July 6, 2004
VEEPSTAKES SWEEPSTAKES:
We've got books piling up in our prize chest so how about a copy of the great historian Gordon S. Wood's new one, >The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin, to the first person to post who Kerry has chosen as vp, with a source and link to the story, in the Comments section.
Rumor has it that as a special tribute to his supporters, the Kerry campaign will first notify its email list, even before the press. If the press hasn't figured out how to get on that email list they aren't doing their jobs.
N. B.: The book comes courtesy of the nice folks at Penguin Group
RUMOR FILE:
-Speculation over Kerry VP pick soars: Insiders: Announcement Tuesday barring last-minute hitch (CNN, July 5, 2004)
The political chatter intensified when Kerry addressed supporters during a barbecue at his wife's farm near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."I'm heading out to Indianapolis to give a speech tomorrow, but before I go we're gonna do a little rally here in Pittsburgh at Market Square, so if any of you can make it, I'm told the gates open at 7 in the morning -- if you're up at that hour -- but at 9 o'clock tomorrow we're gonna have some fun, and then we'll head out to the Midwest again and back on the trail."
Democratic sources close to the campaign told CNN that barring a last-minute hitch, Kerry will use the rally to announce his choice.
They added that in an attempt to keep the name secret until Kerry makes the announcement, his choice is not scheduled to attend the rally.
At least he's started acting presidential, even sending his vp to an undisclosed location, which, given the folks he's considering, might be a good strategy for the whole campaign.
-Edwards interrupted family vacation to meet with Kerry (RON FOURNIER, 7/05/04, AP)
Sen. John Edwards interrupted his Walt Disney World vacation last week to meet with Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, adding a new level of intrigue to the vice presidential search. [...]Two officials close to the Kerry campaign, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Edwards interrupted a family vacation and flew from Florida to Washington on Thursday to meet secretly with Kerry.
They say the meeting went extremely well, and that the freshman senator's stock is rising with Kerry.
-It's Gephardt (ArchPundit, 7/04/04)
Just got some scuttlebutt, top Gephardt aide Joyce Aboussie has been sent a private plane to join Dick Gephardt for....one can only assume the announcement that Dick Gephardt will be the next Vice President Nominee for the DemocraticPosted by orrinj at July 6, 2004 10:45 AM
It will be a Dead White European Male from the northeastern part of the United States.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at July 5, 2004 6:06 PMAs long as we're in a rumor-swirl, it's easy enough to imagine that Senator Kerry will do what's often been speculated for other candidates and announce not just a vp but other proposed cabinet members. So you could have Edwards there to accept the AG slot and Gephardt the vp. The funny thing about that is that Edwards isn't even qualified for AG, nevermind vp.
Posted by: oj at July 5, 2004 6:48 PMIt's Gephardt. The big unions want him.
Posted by: Kathleen at July 5, 2004 7:10 PMIt's Kerry! - Kerry/Kerry
Posted by: djs at July 5, 2004 7:36 PMLord I hope it's Dicky-boy. He couldn't carry Missouri if Buchanan was running against Kerry. The Dems in St. Louis may like ol' Dicky, but the downstate Dems think he's an oportunistic bum. The Unions want Dick? Woohoo! They couldn't get his ass elected to dog catcher in Iowa let alone VP. Oh fractious joy! I really hope it's Dick, I really, REALLY do.
Posted by: Robert Modean at July 5, 2004 8:30 PMIt's Rendell or Bayh if he's announcing Tues as he's in Pitt and Indy.
I think it's Rendell, who is solid and takes PA off the table. A defensive move, but one that keeps him out of Philly media and lets him work MO, etc.
Posted by: at July 5, 2004 10:01 PMAnon - Haven't heard much about Rendell or Bayh lately. Rendell may put PA in the Dem category but this would just be a repeat of 2000. Bayh apparently doesn't fit the bill either. I could be wrong but to me a pick other than Edwards means the Dems are writing off the South while anyone other than Gephardt means Kerry isn't worried about Labor walking out on him (although Rendell might have a good union rep also). Finally, wasn't Rendell the Philly mayor recently which is being investigated by the FBI?
Posted by: AWW at July 5, 2004 10:18 PMIt's Arlen Specter
Posted by: sam at July 5, 2004 11:30 PMRendell has female problems, at least suggestive language before them. He's also Jewish which would be the final nail in Kerry's coffin vis-a-vis the black vote.
Bayh wouldnn't even give him IN and would leave his senate seat open in a GOP state.
Posted by: oj at July 5, 2004 11:44 PMThe NY Post is backing up ArchPundit: It's Gephardt.
http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/26839.htm
Er, let's try this .
Posted by: Andrew Moore at July 6, 2004 4:23 AMedwards:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040706/D83L947G1.html
Posted by: some random person at July 6, 2004 7:56 AMSRP beat me while I was writing.
Posted by: Chris at July 6, 2004 8:00 AMOJ, If I am the winner, pass it on to the next guy.
Posted by: some random person at July 6, 2004 8:14 AMJohn Kerry makes American history with two almost simultaneous choices for VP?
(Surprising no one, actually---well, possibly the NY Post.)
Kerry is surely in top form, wanting so badly to give the American people what they want---or what John Kerry thinks they want (or what John Kerry thinks John Kerry thinks they want, oh never mind)....
(On the other hand, if he can keep his mouth shut until November, he may have a real chance!)
Posted by: Barry Meislin at July 6, 2004 10:10 AMSRP: I didn't mean it that way; it was just an "aw-shucks" thing. The rules are what the rules are. I took two minutes after I found the link to gloat at my boss. I pay the price. You won fair and square.
Posted by: Chris at July 6, 2004 12:46 PMCNN.com is openly mocking the Post. The question is, who will be first to Photoshop a "Gephardt defeats Edwards" headline?
Posted by: Andrew Moore at July 6, 2004 2:28 PMChris,
I haven't had time to read the last book I won here :)
Posted by: some random person at July 6, 2004 3:31 PMAndrew - the Post does look foolish. And the Post probably wouldn't support Kerry anyway. But was it a good idea to get the Post ticked off at the Kerry campaign 4 months before the election?
Posted by: AWW at July 6, 2004 9:53 PMLet's hope the NY Post has a nice story or two to headline come the last weekend in October...
I suggest giving the book to Col Allan. He's gonna have lots of time to read it.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at July 7, 2004 1:10 AM