John Kerry's

Vice Presidential Nominee: The nominees for vice president are Dick Cheney for the Republicans and John Edwards for the Democrats. Cheney has been the vice president for the past four years under the Bush Administration, while John Edwards has served six years in the Senate representing North Carolina. The Vice President of the United States is the second highest executive official of the United States government, the person who is "a heartbeat from the presidency." As first in the presidential line of succession, the Vice President becomes the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the President. Nine Vice Presidents have assumed the Presidency upon the death or resignation of the President. Beyond this important role, the only duty required by the U.S. Constitution is that the Vice President serve as the President of the Senate. link

Description of candidate's position: Senator Kerry chose Senator Edwards for his vice presidential nominee because of Senator Edwards' dedication to defending the values of America. John Edwards was raised in North Carolina, and was the first of his family to attend college. He attended college at North Carolina State University, and later attended the University of North Carolina where he earned his law degree. After law school he worked for nearly two decades standing up for victims' rights against the insurance industry. In 1998 John Edwards ran for the United States Senate and won defeating an incumbent Republican Senator. In the Senate Senator Edwards fought for health care, middle class tax cuts, and education programs. He has cosponsored civil rights legislation, and has served committees that include small business, the judiciary, education, health care, and intelligence. link

Quotation from the candidate: "I have chosen a man who understands and defends the values of America, a man who has shown courage and conviction as a champion for middle class Americans and those struggling to reach the middle class&emdash;a man who has shown guts, determination and political skill in his own race for the Presidency&emdash;a man whose life has prepared him for leadership and whose character brings him to exercise it."- John Kerry.

Assessment of the proposal:

Positive: Senator Edwards has received the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters, and the endorsement of the Sierra Club. Edwards has "amassed a solid record on public health and conservation issues that stands in stark contrast to the Bush administration's corporate driven agenda," said League of Conservation Voters' (LCV) President Deb Callahan.

Negative: According to the Economist, the bigger problem for Senator Edwards is the list of things he hasn't done. First, his public service adds up to only six years in the Senate; there, his record for attending roll calls (partly spoiled by campaigning) has been poor, and he has no serious legislation to his name. "This lack of experience is particularly striking in foreign affairs, where his résumé is as short as Mr. Cheney's is long."

Comparison: Vice president Cheney could be seen as a liability because of the Bush administration's handling of the situation in Iraq, and his major involvement in it. Also Cheney's ties to Halliburton, the Texas company that he once ran, and their involvement in Iraqi reconstruction contracts. 

Link to Bush's vice president issue page.