Veep speculation

Articles like this certainly keeps the pressure up on Kerry.

As Sen. John Edwards campaigns nationwide for John F. Kerry -- and for the second spot on his presidential ticket -- the North Carolinian's main strength is also his biggest handicap, a paradox at center stage of Kerry's narrowing search for a running mate.

Of all the surrogate candidates and vice presidential hopefuls, none can touch Edwards's ability to electrify crowds and charm voters out of their socks. But Democratic big shots and small-county chairmen alike say there is no question that the charismatic senator still covets the presidency -- in 2008, 2012 or whenever the next opportunity arises.

Among the biggest decisions Kerry faces is whether Edwards could check his ego and ambitions for four or eight years and play the loyal, subservient and rarely glamorous role of vice president, whose greatest concern is supposed to be the president's best interests. Purely in terms of campaigning this fall, the Massachusetts senator also must consider whether Edwards's sizzle would make his own more prosaic style seem unacceptably wooden by comparison.

This weekend in this mecca of presidential politics, Edwards's star qualities were in full glory, delighting hundreds of Iowa Democratic convention-goers but surely prompting mixed feelings inside the Kerry camp. In speeches Friday night and Saturday morning, Edwards ripped the Bush administration and repeatedly brought the delegates to their feet, whooping, cheering and later mobbing him for photos and autographs as the party convention tried to resume its business.

Nothing new. If anything, I think it seemed a bit biased against Edwards as an opportunist-come-lately.

I'm biased. I support Edwards as VP, despite the issues of his 'ambition' and 'lack of experience', which I suppose have more to do with Kerry's comfort level than mine. I liked Edwards' stand on education. He was outspoken against NCLB with clarity, unlike Kerry. If Edwards is chosen, I hope he wouldn't have to kowtow to the more conservative elements of the party, the DLC/PPI influence, with regards to education.

But if he isn't chosen, I would still expect to see him working in the cabinet somewhere. AG?