So I’m going to continue on my political kick for another week — but rather than talking about voting or why the candidates don’t pay attention to the 27 million Americans aged 18 to 25, I’m going to concentrate on the all important presidential running mate.
Despite his health problems and allegations of questionable business practices, President George W. Bush and the Republicans are sticking with Bush’s 2000 running mate, Vice President Dick Cheney.
The Democrats, however, are a completely different story.
Democratic nominee lock Sen. John Kerry is said to be considering a number of possible running mates, including the most obvious choice, his main opponent during the 2004 Democratic Primary, John Edwards of North Carolina.
A running mate can make or break your campaign. In 2000, Bush selected Dick Cheney largely because of his experience in a field Bush was criticized in, international relations and national security.
2000 Democratic nominee Al Gore’s running mate, Joe Lieberman, was just as attractive to some voters as the first major candidate of Jewish faith.
The 2000 election was a great one for the American electoral system (after all, it proved the electoral college system works), but there is one relic from that old race who recently resurfaced in many outlets as a possible running mate for John Kerry and Co.
Anyone remember John McCain?
The wildly popular Republican senator from Arizona made a run at the White House in 2000 but lost to the “W” machine that would eventually capture the election.
McCain, in his 2000 Republican primary concession speech, threw his support behind Bush but said he was not interested in the No. 2 spot under the then-Texas governor.
Apparently four years can do a lot to a man’s political opinions.
Rumors surfaced last week that McCain was interested in a vice presidential slot, running on the democratic ticket with his self-described “close friend” John Kerry.
In a March 10 interview with ABC, McCain said he would “entertain” the idea of becoming Kerry’s running mate, leading journalists and political analysts everywhere to begin singing the praises of a “unity” ticket to defeat big bad Bush.
And people say I’ve got some mixed up political views.
McCain is the rogue of the Republican party, a Vietnam veteran and a POW. If there ever was going to be a Republican to cross the line, I would want it to be him.
As quickly as he opened the door to speculation, though, McCain slammed it in those hopeful faces for a bipartisan ticket that would have the best chance of defeating President Bush.
“I will not,” McCain said, “be a candidate for vice president in 2004.”
Oh well, and they had me all riled up.
If the Democrats really want to take back the White House, it is going to have to topple the conservative backing of President Bush.
Kerry and his party have (or maybe had) the unique opportunity to create a unity ticket — a bipartisan effort featuring two popular senators would be almost undefeatable.
This is all in theory, of course.
After McCain squashed the speculation of a possible run with Kerry, Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware endorsed a Kerry-McCain ticket on March 16’s edition of MSNBC’s “Hardball.”
“I think that this is time for unity in this country, and maybe it is time to have a guy like John McCain — a Republican — on the ticket,” Biden said.
Biden’s comments will probably fuel more speculation — but I’m sure some of us may only be dreaming about a Kerry-McCain super-ticket.