WI: John Edwards in 2004

While I would tend to believe in the theory that it is the character of Edwards that would make him eventually doing something extraordinary stupid or illegal, Edwards did have a real chance in 2004, and it is hardly believable that he would be able to have an affair with anybody during the campaign - closely watched by cameras of the media.

Who would Edwards have picked as his running mate? Kerry, Biden, Gephardt or someone else? Not sure if he could defeat Bush, but if he did, how would his presidency be like? Let's assume that he did not have an affair or involvement in unlawful practice, would he simply become a leftist populist version of Jimmy Carter, and then got crushed in 2008 by the GOP nominee, if the financial crisis broke out as in OTL? Otherwise, what agenda would he try to push forward during his first term?
 
I doubt he'd win against Bush. He did in the beginning support the war in Iraq, so it wouldn be interesting to see what he would do in that regard...
 
Seems plausible to me, since I think Kerry '04 is basically the floor for any non-complete-joke Democratic candidate. Edwards runs 120,000 votes better in Ohio, and he's President.

I think Edwards would have gone with a gravitas pick from the midwest -- possibly Dick Gephardt? Tom Vilsack is probably on the short list, but the Democrats are going to want to shore up their (perceived) credentials on national security. Maybe even Sam Nunn (who was purportedly under consideration by Kerry IOTL.) Wes Clark is probably too thin on everything else.
 

Thande

Donor
Would Edwards at the top of the ticket have seriously challenged the Republicans in the South or not? (I don't mean win states necessarily, but cut their victory margins and force them to spend there).
 
He does better then Kerry. He does not have to worry about Swiftboats for truth. He can effectively campaign against NAFTA. He wasn't there to vote for it. He is a more effective opponent of gay marriage. He wasn't there for DOMA either.
 
Would Edwards at the top of the ticket have seriously challenged the Republicans in the South or not? (I don't mean win states necessarily, but cut their victory margins and force them to spend there).

If he does do marginally better in the South than Kerry, Bush would make up for the losses elsewhere. In this scenario, we'd probably see Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania go Republican.
 
Problem is Karl Rove would have an easier time tearing him apart than he did with Kerry. By the time the election came around he'd look like the sleazy PI trail attorney who profited off the misery of others. I think with Rove's machine in place Dean, Kerry, and Edwards simply couldn't win. Clark or maybe Lieberman or Gephardt had the best shot of winning in 2004. Remember, the war on terror trumped everything else for many voters in 2004.
 
All someone would have to do is point out he owns a massive multibillion dollar mansion next door to a trailer park. You thought Mitt Romney looked like an out of touch elitist? Just wait until Karl Rove has his way with that little tidbit on this alledged 'populist to unite the two Americas'
 
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