Veepstakes

I was once a very strong John Edwards supporter, not because I didn't like Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, because I did and I do. But I liked Edwards more, for a lot of reasons. His understanding of poverty in the United States was far better than either Clinton or Obama. His healthcare plan was the best of the three. Straight-up, he was a better campaigner than Clinton and he was well-spoken enough to give Obama a run for his money, especially with core Democratic constituencies. When the Edwards campaign didn't take off, I was sanguine and not especially surprised; this is the year that the Democrats were breaking with tradition and seeking a candidate of the 21st century. Fine.

But now that the nomination is in Obama's hands, I really hope that Edwards gets the vice presidential nod. He would be a terrific veep; on the campaign trail with Obama (and more likely on his own, because that's how these things are done), he would be positively impressive. This post over at Washington Monthly has all the details and numbers and is well-worth a read. Edward's personal story is compelling and, together with Obama's, represents two versions of the American Dream that voters will find powerful. The evidence for Edwards is strong.

I know that Clinton supporters would like to see her receive the nod, but I think that she will have a terribly difficult time playing second fiddle. Moreover, even with her recent enthusiastic endorsement of Obama, she waited too long to smooth over the disagreements between the Obama and Clinton camps. Most important of all, the Democrats need her in the Senate. Personally, I would like to see her replace Harry Reid as Majority Leader.

Right now, the Democrats need to close ranks and position themselves to win in November. After 8 years of a disastrous administration, we cannot afford to lose the White House again. The stakes are high and Democratic prospects are good, as the whip-smart Charlie Cook points out. Democrats need to strategize across the board and position ourselves to hold control of the Congress (by a larger margin than we won in 2006) and win the White House. Obama/Edwards '08 can make that happen.