Dean's running mate

[Demrepdan]

Leip didn't have a problem with John, so I can't imagine him having a problem with, well, almost anything, but certainly not all this.

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Dave is an extremely mysterious man.....he pops in and out of the threads...and you rarely see him...he's like the man behind the curtain....

[cyberdelicat]

Dean's running mate should be former Senator Sam Nunn, or Bill Richardson.

[12th Doctor]

Dean's running mate should be former Senator Sam Nunn, or Bill Richardson.

Hey, welcome to the forum.  I hope you have fun with us.  Don't be shy about posting.

Richardson I think is probably still a possiblity.  Dean may be trying for a Southwest Strategy.  The other possiblities that I see are Clark, Edwards and Feingold.  There are others though.  It depends on what happens between now and the convention.  Although, I noticed in the debate today that Edwards was very careful not to attack Dean.  That maybe because he knows he can't draw away support from him, though, and would have an easier time drawing support from Gepheart and Liebermann.  Who knows?

[jravnsbo]

Welcome.

I don't think Richardson will take it, he has said he wouldn't in the past.  

Nunn is an interesting choice inteh heart of the South, with foriegn policy experience, but doesn't carry any states.

Dean's running mate should be former Senator Sam Nunn, or Bill Richardson.

[jravnsbo]

Edwards , Richardson said no to VP already and Clark said it pretty emphativally yesterday on Meet the Press.

Edwards isn't attacking anyone, trying to play the nice guy for some reason.

Dean's running mate should be former Senator Sam Nunn, or Bill Richardson.

Hey, welcome to the forum.  I hope you have fun with us.  Don't be shy about posting.

Richardson I think is probably still a possiblity.  Dean may be trying for a Southwest Strategy.  The other possiblities that I see are Clark, Edwards and Feingold.  There are others though.  It depends on what happens between now and the convention.  Although, I noticed in the debate today that Edwards was very careful not to attack Dean.  That maybe because he knows he can't draw away support from him, though, and would have an easier time drawing support from Gepheart and Liebermann.  Who knows?

[swampdude]

After yesterday's debate, I have little doubt that Edwards would be Dean's first choice for  VP.  I thought they were going to have a group hug in the studio there for a minute.  Dean must suck up to the South and quick.  Edwards has the proper accent.  I think he will surely change his tune about not accepting the VP slot.  They all do.

[Mort from NewYawk]

As far as electoral politics, Bob Graham would be an obvious choice.

Graham, the Democratic senator from Florida who quit the presidential race, may have been positioning himself as VP choice long before Edwards.

If Dean can get Florida and run enough of a campaign to avoid losing the Far West and Northeast states, Bush would have to carry a significant number of Great Lake States (more than just Ohio and Indiana) to win.

[Gustaf]

As far as electoral politics, Bob Graham would be an obvious choice.

Graham, the Democratic senator from Florida who quit the presidential race, may have been positioning himself as VP choice long before Edwards.

If Dean can get Florida and run enough of a campaign to avoid losing the Far West and Northeast states, Bush would have to carry a significant number of Great Lake States (more than just Ohio and Indiana) to win.

If Dean wins Florida and keeps everything Gore got, he would win 287-251. So yes, Bush would be in trouble. But the states that Gore carried very narrowly in 2000 account for a total of 39 EVs (not counting PA), so it could easily swing back.

[Mort from NewYawk]

Consider that the demographic trend in some battleground states (Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada) continues to shift to the Democrats.

Also, consider that Dean will energize college students like crazy, so key cities in other battleground states with large student populations (like Michigan and PA) could deliver those states for Dean.

So, IF Dean is the nominee, and IF he continues to successfully do his chameleon thing, convincing enough moderate Democrats that he's one of them and can manage foreign policy, he could make it close and possibly upset.

[jravnsbo]

But Graham's numbers dropped significantly in FL as he attacked Bush, especially with the crazy impeachment charges..

As far as electoral politics, Bob Graham would be an obvious choice.

Graham, the Democratic senator from Florida who quit the presidential race, may have been positioning himself as VP choice long before Edwards.

If Dean can get Florida and run enough of a campaign to avoid losing the Far West and Northeast states, Bush would have to carry a significant number of Great Lake States (more than just Ohio and Indiana) to win.

[© tweed]

Dean's running mate should be former Senator Sam Nunn, or Bill Richardson.

I don't know who Sam Nunn is.

Whoever said that Edwards would change his tune about the VP slot, I totally agree.  he would accept even if it just was to keep him alive in 2008.

[jravnsbo]

Sam Nunn was a US Senator From GA.  Very well respected, moderate and has foriegn affairs credentials.

Dean's running mate should be former Senator Sam Nunn, or Bill Richardson.

I don't know who Sam Nunn is.

Whoever said that Edwards would change his tune about the VP slot, I totally agree.  he would accept even if it just was to keep him alive in 2008.

[© tweed]

Okay, Thanks JR.  But was he defeated in a re-election campaign?  Because that would hurt him.

[jravnsbo]

No he retired after a couple of terms.

Okay, Thanks JR.  But was he defeated in a re-election campaign?  Because that would hurt him.

[© tweed]

That makes him a better choice then.

[Gustaf]

That makes him a better choice then.

A moderate southerner sounds good. But probably wouldn't run with Dean. Some people seem to be thinking that if Dean is not ready to give up on his leftist principles, he should pick a running mate who is. But what are the odds? I say he is going all the way.

[jravnsbo]

I know,  Sen Wellstone would have been a perfect fit for Dean.

That makes him a better choice then.

A moderate southerner sounds good. But probably wouldn't run with Dean. Some people seem to be thinking that if Dean is not ready to give up on his leftist principles, he should pick a running mate who is. But what are the odds? I say he is going all the way.

[Michael Z]

How about Sen. Max Cleland as Dean's running mate? From the South, war hero, good foreign policy credentials...

[Gustaf]

How about Sen. Max Cleland as Dean's running mate? From the South, war hero, good foreign policy credentials...

That does sound very good. On the other hand, is Dean tactical enough to join forces with the "Republican wing of the Democratic party"? I doubt it.

[jravnsbo]

Except he wouldn't vote for homeland defense dept which helped lead to his defeat.

How about Sen. Max Cleland as Dean's running mate? From the South, war hero, good foreign policy credentials...

[Michael Z]

Except he wouldn't vote for homeland defense dept which helped lead to his defeat.

How about Sen. Max Cleland as Dean's running mate? From the South, war hero, good foreign policy credentials...

He's no longer a senator? Dang, I must have missed that.

[jravnsbo]

Defeated in 2002, by now Senator Saxby Chambliss, who was  a House member.

Except he wouldn't vote for homeland defense dept which helped lead to his defeat.

How about Sen. Max Cleland as Dean's running mate? From the South, war hero, good foreign policy credentials...

He's no longer a senator? Dang, I must have missed that.

[Inmate Trump]

Defeated in 2002, by now Senator Saxby Chambliss, who was  a House member.

Yea, Cleland won't be anyone's running mate now, not after he lost in 2002.  Maybe if he hadn't been defeated...

Just like Roy Barnes, the former governor here who was also defeated in 2002.  Barnes was at one time considered a possible presidential candidate.  Not anymore.  bwahahaha.  That's right: takin' 'em out one by one here in Georgia.

[NHPolitico]

Assuming that Dean will receive the Democratic nomination (and that still hangs in the balance, no matter what the polls say), who do you think will or should be his Vice Presidential candidate?

If you support someone else for the nomination, or think someone other than Dean will win the primaries, then by all means let us know who their running mate should be.

Dean should pick Dianne Feinstein or Bob Graham. Either would fill gaps and make him more electable.

[NHPolitico]

It depends on whether Dean is the crazy liberal the reps make him out to be. If he is pragmatic he will balance the ticket with someone more to the right, like Clark or Lieberman. If he is going to go all the way he will chose a cloned version of himself. Reagan chose Schweiker in 1976 in a desperate attempt to sway liberal republicans over to his side at the convention but it didn't work. Then he chose Bush the second time, who was arguably close to him. Usually a candidate makes a pragmatic choice, but you never know with Dean...

I think that recent history is to choose someone close to you ideologically. Gore in 2000 was more liberal than the Gore of 1992 but less than the Gore of 2003, and he picked another DLCer. Clinton picked a DLCer. Dole chose a fellow conservative. Bush did, too.  Dean will pick an anti-war VP who supports civil unions. Any controversial view he has will be echoed by his VP. That's my prediction. I don't think it's altogether a stupid plan for Dean. Be who you are and don't run away from it. If you try to run away from it, you lose anyway, but lose tired.