As if there was ever any doubt about who Senator John Kerry would pick as his running mate. When Kerry had the nomination locked up, his backers were salivating over the Kerry-Edwards ticket.
We -- Kerry's supporters -- picked senator John Edwards. This is the ticket we want and we'll stand by it as the onslaught of Republican criticism comes.
And the attack has begun for one reason: Edwards is the best choice. If Kerry had picked Senator Evan Bayh, Dick Gephardt, Gen. Wesley Clark, or some unknown governor we'd have silence.
Why? Because no criticism would need to be made. If Kerry had selected anyone else it would have done nothing for him.
Edwards, though, is a popular Southerner, a son of a mill worker whom the media adores. They even crowned him with the title "sexiest politician" in November 2000 in People magazine. Therefore, he must be neutered:
"He's too inexperienced! He's had just one term in the senate!" And how many years did Bush have as governor of Texas? And he was the presidential candidate. Bush's vice president is actually more qualified to be president than he is. Hence all the silly speculation about who's really the President and the talk of Cheney as "one of the most powerful VPs in history."
"Kerry himself said that Edwards didn't have enough experience to be President! By picking him he's proving yet again that he's a 'flip-flopper'!" Pulling out something a rival said about another politician during the primaries and then using it against them during the general election is fun: According to a Dec. 7, 1999 Boston Globe article, Senator Orrin Hatch said to Bush in a debate, "And frankly, I really believe that you need more experience before you become president of the United States. That's why I'm thinking of you as a vice presidential candidate." Dem apples.
"He's a millionaire trial lawyer!" Bush and Cheney are even richer oil men with strong ties to Enron. No-bid Halliburton contract anyone? Besides this is already a failed attack, it didn't work for Edward's senatorial opponent in 1998.
"Kerry really wanted John McCain. Edwards was his second choice!" Both the Kerry campaign and McCain claim that he was never offered the job. It sounds like the two probably talked about the possibility but ultimately decided that with their political differences it just would not work. It was a dream we all knew would never materialize.
"This is solely a political choice. Kerry wants Edwards just to help him win. He should have picked someone that would actually do a decent job in office, like Gephardt." This one's weak. The voters spoke when they discarded Gephardt in the primaries and declared Edwards as their second choice as President. It also suggests that Edwards is incompetent which he is not. Should Kerry die in office Edwards would be fine taking over.
"It's not a balanced ticket. They're both too liberal. Kerry should have picked a moderate." And the Bush-Cheney ticket is balanced? It's only been the most conservative administration of the modern era. Kerry and Edwards are much closer to the center than Bush and Cheney.
I can't wait until the debate between Cheney and Edwards. If Cheney doesn't resort to profanity then it'll be a big disappointment.
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