Senator Mary Landrieu for VP, some thoughts...

With the advent of our recent victories in LA (great going LA DUers!!! though you wouldnt know it by the news...), we could safely take Landrieu as a VP nominee and she would be replaced by the Dem governor and out LA into play, provide a southern voice for any non-southern candidate and finally move the party towards nominating and supporting women and minorities for high office!!!

If you want a preview of the type of fighter she can be....consider some of the following quotes from the Repug shame filabuster(the whole deabte transcripts can be found here: http://www.democrats.org/blog/display/00010201.html) to push their crap judges on us...

"The number the distinguished Senator from Utah did not recognize — I don't know why he would not recognize it since he is chairman of the committee, but he says he doesn't recognize it. The number is 98. Ninety-eight percent of the judges that were sent to this Senate by President Bush we have approved — 98 percent. There are not many people in America, not white people, or black people, or Spanish people, or women, or men, who think the Senate should approve 100 percent of any President's nominees. It is beyond the realm of reason, particularly a President who did not win the popular vote.

Earlier in the debate, the chairman, who also doesn't recognize this number, this 98 percent, also fails to recognize the numbers in the last election. The numbers of the last election were Bush 50,456,169; Gore 50,996,116. So 500,000 more people voted for Vice President Gore in the popular vote than President Bush. He won by a handful of electoral votes in Florida, and we know that. The Court decided it. I am not complaining about it, but numbers are important. Let me tell you another number…"

--snip--

Dean cannot afford a woman on his ticket. He has no foreign policy experience, and needs a VP with some for cover.

Clark and Landrieu I could see. She would soften his harder military edges, give him domestic policy fodder and complement him in their attempt in retaining the 4 senate southern seat that would be up (5 counting hers).

Kerry/Landrieu or Clark/Landrieu work well, as both K and C have "military credentials" than won't need "balancing". May not be fair, but probably essential to have that militaryt component -- if for no other reason so that a Kerry (for example) can turn to BUsh during a debate and ask "where were you when I was recovering fro the wounds that earned me my SECOND purple heart, Alabama or Texas!"

She'd likely would have worked well with Graham, had he stuck around and won the nomination. That would have kicked ass in the South, ala Clinton/Gore!

Dean/Landrieu or Gephardt/Landrieu or whomever else, not as effective, although her being a "moderate" might also balance the perceived "liberalism" of either these two. Edwards/Landrieu not good, not enough perceived experience on these two relatively young Senators (they'd sure look good standing together, though, if I may say!).

I floated Ms. Landrieu on DU months ago as a good VEEP candidate, although I am often uncomfortable with her Senate votes.

I still think Dean/Clark or Dean/Graham are my favorites, with Dean/Edwards a fallback. But that Kerry/Landrieu ticket is real good for a Kerry run, as would be Kerry/Graham, Kerry/Edwards or Kerry/Clark.

Noone who voted for the PBA ban should be on the ballot.

She is a senator from a Catholic state. There was no chance of her voting against the PBA ban.

There is no exception for the health of the woman.

While she would undoubtedly be an asset as VP, I would be concerned about that Senate seat. It was very hard fought, and there is no guarantee that another Democrat would be able to replace her. Insane rightwing extremist Woody Jenkins came damned close to defeating her, and even the hapless (but still extremist) Suzanne Terrell came scarily close. I think she might be better left in the Senate. Especially if Breaux retires, opening his seat.

Both Sens and Gov elect. This fact may not play that well on the national scene. Their politics tend to be more conservative than RI Sen Chafee(R) and VT Sen Jeffords(I). This is for info only. Personally, I'm ABB.

I think a team of Kucinich and Edwards would be great.

a trial lawyer with 5 years experience in the senate is NOT what Americans are looking for in the face of the war on terror. Kucinich is a non-starter altogether. A benevolent president MIGHT make him secretary of Education, or some such useless position, but he brings NO votes to the table.

I think Edwards had a bright future ahead of him in politics. Unfortunately, his decision to leave the senate destroyed that future. His ONLY hope is for a Dem win next year and he gets a cabinet position, possibly Attorney-General (though I'd much prefer Elliot Spitzer). I could see him taking a lesser cabinet position like Labor or HHS.

Unfortunately Edwards' decision to leave the senate has effectively ended his elective career.

but I think a VP slot would be going too far. she barely won re-election, though she remains popular in LA. She's a moderate Dem, the most liberal that could come out of Louisiana, but I remember just a while ago folks here on DU were calling for her head on a pike when she voted against the collective bargaining amendment for Homeland Secuirty. DU opinions change quite quickly.

I think she should remain in the Senate. A Bob Graham or John Edwards would be a better choice of VP.

opinions change as that there are varying opinions....

I for one am not going to base my support for any candidate on a single issue dimesion, let alone a single vote...I prefer to look at multiple issue dimensions and seek candidates who are consitently near myself (notice I did not say exactly like myself :evilgrin:) and make choices that way....

The selection of the VP, while it doesn't have much of an impact on actually delivering a state, can be worth between a 3-5% swing in favor of the party nominating the candidate...and there is a long standing tradition of choosing Senators for the slot....

That said, I also think that AZ gov. Richards would make a good VP choice....the West is getting really pissed at bubble boy and this could encourage the hispanic vote as well as put the southern Rocky Mt. states into play....

for the future. Not this election.

In times of peace and prosperity, we can make bold choices. Alas, we are now in a time of fear, economic despair and fighting two wars, perhaps three by the time the election comes around.

Landrieu has a relatively short experience in the senate, and as far as I know, very little foreign policy experience.

Bush will run his entire campaign on "The War on Terra". We need a team who can beat him on that that very issue. I think Clark/Graham would do it.

I also have thought of Bill Richardson. It's a game of demography.

is her favoring oil drilling in places like ANWR (like most Louisianans). This could cause problems with environmental groups. Nevertheless, she would be a great choice since we will probably need a southerner on the ticket to win this election. Blance Lambert Lincoln and Evan Bayh would also be good choices.