The sad state of our minority and woman's bench

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First, this isn't about Kerry. No one would have any better luck finding a woman or minority with which to run. But it is profoundly sad that on Kerry's short list there is no African American, probably no women, and only one Hispanic. The short list appears to be Richardson, Graham, Edwards, Clark, Gephardt, and Richardson. Other than Richardson, who is quite unlikely a pick, all are white males. Again, no candidate would have that different of a list. Edwards might have Dean and Kerry, Dean might have Kerry, Gephard might have had Dean and Kerry, but pretty much the same list otherwise.

The sad thing is that especially with African Americans the problem is a very tough one. First, it is very hard for an African American to rise from the typical offices they get to statewide ones. Big city mayors tend to either have mixed records due to the toughness of those jobs or engender huge union problems due to having to deal with unions to balance budgets. African American Congressman tend to represent very liberal districts and thus have a hard time advancing. The only states to elect African American Democrats to state wide offices are Illinois (Comptroller and Senate), Virgina (Governor), and New York (Comptroller).

Women are doing better, Feinstein would be on any short list but for the Republican replacement that would befall us. Lincoln would be as well but for her running for reelection. We still could see Murray or Landrieu or Shaheen. But none of those are likely. In a few years we could see Stebenow, Kansas' governor, or Nepolintano. But now the cupard is bare. And that is kind of sad in 2004 some 20 years after Ferraro ran.