Analysis: Kerry mulls Rudman for veep

[Gloria]

YES, I know UPI/ Wash Times is MOONIE....however, my contact with contacts rooted around and relayed to me that this is a 'trial balloon" of sorts...I don't think I've seen this posted yet...

I picked this up off a Clark daily digest....but...there was already speculation about this on the Daily Kos on April 7
http://pontificator.dailykos.com/story/2004/4/7/03435/23625

So, who knows?


http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040420-123105-2032r.htm
Analysis: Kerry mulls Rudman for veep


By Martin Sieff
UPI Senior News Analyst

Washington, DC, Apr. 20 (UPI) -- Likely Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry may be planning the shock choice of a fiscal conservative Republican as his running mate, sources in his campaign say.

But while the move could be a strategic masterstroke, it may do nothing to dispel growing Democratic fears about Kerry's ineffectiveness in tagging President George W. Bush when he should have been vulnerable in recent weeks.

Kerry, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, is seriously considering choosing former Sen. Warren Rudman of New Hampshire as his running mate, campaign sources told UPI. They stressed that no final decision had been made. However, they said Rudman was indeed under possible consideration.

MORE

[cjbuchanan]

1. I hope he does not

Nothing against Rudman, but this is the DEMOCRATIC party. If we cannot find two good people from our own ranks to run for president, what does that say about us.

I also think it will give Nader more ammunition.

[Gloria]

2. That's pretty much the conclusion of the analysis...that it could

fuel Nader....

If this is indeed another Kerry camp trial balloon, along with the McCain thing which dominated for about a week..this is a dangerous game to be playing. We are Democrats and I, for one, want the purest of purest Democrats out there. If there is such a thing anymore...

[cjbuchanan]

4. Is this the correct link

When I click on it, it says the page cannot be found.

Thanks

[lancdem]

5. I think there is a purpose to this

as with the McCain story. It's to embarrass Bush. Remember, Rudman is a well-respected moderate Repub deficit hawk. The whole point of having this out there is to highlight Bush's profligate budget record. There's no chance Rudman will be VP. Don't worry.

[NewJeffCT]

16. Rudman is not a moderate

He is an old school conservative from back when conservatism really stood for a smaller, non-interfering government.

[blm]

22. The old time Republicans are now considered moderates while the

End times Republicans are just considered Focking nutcases by real conservatives. ;)

[Carolina]

21. touche

the primary debates, aborted as they were, showed that we have a host of good minds in our own party. I'm sick and tired of trial balloons suggesting we need a friggin repuke on the ticket. That's the kind of shit that blurs the lines for those on the fence who can't see a reason to vote Dem because they don't see a difference. Centrism and reaching out for the muddlin undecided (lord knows why) middle has not gotten us squat. We had a pyrrhic victory in 2000, we lost in 2002 and a Kerry-Rudman (or McCain) ticket in 2004 makes me wanna :puke: It just positions us for another loss.

WTF are people thinking. Kerry needs to pick Clark who is strong enough to call Bush a liar, a misleader and ballsy enough to declare proudly that he's a liberal!

We need to take the Party and the country BACK, dammit.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. WTF?????

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[lancdem]

7. Please see my post above

Rudman will not be VP. We need to read between the lines here.

[librechik]

6. this is BS

Kerry will NOT choose a Republican running mate!

Don't fall for this crap!

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bicentennial_baby]

9. Buh Bye

:nuke:

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GiovanniC]

13. Nice Knowin' Ya

Don't let the door hit you.

:nuke:

[MoonRiver]

33. I always seem to miss the really outrageous deleted messages,

before they're deleted that is. I know they must be doozies by the number and tone of responses. I definitely get curious about what the freepers said that caused such commotion. :D

[noonwitch]

15. Friends in the military should read up on court-martial defense.

That's what they will need should they pursue such acts.

[BurtWorm]

11. He would be an idiot to pick anyone from NE to run with.

He would be an idiot to pick a Republican to run with, too. That would telegraph that he believes the Democratic Party is not appealing enough alone.

[whosinpower]

12. You know, it might actually be a good thing

It would go a long way to show Kerry above partisan politicing....and hire the best man to do the best job for the good of the nation.

Come on people - you must be aware that all this partisan hacking and slashing is not good for America. It is divisive, good sound policies do not get far when it becomes the standard to condemn whatever the opponent says or tries to do.....

I think it is an interesting strategy actually. Ok, flameguard in hand....flame away!!!!!!!!

[Bandit]

18. "and hire the best man to do the best job for the good of the nation."

There is no Republican on the face of the earth that could fit that description. I'm sorry but we have never had a Republican other than Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt that ever did a single thing that benefited anybody other than their rich buddies. Name one Republican Presidency since Hoover that didn't put America into recession and name one Democrat that had a recession during their term in office. I dare you.

[whosinpower]

32. I can't

But you must at least think for a moment, that if McCain had beaten Bush, the situation we face today would be far far different. There are those within the GOP that are rabid, nasty powergrubbing partisan hacks. I do not think all of them are. And we must be honest, the nation did elect a majority of them based on something.

[BurtWorm]

26. If Republicans were behaving responsibly in the last 15 years

you might have a point. But the GOP has set itself up to be a force to oppose vigorously. They now own the government. Why give them another seat in it, especially one a heartbeat away from power?

[whosinpower]

30. There are certainly factions of the GOP that follow

you line of reasoning. But, I still think there are those republicans who are just as disillusioned with the Bush administration - they just don't want to say much for fear of reprisal....tow the party line and all that crap.

I listened to McCain on several occasions, and I am not afraid to say that if he had beaten Bush, the world would be a different place today. Not saying that he is perfect, but he appears to be more moderate, than fundamental right wing wacko.

Come on people - don't we also really really need to find traction with those firmly in the middle??? Can we not be strong on defense AND balance the budget???????? Can we not offer security to the nation AND provide social services?????

There are those that think by having a republican vp would somehow lessen the goals of what Kerry wants to accomplish. Look, not much will be accomplished if government is still in a deadlock of polarized powergrabbing, partisanship.

Sometimes it takes a bold move to gather the forces back together under one roof. It would be really really nice if we could accomplish that without being forced from without via a terror attack.

[Gloria]

14. Corrected link...

Sorry, left off the .htm


http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040420-123105-2032r.htm

[seabeyond]

17. you notice the only two that has been leaked are republicans

mccain and rudman

i am going to say not.

[sandnsea]

19. Alienate the left wing

An awful lot of the stuff that is getting printed right now seems to be intended to do just that. These VP leaks, the sound bytes the media chooses to run. That's what I think.

[seabeyond]

23. and that we cant find anyone in democrat party

have to go to repugs to find a good enough vp

[robbedvoter]

28. Bingo! Tom Brokaw goes to this too

If he needs someone who won't be slimed, he heeds to go to the Ubermensch party. We're not worthy.

[AP]

24. On the other hand, with Bush going so far right, Kerry doesn't really

need to worry about the left not showing up at the polls as much as, say, Clinton might have worried in 96.

Bush is doing all Kerry's work in terms of ensuring that the left stays interested.

That frees up Kerry to move a little to the right to get the middle of the spectrum.

Having said that, I can't imagine that Kerry would ever pick a Republican as his VP.

It's definitely a smart thing to do to get moderates in NH to like him a little more regardless of whether he picks Rudman. But it would be a silly thing to do.

[sandnsea]

29. He won't

I can't imagine it remotely. And while America would have loved Kerry/McCain, I couldn't honestly see that because the differences are too great. But it is interesting to me that the quotes that are released, and then gleefully posted here, are the exact kinds of things that alienate the left. And too many people don't bother to go read them in context because they're looking for anything to justify their personal anti-Democrat or anti-Kerry agendas. And Karl Rove knows it.

[loudsue]

20. Does Kerry have a death wish we should know about?

That's a fine recipe for an assassination, in this political climate.

At least if he chose Wes Clark as VP, we'd have NO fear of an assassination attempt.

:kick:

[mouse7]

25. ...and Rev. Moon is the son of God, too.

Warren Rudman will be Kerry's VP shortly after God goes on CNN and proclaims Rev. Moon is his son on Larry King Live.

Damn people, it's the Washington Times. There are Disney animated feature films that are more accurate historically than the Washington Times.

[loudsue]

27. I'm not too sure, Mouse7....these days, whatever is insane

is probably going to prove to be true.

I'm hoping this is nothing more than "rumor"...and it probably is. But it's still an INSANE RUMOR, if it is.

Who would have thought the supreme court would place someone in the white house that had lost a presidential election?

These are truly insane times.

:kick:

[MAlibdem]

31. I think this is designed to illustrate a Bush fault...

That he runs up huge deficits and expands government.

In my opinion, increasing the size of government is not inherently bad, but paying for it on the nation's credit is pretty dumb and shortsighted.

[Emillereid]

34. I have given up hope on the Kerry campaign --

this is so predictable -- play it safe and cautious and dumb. Do everything you can to turn off your base -- and LOSE BIG TIME. So why am I not surprised.

[revcarol]

35. I'm with you.

I say to Kerry, "God, don't do this!!"

Sometimes Kerry seems determined to lose.
If he does this, I will know for sure that he is determined to lose.

[salonghorn70]

36. whosinpower said it very well

I certainly want an appeal to the middle. That is where elections are won. I actually have no problem with the right kind of Republican as VP. I was warming to the idea of McCain if polling data showed that it would make a difference.

Nevertheless, I don't think Rudman would be a good candidate. His age and lack of national visibility would not be good. I don't think that this was a "serious" leak.

[Cuban_Liberal]

37. When Hell freezes over!

I will leave the Democratic Party, if Kerry picks a Republican--- ANY Republican--- for VP... :puke:

[KoKo]

38. Sorry to be blunt, Gloria, but GACK. Rudman? where did THIS come from?

GACK. Rather than an analysis...I gave you my "gut" reaction.

Please understant it for what it is...

[belle]

39. It comes from the WT, which makes me take it with a big heap o' salt.

[mmonk]

40. Rudman would be good in

chewing up this high debt ideology and spitting it out exposing its weakness. Rudman is honorable even if you don't want him.

[VolcanoJen]

41. This is one Yellow Dog Democrat who would say NO to that ticket.

I'm thinking it's a Moonie-hysteria trial balloon, and I'm moving on for now... :D