Rumor--Kerry to pick PA-Ed Rendell

[59millionmorons]

I posted a rumor last knight about Evan Bayh being a possible pick and people went nuts and questioned my source. Today it was confirmed. Thye latest from CNN TV, is Ed Rendell. Being from PA myself I have mixed feelings. One of my problems is that the Dems already likely have PA, Rendell would nail it for the Dems. I think we should look elsewere to a state we need.

[Rowdyboy]

1. Doesn't PA have a very controversial, 70 something Lt Gov?

[goobergunch]

18. Yeah, Catherine Baker Knoll

I distinctly remember my very liberal history teacher's displeasure at her being nominated for Lt. Gov.

[jmaier]

2. My best guess is that it is going to be Gephardt

He's a solid, unflashy sort who won't upstage Kerry. He doesn't take a seat away from Democrats in the Senate or governorships. He is a decent campaigner. It will be perceived that he will help in MO and throughout the midwest -- the real battleground in '04 since the south is generally hopeless.

[msanger]

3. a little arrogant?

I think somehting like 10% of the delegates have been selected, and Kerry is already talking about his VP? Seems to be a little ahead of himself, if you ask me.

[59millionmorons]

7. Oh come on

As you can see I am a Clark supporter, but you don't have to hit me in the face with a frying pan to know Clark,Edwards nor Dean are going to win.

[ShaneGR]

4. Not gonna happen....

Rendell is too fresh of a Governor in PA, and we have that State anyways.

[D G]

5. Could you please clarify something?

What do you mean by saying "Today it was confirmed" - you don't mean the VP pick was confirmed, do you?

[59millionmorons]

6. No, just the rumor was confirmed

by another source. Some people questioned my source last night with good reason(Mickey Kaus) but it was also brought up by an analyse on CNN today.

[mdguss]

10. Rendell's only been Gov. for 2 years:

He is a good guy and a good Governor. He's had a hard time with the Republican legislature and some of his plans are still sitting around. These facts--and the fact that his Lt. Gov. Katherine Baker Knoll has alienated lots of people within the Democratic party is the reason not to pick him. Really, this is Rendell's fault, in Pennsylvania, the Lt. Gov. and Gov. run seperately in the primary and together in the general election. There was a nine person race (really three viable candidates) for Lt. Gov. in 2002. Rather than picking a person (either st. Sens. Jack Wagner or Alan Kuckovich, Rendell laid off). So Knoll won with 29% of the vote--mainly from the rural areas; Wagner beat her in their home base of Pittsburgh.

Knoll can probably be a fine Governor. But some influential people that we need on our side (Republican/really a Democrat Treasurer Barbara Hafer and many other local activists don't like her). Hafer and Knoll are especially big rivals. Hafer backed Rendell in 2002 and is seen as the likely Democratic nominee for US Senate in 2006, but a Rendell on the ticket would put her in a corner when it comes to backing the Democrat. (She's said some extremely negative things about Knoll. Hafer is a pro-choice liberal Republican; Knoll is a pro-life conservative Democrat--there in lies their rivalry).

If Rendell is on the ticket, these people are staring in the face of a Governor they don't want. Therefore, Rendell cannot be picked for VP. If Wagner or Kuckovich had one it'd be fine, and he'd be viable Vice Presidential candidate. But Rendell choose to stay out of it, and ended up with Knoll.

[arcos]

17. I believe Hafer officially switched parties...

she's a Democrat now.

[Bombtrack]

8. Kerry is supposed to have an advantage in PA

it's the only swingstate other than NH where it's obvious he might have a boost from his Heinz connection. All the other vp ideas other than Graham are dumb.

We can't just write off Florida. We rightfully won it the last time.

[fujiyama]

9. Are you sure we have PA?

Pa is absolutely vital for dems to win in Nov. I'm pretty sure Bush will pour a ton of money into that state, because aside from Philly and Pittsburg it's somewhat conservative (after all they elected Santorum)...Plus Gore won that state by a margin of less than 5%.

Actually, I'd go ahead and say all of Gore's states are an absolute must win, but unfortunately several of the states Gore won went by a margin of less than 1%...

The reason I mention this, is maybe we should look into someone from the great lakes midwest region, maybe from Wisconsin or Iowa...

Anyone know of some good politicians from that region?

[59millionmorons]

11. Ace in the hole

PA has voted for Dems in the last three elections. We now have a Gov from Philly who is more popular than the 1962 Elvis. He carried almost 90% of Philly in his last election. That is just about enough to carry PA alone. Once you add in the Pitt area it's over.

[bushwakker]

12. PA is a must - but I don't like Rendell as VEEP

Isn't he a bit of a losse cannon with some kind of ethics problem? I like Rendell and am sure glad he's Gov but I'd rather he stay in the corner office.

[GalleryGod]

14. One thing Ed is? Clean!

Keep him in Harrisburg! Fair Count that way!

[tishaLA]

22. I lived in Philadelphia while he was mayor

and I really liked him as D.A. and then as mayor (even if he did give us John Street as his successor). I also like his wife, Midge. That said, however, Gov. Rendell's problem are not "ethical" s much as they are sexual, as anyone who knows democratic party politics in Philly can attest. Lisa DiPaulo, who now works for a national magazine, nearly nailed him in Philadelphia magazine while he was still mayor because of his philandering. If the national press got on his tail about this, it would be a nightmare.

[WI_DEM]

13. I don't know about Rendell, but Kerry-Bayh would not excite

alot of people on the left. Evan Bayh has sided with Bush on too many things. Both Kerry and Bayh favored the Iraqi resolution. This ticket would be a big turnoff not only of left wing dems but any chance of our picking up significant number of 2000 Nader voters.

[genius]

15. Ed Rendell cost Gore the Presidency by convincing him to back down

and not fight. I hope Kerry has better taste. It's about time our candidates picked quality VP's perhaps we should go back to having the voters pick the VP.

[Indiana Democrat]

16. Evan Bayh would be a GREAT choice.

He's a very good man. And very popular (Even as a Dem) in Indiana.

[goobergunch]

19. Was he a good man when he cast this vote?

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00179

[Indiana Democrat]

20. Yes.

A good man is a good man. Period.

[progressivebydesign]

21. Is Kerry buying the dress before being invited to the prom?

Can we slow down a bit? Clinton didn't clinch the nomination until June. It's freaking me that we're talking about Kerry's VP choice, as though it's a foregone conclusion that he'll need one. Not to knock Kerry.. but can we stretch the primary season out just a tad.. perhaps until the remaining 90% of the delegates are spoken for? Or maybe 60%?