Kerry VS Edwards

[MAlibdem]

If the race does get down to this two, say, before Super Tuesday (3/2), how does the race turn out?

Can Kerry find charisma to match or quiet Edwards?

Can Edwards demonstrate electibility?

I think those are the two things standing in each's way. I think Edwards will have an easier time overcoming his stigma.

Related to JK's problem-can he be more than one dimensional...all he seems to have (at least buzz wise) is Vietnam and electibility. Will it be enough in the primary? Will it be enough in the GE?

[efront]

1. Kerry's momentum will be tough to

beat, especially if he wins Michigan on Saturday. I really think Kerry's needs to do something terribly stupid not to get the nomination.

[onebigbadwulf]

2. If they were smart... all the dean and clark people

would end up voting for edwards.

[jmaier]

10. Really

Why, pray tell? The fact that they favor their candidate over Kerry doesn't mean they favor any OTHER candidate over Kerry. Speaking as a Clark supporter, I believe that Kerry offers * stiffer competition than Edwards. Why not simply vote for the candidate who is their first preference -- isn't that what primaries are about?

[GreenArrow]

17. if they were really smart, the Clark and Dean people

would end up voting for Kucinich.

But at this point in the game, maybe they should just stick with Clark or Dean.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. They both score highly on issues the AFL-CIO holds dearly

Edwards 96 and Kerry 92, so apparently Kerry is more one dimensional than people think.

Bush can't really use Viet Nam on Kerry as it brings up his own record so that would be stupid.

[MAlibdem]

6. I don't think he's one dimensional

If I did I wouldn't have campaigned for him for 10 hours in NH ;).

I'm talking preceptions, not policy here, the "game," if you will.

[Padraig18]

4. Edwards has already demonstrated electability.

He has done well in Iowa, SC and OK, so far.

[Sandpiper]

5. No offense to Edwards or his supporters

But at this point, I think the guy is Veep material. At the moment he's more of a regional candidate than a national candidate.

[question everything]

15. If he is smart, Edwards will stay away from a V.P. post

A cabinet post in the Kerry administration - maybe.

In recent history V.Ps and V.Ps candidates did not make it to the white house and if they did - like Nixon and Bush I - they ended up to be weak presidents. Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Al Gore, even V.P. candidate Joe Lieberman faded from history after their run. Gore has not yet, but his early support for Dean just finished the process.

As V.Ps they earn the perception of being in the shadow, of doing what they are told and, please, don't make waves or appear as visionaries with fresh ideas. And if there are any scandals, some of this sticks to them by way of association. It is a lose-lose deal, in my opinion, for anyone with higher aspirations.

Edwards is young so he should either wait for 2008 if, god forbids, we are stuck with four more years of Bush, or run in 2012. By then he will be only 58, younger than what Kerry is now.

[ieoeja]

18. Recent History?

How about the entirety of history? Only two sitting VPs have ever been elected President: the first John Adams and the first George Bush.

Each served a single term, was succeeded by a popular two-termer whom they publicly denigrated throughout and saw a son bearing the same first but different middle name attain the presidency for a single term as well.

[Sandpiper]

21. What about

Jefferson and Taft?

[ochazuke]

7. Electability

I think it's strange that Kerry gets such high marks for electability. His momentum has served him well, but he hasn't demonstrated the kind of appeal that Edwards has in the South.

Even if the Democrats don't carry any Southern states, the Democratic candidate will have to appeal to independents in states like Ohio and West Virginia who are a lot like Southerners. Looking at the results so far, Edwards looks stronger on that count. Even Clarks looks stronger than Kerry with those voters.

Let's hope the race will even up so we can test these guys some more.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Spare us another southern Democrat.

Isn't Zell enough? Or, any of the rest of the "moderate" republicans(D) in the party?

[dolstein]

12. Believe it or not, Zell isn't the only Southern Democrat

I don't know what your obsession with Zell is all about, but there are plenty of good Democrats down there.

And the fact is, if it weren't for Southern Democrats, the Republicans would be celebrating their 35th consecutive year in the White House.

[question everything]

16. So far only one southern state held a primary

We need at least one more - VA and TN this Satruday - to see which one has a wider appeal.

[colonel odis]

19. with all due respect

lbj, jimmy carter, and bill clinton -- the last three democratic presidents -- were southern democrats.

i don't recall hearing "president" before the names humphrey, mondale, or dukakis.

i believe john edwards would be much harder for w. to beat. edwards would come out of left field and w. wouldn't know what hit him. all of w's frighten the rednecks techniques would be rendered useless.

[Sandpiper]

22. You can believe that if you like

edwards would come out of left field and w. wouldn't know what hit him.

But unless Edwards does some serious pandering to the evangelical, racist, and homophobic vote, he'll still lose most if not all of the southern states.

[colonel odis]

23. i believe and i like

i think perhaps we have a different view of southerners.

if the massachusetts court says gays can marry, the white house will turn carson from queer eye into this year's willie horton.

[TakebackAmerica]

9. Don't forget Clark

Wes Clark solidified his status as a top tier contender for the Democratic nomination by winning the Oklahoma primary and finishing second in Arizona, New Mexico and North Dakota. He landed more first- and second-place finishes than any other candidate beside John Kerry. Before departing to campaign in Tennessee, Clark told a cheering crowd of supporters, "I leave Oklahoma even more full of hope and even more committed to building an even better America."

snip....
http://www.clark04.com/story/103/

[underpants]

13. Actually he tied for second in Delaware (that is 4 seconds)

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/net/20040204/capt.ea26afa0ac3b5079415972b716cbb5e2

[rucky]

11. It's all about "electibility" and Kerry's not from the South

so the people who believe Kerry can't win because he's not from the South have decided to go with Edwards.

the real question is, how many Edwards supporters would not vote for Kerry in the GE?

[colonel odis]

20. i'd possibly look for a 3rd party candidate.

too much patrician skull and bones going on between bush and kerry.

[THUNDER HANDS]

14. Kerry will win out over Edwards

Eventually, people will just go with Kerry figuring that Edwards will eventually be his VP anyway.