Arkansas Dems - tell me what you think about Mark Pryor

[Hippo_Tron]

I know that he was just elected in 2002 so even if he were a steller candidate he would be kind of a stretch for President in 2008 but is he a VP possibility> He's certainly a young guy and he is the senator from a red state that should be blue.

[elperromagico]

1. Oh, can you *imagine* how crazy GD would go

if Pryor were chosen? You couldn't breathe in there for all of the "Pryor is a DINO" threads.

The two reasons, as far as I can tell, to nominate Pryor for VP would be these: 1. To balance the ticket, ideologically and geographically, 2. To have some shot at winning back Arkansas and some of the South.

I'm not sure either is practical, particularly the second. We have had two elections in the last sixteen years where a Northerner has chosen a Southerner for VP: 1988 and 2004. How many Southern states did Dukakis and Kerry win? Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

The only times in the last 30 years that the Democrats have won Southern states have been with a Southerner at the head of the ticket.

Pryor's not my kind of Democrat by a long shot; he is indeed too right-leaning, but for Arkansas he's just about right. For VP? Ehh... get back to me in three years if his name is being bandied about. Then I'll really tell you what I think.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. I wouldn't think he'd be the ideal VP candidate. He is not a progressive

on a whole lot of issues. I have written to him a hundred times and agree with his votes about 40% of the time. But in Arkansas, I guess one must be pretty middle-of-the-road.

[Enquiringkitty]

3. He's to far to the right for me. I have emailed him many times and he just

mails back a pre-printed "smoke-up-your-ass" letter. At least Blanche Lincoln knows how to type ..... or has one of her "people" do it.

[Thrasybulus]

4. Pryor is one of the 7 Dems in filibuster agreement

It will be interesting to see how the filibuster compromise plays out.

Pryor did stand up against Christian radicalism in a mild way which of course caused a hornets nest of a reaction among fundamentalists.

He's a natural compromiser who will be strained to the hilt by the uncompromising right.

[aaronbees]

5. I prefer Blanche Lincoln...

Having seen her in person, she has a pretty even-handed, down-home approach at explaining some core Democratic stands. Her own background, I think, helps her relate to those small town voters. I didn't get that feeling from Pryor when I met him. Though too right for my liking, I think she'd be more appealing than Pryor if looking for a red state Democrat on the ticket.

[election_2004]

6. Pryor is up for reelection in 2008

Put Blanche Lincoln at the top of the ticket, and that will give Pryor momentum to be easily reelected to his U.S. Senate seat.

http://www.lincoln2008.com