Dick Gephardt? Better throw him into the mix.

[Faygo Kid]

He would have to come out of nowhere. In 2004, he should have been Veep nominee. Although I was passionate about Edwards being the nominee, he was totally ineffective. Then I supported Edwards again in this election, figuring he had grown. I still support him, but never mind. I moved on to Obama long ago. Kerry should have gone with Gephardt, his close friend. Let's not refight that, though.

Gephardt would be an out of left field, maybe out of body experience. Problem? As Inside-the-Beltway, K Street lobbyist as you can get. Out of the public eye amassing wealth for years.

Positives? Heartland. Experience. Would appeal to Hillary voters, without being beholden to any candidate this cycle. Bright, unquestionably. Great on labor issues; solid on health care, seniors, education. Not my guy on some social issues. Voted for the war, but later strongly repudiated that vote without waffling.

Not my first choice, but a contender I could live with. Better add him to the list, my friends.

[David Dunham]

1. I agree

[Faygo Kid]

4. Thanks. I see this gaining momentum over the weekend, and I'm not a partisan on this.

It just makes sense. What a surprise pick this would be, yet about as safe as it comes.

[dansolo]

14. Safe??!?!

Gephardt is a bigger traitor to the Democratic Party than Lieberman. Obama isn't that stupid. Picking Gephardt takes any criticism of the Iraq War off the table.

[ikojo]

2. St Louis media isn't even talking about Gephardt and trust

me if he was on the short list, it'd be on the news here. ANYTHING with a St Louis connection is news here. Gephardt is not held in as high esteem in MO. He's kept a relatively low profile. The last thing I heard about him was that he was lobbying on behalf of clean coal.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/29/1515/

Published on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 by The New York Times
Lawmakers Push for Big Subsidies for Coal Process
by Edmund L. Andrews


snip

Peabody, which has quadrupled its annual lobbying budget to about $2 million since 2004, recently hired Richard A. Gephardt, the Missouri Democrat who was House majority leader from 1989 to 1995 and a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988 and 2004, to help make its case in Congress.

[Faygo Kid]

6. From "Politico" July 24: "Gephardt alumni are all over the Barack Obama campaign."

Six degrees of ... Dick Gephardt?

By: Patrick O'Connor
July 24, 2008

Kevin Bacon has nothing on Dick Gephardt.

Everyone, it seems, has worked for the Missouri Democrat at some point in his or her career.

And while the former majority leader may never make it to the White House himself, many of his old aides are now poised to get there without him.

Gephardt alumni are all over the Barack Obama campaign. Former Gephardt aide David Plouffe is Obama’s campaign chief. Bill Burton is Obama’s spokesman. Jeff Berman oversaw delegate strategy for Obama, and Matt Rodriguez is now the candidate’s western regional director. Erik Smith, John DelCecato and Cassandra Butts are all outside advisers for the Obama campaign.

Lots of congressional leaders have big circles of alumni, some of them making their way onto presidential campaigns. But Gephardt is different: By making two runs for the White House, he attracted an unusually large number of ambitious aides who wanted to ride his coattails up Pennsylvania Avenue. Three years after Gephardt left office, they’re still hoping to make the trip. . . .

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/12004.html

[TwilightGardener]

3. I thought he didn't just VOTE for the war--he was used by BushCo

to push the IWR through Congress with a minimum of Dem resistance--even circumventing an effort by Biden and Lugar to slow down the war train, IIRC. H2O Man had a good post on this.

[PatSeg]

9. That's right

We don't need him back in Washington.

[ikojo]

10. Gephardt stood proudly behind Bush as he signed the

authorization to attack Iraq.

[PassingFair]

19. He cheerleaded for the war.

And he was responsible in a LARGE part
for funding the "Osama" Ads that ran
against Dean in Iowa.

I would throw-up if he were the choice.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. Daschle is a much better pick

bringing everything you name in Gep and in a much cleaner and more respectable package- and Senators bring more prestige than mere congresspersons. An Air force intelligence officer, he is also a veteran.
Heck, his getting the anthrax letters makes him a veteran of the "War on terror".
Don't see how you can go wrong with Tom D.

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

7. FUCK Gephardt in his traitorous ass!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/16/politics/main588924.shtml

[monomach]

8. If it's going to be a 100-year-old guy who'll be too old to run in 2016...

May as well take just make it Wes Clark or Bill Richardson. They'd likely bring in more votes and be more useful as an advisor to Obama when it comes to Presidential decisions.

Biden would be better at the advisor role, too, but he'd probably not bring in any votes.

:shrug:

[RayOfHope]

11. This Missourian says Gephardt has the all the charisma of a wet towel.

Honestly, I don't think MO is all that jazzed for him, and if his home state isn't? That might be a little problem.

[jerryster]

12. Biden in front for VP

That's what I saw the other day on Countdown. I like the idea.He is certainly qualified.

Remember also the political chess game that has to be played. If Obama wins and the VP is currently a Senator, we want that Senator to be from a state with a Democratic governor. That's probably why Bayh is out.

[StevieM]

23. I'm actually starting to think it will be Biden. We'll probably know on Monday or Tuesday (eom)

[livetohike]

13. The Obama camp said "You won't be surprised" when asked

about the V.P. pick.....(sorry but I don't have a link). Gebhardt would be a huge surprise, imo. Unless the Obama campaign is trying to fake everyone out with their comment :shrug:.

[saltpoint]

15. You work for the New York POST, right?

[npincus]

16. LOL- I bought that paper as a collector's item.

[saltpoint]

17. They may be able to run the same article in a week or so here...

I think you were smart to grab a copy of that one while they were still out there.

I bet they disappeared in a hurry.

[npincus]

20. of course, I'm not sure where I put it...

I'll find it someday!

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

18. This is sick. Lieberman would be a better choice.

Dick Gephardt is the closest thing our party has to Neville Chamberlain. (With Bush as AH, of course) The Gephardt 'compromise' with the pugs on the Iraq resolution sold out his party (he was minority leader and House Dems still voted against the IWR 60%-40%) and cut the Senate anti-war group off at the knees before the Senate even got the resolution.

Advised the House Dem caucus to vote for the IWR with as little debate as possible to get it out of the way so they could go home to campaign. His photo-op with the thugs in the rose garden was the single lowest moment in modern Dem history.

And, to my knowledge, remains the only Dem to run an Osama Bin Laden ad against another Dem. (Dean in Iowa 2004)

Fuck him.

[Faygo Kid]

21. OK, OK! I'm convinced. Gephardt is out.

All good arguments; I had forgotten much of this stuff.

One thing about DUers - they are rarely shy in expressing their feelings. As these replies indicate.

I whiffed on this one. There will be better days.

:hide:

[PassingFair]

22. I still love you!

Michiganders United!

[Faygo Kid]

24. Thanks! Actually, an expatriate now, but headed home next week.

Working in DC and living in Maryland now (wonderful state), but Michigan is home. Headed to Traverse City on Thursday to stay with friends for golf, wineries and water for five days.

That's where I will retire, but still have a few years to go.

Once a Michigander, always a Michigander.

[PassingFair]

25. Land of Big Water.

The most advantageously situated place on the planet.

[IndianaGreen]

26. Despite his standing with Bush in the Rose Garden supporting an attack on Iraq

Gephardt was always on the side of labour, and he did not enrich himself.