Burnt Orange Report

Now that it looks like we've got our presidential matchup, The Nation has kicked off a renewed discussion about who Kerry might pick to run as his vice-president, suggesting:

But, if Kerry is as smart as he has proven to be so far in this campaign, he won't play the old game of picking a running mate who might – emphasis on "might" -- help him carry a particular battleground state. Rather, he will follow the lead of Carter in 1976 and Bill Clinton in 1992 and pick a vice presidential prospect who helps to energize the party's base voters nationally, and who add ideas and energy to a ticket that will be needing more of both those commodities.

It suggests one possibility from TX:

* Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett, one of the savviest and most effective members of the current Congress. He's a former state Supreme Court Justice with a great legal mind. And wouldn't it be interesting to hear a Texas-accented voice explaining the folly of the war with Iraq, the Patriot Act and other Bush initiatives?

Unless he has a skeleton in his closet or an intern under his desk, it's just gotta be Bill Richardson.
He's too perfect to pass up.

Lloyd Doggett? You've gotta be kidding me. The guy comes across as a total wimp.

Doggett would be the worst VP I have heard of yet.

I suspect that the veep sweepstakes shapes up in this order.

1) Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana
2) Senator Bill Nelson of Florida
3) Senator John Edwards of North Carolina
4) Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico
5) Mayor Ed Rendell of Philly
6) Former Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska
7) Governor Janey Napolatino of Arizona
8) Senator John Breaux of Louisiana
9) Former Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia
10)Congressman Richard Gephardt of Missouri

How would Gore have energized the Democratic base in 1992. It seems to me he was picked to win southern states.

Kathleen Sebelius for Vice President.

Tex XX once again has his head up his ass (that's ASS-- spelled A-S-S). Does he really think Kathleen Sebulius (latest Ohio Poll numbers: 38 favorable; 41 unfovorable) is better than anyone on my list? She is probably better than Nader, but worse than Zell Miller.

5) Mayor Ed Rendell of Philly

In case you missed the 2002 elections, Ed Rendell is now governor of PA.
http://www.governor.state.pa.us/governor/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=432652

BTW, Evan Bayh is just hopelessly smug. He is a Hoosier version of Al Gore, but minus the wit and charm.

TimZ got me.

Ed is the Governor.

Still, has anyone put out a list as good as mine?

Also, Bayh can probably win his home state and maybe Mizzo. Electoral math is impotant.

Does anyone else disagree with my list?

bayh cant win indiana. also, his senate seat would turn GOP

Polls show that Bayh is the second most popular pol in Indiana. But yeah, David is probably right. Why risk a Senate special election just to win the Presidency?

I'm surprised that more people haven't mentioned Sen. Breaux as a possibility. He is wildly popular across party lines in his home state of Louisiana, and thus, his presence on the ticket could carry the state (and deliver the election to Kerry.) Furthermore, Breaux is a centrist who could take the "Massachusetts liberal" edge off of Kerry, and could appeal to voters in key swing states. Beyond that, Breaux has no presidential ambitions of his own, thus clearing the way for Hillary Clinton in '12 (and keeping the Clintonistas strongly united with the party this time around.) Frankly, I think Al Gore should've picked Breaux in 2000. But, that's water under the Tri-Borough by now (yep, I'm a northeasterner-- not even from Breaux's region, but well aware of his standing.) I would be thrilled to see a Kerry/Breaux ticket this year.