Race for vice president?
【1月11日 AFP】2004年米大統領選の民主党候補、ジョン・ケリー（John Kerry）上院議員は10日、2008年米大統領選でバラク・オバマ（Barack Obama）上院議員を支持すると表明した。
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(c)AFP
That's right. I said, "vice".
Many people think the competition right now is only electing a president. But in fact, in American politics, there are two names on the ballot. When you go into the ballot box to vote for the American president, you vote for the pair.
And this week, we are seeing a prime example of veep positioning.
I'll start with John Kerry. As you may remember, he's the guy who ran for US President in 2004 and lost to George Bush dramatically. I'm guessing he wants to be Obama's vice presidential running mate and that's why he endorsed Obama.
But what about Bill Richardson? Does his neutrality suggest he's the better man? Far from it.
Here's the evidence on John Kerry:
• He endorsed Obama
• He knows his own power.
(The BBC quotes a pundit saying Kerry can offer Obama now a huge database of rich donors.) He represents white liberal guilt for racism and comes from the birthplace of the anti-slavery movement.
• Clinton probably won't ask him to be his running mate.
• He wants to be president.
And check out the photograph above. A visual love fest between a gray-haired elder statesmen and fresh young junior senator. (Patriachal, racist undertones notwithstanding -- I don't even wanna go there. I hope the African American media has the courage to address it.)
And Bill Richardson:
• He won't endorse anyone
• He knows his own power. He is half hispanic and the governor of New Mexico. Strong blocks of voters. Both Obama and Clinton would benefit if he were their running mate.
• He worked in the Clinton White House.
• He wants to be president.
In the New York Times this week, Gloria Steinem said of Obama and Clinton, "...if you look at votes during their two-year overlap in the Senate, they were the same more than 90 percent of the time."
So that suggests it's not about the issues. It's all about ambition.
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登録日：2008年 01月 11日 14:57:04
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