Kerry as Obama V.P. – Seriously

The speculation over V.P. pics has reached a feverish pitch; as pundits and beltway experts weigh in on a multitude of possibilities for both McCain and Obama – one must keep in mind that, although a great way to pass the time, guessing who the V.P. will be is akin to buying a lottery ticket and hoping one wins. That said, those weighing in will have another week or so to continue to choose for the nominees – with one or two possibly getting it right.

The latest V.P. pic bandied about is Massachusetts Junior Senator, John Kerry. The case for Kerry’s V.P. is made by Jon Keller, of WBZ Boston. Keller’s Blog outlines the pro’s of a Kerry V.P. choice, so well, apparently, that Matt Drudge has made it a two day headline (August 15 & August 16). That said, other sources in Massachusetts have indicated there may be something to this, adding: “According to state law, Kerry can run for Senator and for Vice President simultaneously.”

Would Kerry fit the bill? Yes, he may even be the most logical choice. He is close to Obama. It was Kerry who chose Obama as the keynote speaker for the 2004 convention; he also campaigned for Obama in Illinois (while campaigning for president). Kerry has spent more time campaigning and fundraising for Obama than paying attention to his own Senatorial race. Additionally, as previously noted in other posts, Kerry’s 2004 campaign staff is working for Obama. Obama lacks experience; Kerry has experience and is national party leader. He is also an astounding political opportunist.

“Yes he can” run for Senator and V.P. simultaneously, however, polls indicate that the V.P. slot may be more likely than a re-election. Polls: Suffolk University polls have indicated that 51% of the respondents preferred Kerry not retain his seat (no other candidates were mentioned in this particular poll). Ed O’Reilly, Democrat for Senate managed to get on the ballot despite the best efforts of the Kerry camp to squelch O’Reilly’s ambitions. Additionally, Jeff Beatty, republican has begun to close the gap in the Massachusetts Senate polls – gaining approximately 20 points in the most recent polls, which coincides with the percentage of those polled as “having no opinion” (not knowing about) of the candidate, dropping from 60% to 40%.
O’Reilly and Beatty have grassroots campaigns, which Kerry cannot generate, preferring to meet with City and State politicians on the campaign trail rather than actual voters. The most interesting indicator is the Bay State press. Recent articles are showing caution: the word “if” has been inserted before “John Kerry wins the primary”. One needs only to "Google" Kerry and Massachusetts Campaign to find Obama's name in the majority of the results - this may be leading pundits to believe Kerry is considering the V.P. slot, or alternately, aggressively seeking the same.

With McCain and Obama now tied in the daily Rasmussen Polls (44 – 44), the Obama campaign must be seriously looking for a way to generate buzz. The logical step would be to go where they believe they have a shot. With Kerry’s popularity in Massachusetts questionable at best, and the Republican Candidate, Beatty mounting an increasingly effective campaign – Kerry might feel more comfortable in the national spotlight.

A Kerry VP pick in Denver? Yes, anything is possible, however, perhaps the campaign should poll in Massachusetts (specifically independents or unenrolleds who make up 50% plus of the electorate) prior to making any definitive decisions.