ARE recommending Gephardt, NOT vilsack. I get my information directly from my own states party anda number of its leadership...more than half are pulling for Gephardt. The want a long time political figure.
Literally all articles discussing the topic indicate strongly that the party leadership is looking for a safe choice:
The more chaotic the situation gets in Iraq and the more Bush sinks in the polls, the more the situation calls for a safe, vetted, vanilla pol like Dick Gephardt. Clark would reinforce Kerry's national security credentials, but as an amateur politician prone to saying embarrassing things, he is also a gamble.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32740-2004May17.htmlNext one:
There were earlier indicators that Kerry is not taken with Edwards. The final weeks in the primary season became particularly contentious between the competitors. Kerry was overheard telling an aide in February: "Edwards says he's the only one who can win states in the South. He can't win his own state." Kerry was referring to surveys that showed Bush leading Edwards in North Carolina...
Gephardt, too, has already been examined closely by the media, as well as his opponents, having been in public life for 30 years, and running for president, in 1988 and this year. Kerry is known to be particularly comfortable with the Missouri congressman, considered a safe choice who potentially brings his home state, a notorious swing state that went Republican in 2000. A disciplined campaigner, Gephardt, 63, could also help the ticket in other midwestern and industrial states because of his middle-class background and strong union support...
"One plus for Kerry is that he wouldn't have to watch his back for eight years," one party strategist said. Another added, "Kerry desperately needs someone with a blue-collar, scruffier background."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59829-2004May1.htmlPerhaps the most hotly debated topic in Democratic circles is the Kerry- Edwards relationship, and whether Kerry could overcome his concerns as to whether Edwards is ready to be president. Three sources who have spoken to Kerry in the past few months said that the presumptive nominee has been blunt about his views on Edwards, a first-term senator and former trial lawyer who ran a surprisingly strong primary campaign...
Gephardt, too, has already been examined closely by the media, as well as by his opponents, having been in public life for 30 years. He ran for president in 1988 and this year. Kerry is known to be particularly comfortable with the Missouri congressman, considered a safe choice who potentially brings his home state, a notorious swing state that went Republican in 2000 but voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 and 1992. A disciplined campaigner, Gephardt, 63, could also help the ticket in other Midwestern and industrial states because of his middle-class background and strong union support.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/05/02/MNGCB6EFOP1.DTLOverall, there are a number of serious problems between Kerry and Edwards that do not look to be problems that can be resolved. Edwards will be Kerry;s last choice. The first will be Gephardt, the next Clark, and finally Edwards only if the others will not accept the position.
And there are litterally dozens of articles that are very cleartly indicating that there is a very strong likelihood that whoever is the running mate, the least likely to get the position will be Edwards.
Not that I dislike Edwards, but Kerry is simply not going to select someone based on what public opinion is. He is going to go with a safe choice, and not an exciting one. Gephardt has been thoroughly vetted during two presidential runs. Tgis is going to be a close election, and NOTHING can be left to chance. Safety, and longtime political connection will make winning far more possible than s winning smile and boyish charm, and political slogans which lack depth. There is one thing that was clear frmo Edwards presidential bud. That is that he is not very knowledgeable about national security or foreign relations. His responses to questions about these situations always lacked depth, and he could not survive a debate with Cheney. He simply does not know enough, due to his short time in service as Senator. He is a very intelligent, and good senator, but he does not have what it takes to pull his running mate through what is going to be a very tough season. Gephardt does.