# John Kerry to pick veep in "next few days"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [June 4, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715 "2004-06-04T22:11:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/1 "2004-06-04T22:11:37Z")
I was at lunch at a pizza place near here today, and the news was on CNN. They announced that John Kerry would be making his vice presidential nominee known “in the next few days.” This is pretty early – a month from the convention, but it should give him a nice news cycle here in June, getting some front page attention in the media and all.
I thought I’d pose the question to the teeming folkitude, and see what you all think: is announcing the veep this early a good idea?
And who do you all think it’ll be?
I’d say Warner, Edwards or perhaps Clark or Nelson. And yeah, good idea.
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/2 "2004-06-04T22:19:16Z")
How about Governor Richardson from New Mexico? I’ve heard his name bandied about. He’s pretty well known…and he’s hispanic, which might help a lilly white boy like Kerry, as far as bringing in the minority vote (not that democrats need help in bringing in the minority vote, at least not the hispanic vote).
Only down side for that is, I’ve heard Richardson might want to run for President himself soon…thats the word in the state anyway.
-XT
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### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/3 "2004-06-04T23:16:42Z")
Is Dean not a viable choice for veep?
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/4 "2004-06-04T23:21:55Z")
I don’t know who it is, but I can make a stab at predicting the Republicans’ response to it. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/5 "2004-06-04T23:43:12Z")
> [@rjung](#):
>
> I don’t know who it is, but I can make a stab at predicting the Republicans’ response to it. 🙂
We can play a drinking game - let’s all make guesses at their where their outrage will be directed, and whoever wins… um… takes a shot. OK, so it isn’t a very good drinking game. But still.
I’m putting my money on “panning to minorities” - a longshot, but could pay off.
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### Author:  [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/6 "2004-06-04T23:47:08Z")
> [@xtisme](#):
>
> How about Governor Richardson from New Mexico? I’ve heard his name bandied about. He’s pretty well known…and he’s hispanic, which might help a lilly white boy like Kerry, as far as bringing in the minority vote (not that democrats need help in bringing in the minority vote, at least not the hispanic vote).
If Richardson hadn’t been such a horrible Energy secretary, overseeing the era of security leaks and the like, he’d probably be a shoo-in. At this point, though, he’s tainted goods. However, give him another four years in New Mexico to clean up his reputation (provided he does well), and he’d be a very viable vice president.
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### Author:  [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/7 "2004-06-04T23:54:21Z")
CNN (and others) screwed the pooch – he didn’t say any such thing. He said he’d be naming a _campaign chief_ in the next few days. The next question was a joking one to the effect that Kerry had called the show to announce his VP choice right there on the show. Kerry jokingly replied, “Yeah, absolutely. That was my plan, and let me see now, I’ll run through the list.” He subsequently made it clear that he was still in the process and demurred on timing.
You can listen to the interview [here](http://www.wjr.net/article.asp?id=18091). It’s pretty clear he was joking about the veep thing. And to his credit, when he learned that people had picked it up as serious, he said, [“Don’t ever write about me being dour and sober and somber.”](http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/kerry/articles/2004/06/04/kerry_says_he_was_joking_about_vp_choice/)
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### Author:  [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/8 "2004-06-05T00:06:32Z")
Ah, okay. I wondered why I hadn’t heard it on the air anywhere else.
So, ummm, yeah. This thread just got a lot less pertinent, I guess. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/9 "2004-06-05T00:08:21Z")
Tom Vilsack’s chances went down the toilet when it turned out that he’d actually hurt the ticket in Iowa, where he’s the Governor.
First, I’m not sure that Dean would accept a VP slot, and, secondly, Kerry’s choice (whoever it may be) will most likely be from the Midwest or the South, not New England.
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### Author:  [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/10 "2004-06-05T00:29:26Z")
Jeb Bush?
Michael Moore?
Carrot Topp?
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### Author:  [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/11 "2004-06-05T00:52:28Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#):
>
> Tom Vilsack’s chances went down the toilet when it turned out that he’d actually hurt the ticket in Iowa, where he’s the Governor.
Vilsack’s chances went down the toilet when they made fun of his name on _The Daily Show_ a few nights ago.
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/12 "2004-06-05T00:57:31Z")
> [@xtisme](#):
>
> How about Governor Richardson from New Mexico? I’ve heard his name bandied about. He’s pretty well known…and he’s hispanic, which might help a lilly white boy like Kerry, as far as bringing in the minority vote (not that democrats need help in bringing in the minority vote, at least not the hispanic vote).
>
> Only down side for that is, I’ve heard Richardson might want to run for President himself soon…thats the word in the state anyway.
>
> -XT
Richardson keeps saying that he has no interest in being Vice-President. I see no reason not to believe him at the moment. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he agreed to be a Vice-Presidental candidate once he hits the New Mexico terms limits or even runs for the Presidency himself.
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### Author:  [@AZCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZCowboy)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/13 "2004-06-05T01:21:07Z")
Personally, I would love to see former Senator Sam Nunn. Strong on defense, appeals to the South, centrist Democrat, and generally well respected - he would certainly strengthen the ticket for me.
Unfortunately, I haven’t heard his named mentioned at all (except on this message board).
My guess is that it will be Edwards. Again, appeal in the Southern states, quite charismatic, and should be able to hold his own in the veep debate(s).
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### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/14 "2004-06-05T01:33:24Z")
The possibles…
[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/candidates/vp.contenders/](http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/candidates/vp.contenders/)
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/15 "2004-06-05T03:06:03Z")
> [@Reeder](#):
>
> Is Dean not a viable choice for veep?
😃 No. I’m not sure if you mean it or not, but even Dean said (some months back) that it wouldn’t make sense. By the way, the thing you linked to is a list of the 64 contenders for CNN’s Veepstakes thing. Most of them were probably never even considered.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/16 "2004-06-05T03:52:19Z")
> [@rjung](#):
>
> I don’t know who it is, but I can make a stab at predicting the Republicans’ response to it. 🙂
I am certain that the Republican Party leadership, consisting as it does of mature, reasonable, and responsible U.S. citizens, will grant that Kerry and his running mate would make a fine President and Vice-President, but will offer serious, cogent, and intelligent reasons why their team would be better. These reasons will not in any way, shape, or form consist of slander, specious reasoning, or five second sound bites taken out of context.
What?
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/17 "2004-06-05T05:40:52Z")
I was thinking The Incredible Hulk might be a good VP choice. IH is well liked and would be widely accepted as strong on security.
OTOH, IH would tend to overshadow Kerry, being 6 foot wide and green and all, which could be a liability in the battleground states.
I think a folksy, likeable candidate would be best. Someone with strong credentials exciting bipartisan interest, someone we can all think of as our friend.
I nominate Scooby Doo.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/18 "2004-06-05T06:48:15Z")
> [@squeegee](#):
>
> I was thinking The Incredible Hulk might be a good VP choice. IH is well liked and would be widely accepted as strong on security.
Just don’t make him angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/19 "2004-06-05T06:51:14Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#):
>
> Just don’t make him angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.
Yeeeargh!! 😛
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2004, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-kerry-to-pick-veep-in-next-few-days/248715/20 "2004-06-05T06:55:28Z")
\*veiled Dean reference above, wink nudge nudge.
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