With John Kerry's choice of Sen. John Edwards as his vicepresidential running mate being scrutinized by politicalstrategists both amateur and professional, it's worth another lookat what it takes to be a modern day veep.
Obviously, the most important job a VP will ever perform is thatof assuming the presidency in the event of the president's death orresignation, however unlikely it may be. That aside, the office ofvice president is a pretty boring one.
Dick Cheney, our abnormally powerful VP, breaks the mold, asmany believe he's the hand controlling the George W. Bushpuppet.
Time and time again, talking heads remind us that Americansdon't vote for vice presidential candidates. Most just want atolerable stand-in should the unthinkable happen to the commanderin chief.
Not only does a presidential candidate have a choice to make,the man or woman asked to join the race faces an equally toughdecision. Sure, there's a chance that a successful run at VP couldeventually lead to a seat in the Oval Office. But Al Gore, DanQuayle and Walter Mondale have proven most recently that beingsecond in command is no guarantee of taking the driver's seat.
There's a side VP election conversation about whether or notCheney will be asked to step aside to take the heat off Dubya.Cheney's value to the 2000 Bush ticket was realized as the skillsand contacts he made as secretary of defense and CEO of Halliburtonhelped grease the skids leading to Baghdad. Look for Cheney to stayput, keeping die-hard hawks in President Bush's corner.
Forget the Bush/Cheney distraction. Kerry's choice of runningmate perpetuates the veep as a middle-aged white guy.
What does that say about the state of the modern DemocraticParty? Is there not a single minority or female worthy of thepost?
There are numerous women and men who are not middle-aged, richor white but who could add much-needed power to the Kerryticket.
Doesn't choosing the consummate old white guy play right intothe hands of republicans quick to take the heat off their lilywhite ticket by pointing at an equally pale and male democraticone?
What happened to the Democratic Party that defends diversity atall levels? Where is the National Organization for Women? Where isthe NAACP? Where are the groups that put so much power andinfluence behind the dems?
Is everyone on the left willing to remain silent while yetanother group of white men takes control of the ship? Is the thirstto beat George W. Bush so strong as to make liberals sell theirsouls and turn a blind eye to their ideals to get back intopower?
That's not the Democratic Party I know.
