Dean/Saddam: Mother of all tickets
By JAMES PATTERSON
URL:http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20040110-103811-2233r.htm
As a rule, I generally discount presidential approval ratings by universities and newspapers. However, as a Republican and a Bush-Cheney supporter, I am enjoying current reporting on President Bush's approval by the electorate as we enter this year's political season.
By one such account, 65 percent of the surveyed voters approve of George W. Bush's performance as president. Other polls report similar findings. It seems surveyed voters approve of Mr. Bush's handling of the War on Terror and of the economy. Mr. Bush certainly had a good December, with robust economic statistics and the capture of Saddam Hussein.
All this is good news for the administration and it may foretell doom for the Democrats come November 2004. And that would be due justice. After all, Democrats preached doom for the better part of 2003. It's just ironic that the doom will be their very own political defeat in November.
As former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who, lest we forget, represents the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," marches boldly toward his party's presidential nomination, he seems unable, or unwilling, to adjust his antiwar political message. The endorsement from former Vice President Al Gore did nothing for Mr. Dean's chances of displacing Mr. Bush. In fact, Mr. Gore may have hurt Mr. Dean's chances. Perhaps voters look at the Dean-Gore embrace as justification they did the right thing by voting for Mr. Bush or Mr. Nader in 2000.
It is safe to conclude from Mr. Gore's endorsement of Mr. Dean that Mr. Gore doesn't want a place on Mr. Dean's ticket. Some political pundits have suggested Mr. Gore might expect to be secretary of state in a possible, though very unlikely, Dean administration. I guess such an appointment would provide Mr. Gore the opportunity to claim he "invented" foreign policy right after he "invented" the Internet. The thought of that alone should cost Mr. Dean a sizable number of votes.
However, the issue of a running mate for Mr. Dean is an interesting one that must be on his mind. In fact, according to news accounts, Mr. Dean has been actively considering a running mate, sort of. There has been a bit of a controversy swirling around Mr. Dean and fellow Democratic presidential hopeful former Gen. Wesley "Am I a Democrat?" Clark.
Someone, although Mr. Dean says he wasn't he, asked Mr. Clark to be his running mate. Reportedly, Mr. Clark refused. Later, Mr. Dean denied there was any such offer. Who was right? Who cares? If true, it shows a little, very little, political calculation on the part of Mr. Dean's people.
Mr. Dean, alone among Democratic presidential candidates, wants to be the antiwar president and he probably figures it would be good to be seen as commander in chief and superior to a high-ranking military figure like Mr. Clark. I suppose if you're Howard Dean that makes a powerful statement to the left. However, if you're Mr. Clark, you would be smart not to help a draft dodger like Mr. Dean. I think Mr. Dean can cross Wesley Clark off his list of possible running mates.
While Mr. Dean reconsiders his "military option," there are other bold and symbolic possible running mates. For example, Mr. Dean could select a prominent African-American as a running mate. Rep. Harold Ford, Tennessee Democrat, and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Illinois Democrat, could be contenders.
There also are many prominent women Mr. Dean could enlist for his campaign. That brings to mind Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat. For some reason, I just don't see her jumping in to help the Dean campaign.
However, I understand Mrs. Clinton highly recommends former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun. Of course Mrs. Moseley-Braun is herself a Democratic presidential hopeful. Mr. Dean must be aware of her considerable political talents, as he has shared stages with her in various debates. Mrs. Moseley-Braun, a one-term senator, could have the opportunity to be Mr. Dean's vice-presidential running mate.
I am sympathetic to Mr. Dean's search for a running mate and I suggest he pick fellow antiwar activist-politician Saddam Hussein. A Dean-Saddam ticket could be the Mother of All Democratic Presidential Tickets. It would be the ultimate peace ticket, and it has many advantages.
First, Saddam has an established name in politics, albeit Iraqi politics. That shouldn't matter to the antiwar Left. Second, Saddam is current president of a nation and, therefore, a man with political skills readily compatible with political supporters such as those who have propelled Mr. Dean. Third, Saddam would be easier to find than Mr. Ford, Mr. Jackson, and Mrs. Moseley-Braun. Mr. Dean could send his offer to Saddam via Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The offer could be in Baghdad in Saddam's soiled fingers in only hours.
Fourth, after being president for more than 35 years, Saddam is ready for a less stressful position. Howard Dean's offer of the vice presidency could be just the move Saddam is looking for. Fifth, Saddam, like Mr. Clark, is a military man, and that fills the symbolic need for Mr. Dean to "command" a military type as his vice president.
Given his current circumstances, Saddam is virtually certain to agree to such an offer. Yes, Saddam could be Howard Dean's ace of spades, so to speak. If Mr. Dean plays the "Saddam card," it could be just the bold move his campaign needs. If not, Saddam could rent Mr. Dean his rathole for the next four years. Pack well for the trip, Howard.
Mr. Patterson is a Washington writer. |
