The Associated Press and CNN say that John Kerry has picked John Edwards as his running mate. All things considered, I think this was his best choice. If nothing else, I’ll be eternally grateful to not have to listen to any more bitching of the (sizeable) anti-Gephardt contingent. Thank you, John Kerry, for sparing me that!
Seriously, I like this choice. Edwards will be a great contrast to Dick Effin’ Cheney in the debates, he’ll fire up the grass roots, and if polls are to be believed, he puts North Carolina in play. We’ll see if this gives Kerry a 15 point lead or not – I sure as heck hope to see some separation in the polls now, though 15 points seems a little much to me. And I share with Jesse the sheer joy of seeing the Post get it wrong in 48-point type. I’ll have some more thoughts later, after I’m certain this isn’t all a mixup.
And since I fear everything else will get swept aside, I’m going to add a reminder that Texas Tuesdays is featuring Mark Strama today. When you need to take a breath from all this VP hype, click over and check him out.
UPDATE: The official Kerry campaign email has gone out. (Oops! I’m on so many other email lists I didn’t realize this wasn’t one of them. Bad Kuff, no biscuit.)
UPDATE: Turns out I did get the email after all, just not until 9:15. Not that I needed it by then, but I did get it.
Chuck,
MSNBC has the text of an email apparently from the Kerry campaign to supporters announcing Edwards as the pick. Looks pretty solid.
The New York Daily News had Dick Gephardt as the VP choice, so two NY newspapers got it wrong.
Edwards has built whole career out of convincing ordinary people who are predisposed to thinking he’s up to no good to vote with him. That’s what trial lawyers do.
Cheney… has not built his career quite that way.
I’m looking forward to this debate.
I’m OK with Edwards too. He’s pretty close to Kerry on most issues, but he’s a better campaigner (more charismatic speaker), and he’s more populist than Kerry, particularly on trade.
The only real risk for Kerry in this pick is that Edwards might be so charismatic he ends up making Kerry look worse by comparison. But I think it’s a risk worth taking.