Some possible VP picks for Kerry (Southern women)

[bluestateguy]

IF he wins the nomination, of course...

Kerry will need to pick a southerner to balance the ticket, but I think a lot could come from adding a woman to the ticket. It would add some excitement to the ticket and represent a nice contrast to the good ol' boy Bush-Cheney ticket (no, Cheney will not be dumped). Southern women are also harder to demonize as radical feminists. Some possible picks.

Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana: LA has a Dem. gov. to replace her, though a ticket with 2 Catholics might raise eyebrows. She is attractive and a skilled campaigner.

Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas: would be replaced by a Republican governor if elected (as would Kerry), and she is up for reelection this year in Ark. (I don't know what Ark. law says on that), but she has an attractive personality that southerners would find appealing.

I hope Kerry, if nominated, would consider these choices.

[molly]

1. I hope so too although I'm hoping for a Kerry/Edwards

or Kerry/Clark ticket.

[SCantiGOP]

5. agreed, but

I would be happy with Edwards/Kerry, or Kerry/Edwards.

[jsw_81]

2. Kerry/Landrieu

That's a very interesting possibility!

[economic justice]

3. But........

Concerning Mary Landreiu you wrote - "She is attractive and a skilled campaigner."

One other small detail that we might ask ourselves: Is she ready to be president of the United States? I would argue that she is not.

[jsw_81]

14. I'd say she's more than qualified

Mary Landrieu served eight years as a Louisiana state legislator (the youngest woman elected in state history), served eight years as state treasurer, and has served almost eight years in the United States Senate. That's more government experience than Al Gore had when he was selected in 1992.

[economic justice]

23. Comparing her with Gore?

Gore: B.A. from Harvard
Gore: Law degree from Vanderbilt
Gore: Military experience
Gore: U.S. House of Representatives
Gore: United States Senate
Gore: Senate committee chair (16 years in congress)
Gore: Vice President of the United States

Mary Landrieu: B.A. from LSU
Mary Landrieu: Louisiana state legislator
Mary Landrieu: Treasurer in Louisiana
Mary Landrieu: Seven years in U.S. Senate

Comparing Mary Landrieu with AL GORE?????
On edit: In 1992 Gore experience was the same excepting position as Vice President.

[quinnox]

4. No women

This election is too important in my opinion to take a gamble on a woman VP.

[Skidmore]

7. Well, we can't screw it up much more than the men we've

taken gambles on for millennia. Mosley-Braun is right--it's about time for the women to step in and fix the world. You guys have so many chances to get it done right and here we are on the brink of the end of life as we know it.

Not Landrieu though. My idea is someone of the stature of Barbara Jordan, God rest her soul. They don't come much greater than that. What a wonderful human being we lost when she passed on.

[quinnox]

10. Misunderstanding

I will make more clear, a woman VP is too risky in terms of what America voters would accept, it is too untraditional still at this time. Mondale tried it and got stomped.

That said, I am 100% for Hillary Clinton for a run in 2008 as president. (should Bush win in 2004, nightmare scenario) She is one woman who might be able to pull off a win.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. I actually wonder how 9/11 fear of terror will affect this thinking

although it's hard to imagine anybody running around half the continent on Air Force One more than shrub did that day.

[Skidmore]

13. I'm not sure how that impacts such thinking but I do know from

personal experience that women tend to be the ones who hold the hearth and home--which are the foundation of a nation--together when men fight. When the men are done maiming and killing each other, the women bind the wounds, bury the dead, and live with the scars.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

22. Obviously conventional thinking will benefit from a good dialogue

such as you provide. :)

[nancyharris]

9. gamble on a woman VP ??

Just what do your mean by that?

[quinnox]

11. see my post #10

n/t

[leyton]

16. Isn't every VP a gamble?

With Edwards, Kerry would be gambling - Edwards might loosen up the image of the ticket and carry some southern states, but on the other hand, it might hurt to have two senators on the ticket.

With Gore, Clinton took a gamble - he threw regional balance to the wind in the hopes that they could carry southern states. In this case it paid off.

[SaveElmer]

6. Don't need a southerner

Democrats need to look west this year...we have a far better chance if we concentrate more of our efforts in the midwest, west, and southwest, than trying to convince conservative white southerners to go Democratic. Someone like Bill Richardson, or the governor of Arizona Janet Napolitano might be worth a look

[WiseMen]

12. I think movie is "Band of Brothers," Kerry already gets women vote.

His womens issues possition is rock solid. As a practical matter
Kerry need to reach out to the NASCAR dads. But I don't think
Kerry accepts the proposition that you need a "Southerner." He wants someone he can respect as "President" should the unthinkable happens.

[Hoosier Democrat]

15. How about Max Cleland?

Cleland is not only a Southerner, but a bona fide war hero. Can you IMAGINE a debate between a disabled Vietnam Veteran and Heart-Attack harry of the 9 student deferments. Priceless!!

[adadem]

20. My favorite choice is Max n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. How about Cynthia McKinney?

[OHdem10]

18. Women in wartime?

I am not real comfortabley being politically incorrect here. But
since Pres. Bush is insisting we are at war amost people agree with him and the fact that we are perceived as being weak on national Security and Defense, I simply question a woman as a running mate.
Theoretically if something happened to the Pres. she would move in asPres.

How will her voting record be viewed??? We have to be carful.
Polls showed people bvoted for Kerry on pragmatic bsiss. There is not going to be te passion for Kerry. I am not being critical. Polls clearly show Kerry had the head and Dean had the heart. We need to be very careful with the VP slot.

[genius]

19. This is sexist. Why pick a conservative just because she's a woman.

That will only anger liberal women elsewhere. Edwards is great on civil rights.

[Aunt Eunice]

21. How about Kerry/Dole?

That would set some toungues a wagging.

She's pretty moderate, and could be more so once she's on the ticket.

Plus, it would put another R senate seat into play.

[yellowcanine]

24. No Way - You would get McCain before Dole, imo.

Dole is too Republican. If you are going to try and snag a Republican, take a "backbencher" like McCain. And I don't recommend that Kerry try it. We have lots of men and women who would make great vps and contribute to the ticket. The VP selection won't make that much difference anyway - unless someone with a lot of political baggage is selected. Then it can hurt.