March 22, 2004

HOW OLD IS J-LO?

Kerry recruits former Mondale aide to lead search for running mate (Rob Hotakainen, 03/22/2004, Minneapolis Star Tribune)

When Jimmy Carter called Walter Mondale on July 15, 1976, asking him to join the Democratic ticket, Jim Johnson was in Mondale's room at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City.

In 1984, as Mondale's presidential campaign manager, Johnson oversaw the search that made history when Mondale chose the first woman, then-Rep. Geraldine Ferraro of New York, as his running mate.

As Johnson now takes charge of the vice presidential candidate search for Democratic Sen. John Kerry, his friends say the Minnesota native is well-suited for the job for one big reason: He can keep his mouth shut.


Makes sense because Mr. Kerry's candidacy is so deeply flawed that he has to try and find a VP who might help, rather than choosing someone competent to take over, as George W. Bush did. And there are only two options that could generate any excitement: Bill Richardson (first Hispanic) or a woman.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 22, 2004 1:00 PM
Comments

I've heard Richardson speak in public...if Kerry picks him, people will ask why isn't the ticket reversed...

Posted by: Foos at March 22, 2004 2:13 PM

Better be careful on the selection of a woman (with Teddy around).

Posted by: jim hamlen at March 22, 2004 2:20 PM

Foos:

Richardson is one of the few Democrats who could be a decent president--Richardson, Evan Bayh, Bob Graham (before he went insane), maybe Ed Rendell...

Posted by: oj at March 22, 2004 2:26 PM

Because they've let their supporters make it an issue, any Veep selection, including a woman, is going to have to have some sort of military record that exceeds that of Bush/Cheney. So what is Richardson's or Bayh's?

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at March 22, 2004 2:41 PM

Doesn't matter for vp.

Posted by: oj at March 22, 2004 3:02 PM

Too bad for black activists that they don't have any leverage, or any additional support to offer.

Posted by: Michael Herdegen at March 22, 2004 4:51 PM

Richardson would be a decent president? His stint as energy secretary sure didn't impress me....

Posted by: PapayaSF at March 22, 2004 6:26 PM

McCain seems to be angling for the spot. That would give the ticket ideological balance, which it needs a lot more than racial/gender balance (anyone who cares about *that* is already a Kerry voter anyway.)

If he's gotta stay within his party, his best bet is to pick Zell Miller and then have someone start a rumor that Kerry's got inoperable cancer.

Posted by: Ralph Phelan at March 23, 2004 4:45 PM
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