Truespeak

Democrats have said that the immediate Republican response to John Edwards selection as Kerry's VP shows how scared they are of Edwards' appeal. Maybe they're right. According to this article in the Houston Chronicle, Bush/Cheney have good reason to be scared.

Sheila Piner was so disillusioned with the presidential contenders that she considered not voting in November. But that changed this week when Democrat John Kerry named John Edwards his running mate.

"I love him. He's so damn cute," Piner, 38, said Wednesday as she ate at the Golden Nugget Pancake House, a popular breakfast spot in the suburbs of this industrialized city.

Piner's reaction was just the sort that Kerry hoped for in this politically divided state, where the new Democratic ticket spent its first day campaigning together in Cleveland and Dayton.

Of the dozens interviewed here over pancakes, omelets and waffles, many described the 51-year-old Edwards as a down-to-earth and engaging politician whom they said filled Kerry's charisma deficit. Even most Republicans offered only tepid criticism of Edwards.

Ohio is one of those states that Bush narrowly won in 2000. Losing it in 2004 could swing the election in favor of Kerry. Keep in mind that the 2000 election was won and lost by a total of one state. With Florida going to Bush, the total difference in electoral votes was a mere four, giving Bush one more than the required 270 electoral votes to win. Ohio would provide Kerry/Edwards with 21 electoral votes creating a 42 vote swing in the results. This is assuming that Kerry/Edwards can win the states that Gore won in 2000.

Ohio could prove troublesome for Bush because of the deep losses in manufacturing jobs. Even if he is able to regain a majority of the 3,000,000 jobs lost nationwide, the best that he can claim is status quo. The American people have to decide if that's satisfactory. Is it okay for the country to spend four years working to get back where we were? That's a tough sell when your trying to run on your record of "progress."

Maybe the most telling part of the article came in the numbers.

A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll found that 57 percent believe Edwards was qualified to be president -- the same percentage that found Vice President Dick Cheney to be ready for office four years ago.

The poll also said 64 percent thought Edwards was a good or excellent choice, compared with 55 percent who felt the same way about Cheney in 2000.

In Ohio, where polls show the race close, political scientist Herb Asher said Edwards is likely to help the Democrats with women and in the southeast part of the state, which culturally resembles the South.

"He will help to humanize the ticket," said Asher, professor emeritus at Ohio State University.

I think Ohio will look great in blue.

By the way, if you're concerned about Edwards' "lack of experience," check out these facts courtesy of The Rude Pundit.

Prior to his election to the Presidency, Grover Cleveland had been Governor of New York for three years, 1883-1885. Cleveland was 48.

Before being elected Vice-President to William McKinley in 1900, Theodore Roosevelt had been governor of New York for two years. He had spent one year as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. When McKinley was assasinated eight months after taking office, Roosevelt became President at age 43.

Woodrow Wilson was elected President at age 56 after serving only two years as governor of New Jersey, from 1911-1913.

When he was elected Vice-President to Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge had been governor of Massachusetts for two years. At age 48, he had also served as lieutenant governor for three years. When Harding died in 1923, Coolidge took over and the Roarin' Twenties were on their way.

In 1920, at the age of 38, Franklin Roosevelt was nominated for the Vice-Presidency, having been, well, Assistant Secretary of the Navy. At age 50, when he was elected President in 1932, his only additional experience was four years as Governor of New York.

When he became President at age 54, George W. Bush's political experience consisted of 6 years as Governor of Texas. He had never held a previous elected or appointed office when he became Governor.

If elected Vice-President, John Edwards will have served a full six-year term as a senator. He will be 51.