Reply #53: And if Clark had any chance of doing well in CA, NY, etc.,

[AP]

he wouldn't have dropped out.

I know it's a chicken and egg thing, but what are we arguing here?

I'll be the first to admit that past performance as a campaigner is not the number one criteria for picking your VP. You pick your VP to win the race, and that won't necessarily be the second best (or best campaigner) of the primary season. (However, I will say that I have an eye on 2012 with the VP pick this year -- I don't want an Al Gore who won't be able to win it when it's his turn.)

Nonetheless, if we're arguing who were the best campaingers of the primary season, I'm going to say that Edwards was the best, Kerry was the second best, Dean the third best, and Clark the fourth best (and that's giving him a lot of credit), considering what they were given, and from where they started and where they finished.

I really don't think I'm going out on a limb saying that.