Dean's World

Maybe the more significant question should be whether Edwards' acceptance of Kerry's offer was good was good for Edwards, rather than the other way around.

If Kerry wins the 2004 presidential election in November, Edwards automatically gets reduced to the sort of role that vice presidents traditionally played before the Cheney era. There is nothing in Kerry's background and certainly not in his current campaign to indicate that he is much of a team player. If Kerry wins the presidency with Edwards aboard, the latter will have far less opportunity to play a power role in the government than Cheney has had with Bush.

Moreover, unless some major unpredictable outside event intervenes, similar to what the Iraq occupation has done to Bush, one must assume Kerry would be re-elected in 2008. Leaving Edwards in the same situation as Nixon in 1960, Bush/41 in 1988 and Gore in 2000. The odds for an eight-year vice president to step immediately into the oval office are nowhere near as good as for a sitting president to be re-elected. And in 2012, the world and domestic stages will mount entirely new dramas with new casts of leading characters. The likelihood of the opposition party to return to control of the White House after eight such years is excellent and all but predictable.

And if Kerry loses this election? Of all the four candidates for national office every four years, nobody is forgotten faster than the losing vice presidential wannabe.

But if Edwards had gently and politely turned down Kerry's offer, he would be in better shape politically. If Kerry were to win in November, Edwards would still be a US Senator, with a lot more political muscle than most vice presidents ever have. And if Kerry were to lose the election, Edwards would be the obvious Democrat choice for president in 2008, with no incumbent to run against.

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI