When candidate Bush picked Dick Cheney as his V.P. in 2000, I was impressed, as I thought that Bush chose competence and experience over obvious electoral considerations (I’m sure that one could make the case that Cheney was actually the best pick from a political standpoint, but I didn’t think so at the time). I thought Bush learned from the mistake of his father, who picked a pretty-boy lightweight as his own V.P., and lived to regret it.
Enter John Edwards. Like Bush I, Kerry has picked a lightweight for V.P., someone who I have no reason to believe has the experience or depth necessary to lead the nation through its current foreign policy perils if the need should arrive. If Pakistan was suddenly taken over by Islamic militants who seemed about to nuke India, would you really want John Edwards to be President? I can think of many, many, better Democratic choices from this perspective, including Gephardt, Graham, and perhaps even Clinton (Ms.).
I’m bound to receive emails pointing out the Bush Jr. himself had dubious foreign policy credentials, and he was at the top of the ticket. Point taken. And I think if 9/11 had occurred a year or two earlier, this would have been a much bigger problem for Bush, and it probably should have been, anyway. But none of that makes Edwards a good choice for Veep.
UPDATE: Edwards is “Quayle Light.” Ouch! And lots of stuff on Edwards The Trial Lawyer at Point of Law. Some of my thoughts on the issue may be found here.
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