VP's are

Richardson, Edwards, and Gov. Ed Rendell of PA

[wndycty]

38. Give it to Durbin and let Blago appoint CMB Senator from IL

. . .and then with Barack Obama we have two African Americans from Illinois.

:kick:

[Fleshdancer]

41. What about former Ambassadors?

Are there any good ones out there? Wilson?

[revcarol]

44. I like the premise of this thread, that we should look for leaders.

I HATE the threads on "who would be a good vp for Dean, or Clark,or....!!!!!

That is just planning the media's game.

[GBD4]

46. Graham / Nelson

Bob Graham

dark horse: Sen Bill Nelson of FL

Graham has won five statewide races comfortably, Nelson has won three, Nelson is younger by about five years and has already been contacted by three or four of the candidates

[sabbat hunter]

47. bob graham

is bob graham running for senate reelection this year. (assuming his seat is coming up)
i would be worried a bit about his health, with recent heart surgery. with cheney and his health problems we need to have a VP candidate that is healthy and vibrant, a sharp contrast to the smirky, smarmy and possibly unhealthy, cheney.


peace
david
:hippie: