Kerry/Vilsack would have beaten Bush/Cheney

[Nym90]

Kerry would have won Iowa if he had chosen Vilsack, or New Mexico if he had picked Richardson, but those are the only states in which a VP nominee would have likely made any difference. Possibly also Reid in Nevada.

Maybe taking Graham could have won Florida for Kerry and thus the election, but I don't think he would have made enough of a difference in Florida. I don't think Gephardt could have won Missouri for Kerry.

Unfortunately there was no one from Ohio who was experienced enough to make a good VP (John Glenn was too old); neither Strickland nor Brown would have been ready for prime time.

[Nym90]

I personally think Kerry was more of a problem than Edwards. It wasn't Edwards's fault that Kerry couldn't make up his mind on the war, it wasn't Edward's fault that Kerry had huge descrepencies and flip-flops within his Senate record, and it isn't Edwards's fault that the Democratic party hasn't yet learned that New England senators make for terrible presidential candidates.

I for one think the ticket could have been far better had it been backwards with Edwards on top and Kerry as the VP. I know a lot of people that said they liked Edwards, but not enough to vote for Kerry.

Yes, I think that an Edwards/Kerry ticket would have beaten Bush/Cheney. Edwards would have been able to win Ohio, I believe, and perhaps also some other swing states.