Rate Kerry's overall handling of the VeepStakes and Edwards announcement:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

1. Actually I have a feeling he decided Edwards a while ago. Did a good

job blowing smoke with Vilsac and keeping everyone guessing, and maximizing the hype over 4th of July weekend for biggest anticipation and impact upon the announcement.

As far as I'm concerned, the RNC looks like scared losers with their "sloppy seconds" and ad hominem attacks on Edwards ("disingenuous" etc.). This from what has to be the most "disingenuous" admin in my lifetime.

[napi21]

2. I'm glad he listened to the people.

I have no idea if they like each other or not, or if he's better friends with Gephardt, or his first choice was Graham. I think he made the best choice because the people seem to like Edwards much better than the others.

Edwards is a very good compliment to Kerry. He fills the negatives that Kerry has.

I loved the keep it secret idea! He kept himself in the news for a LONG time with this idea. And not mandating that Edwards be in Pgh. this morning helped keep the secret. He did good!

[Seabiscuit]

3. Kerry should have

done more to quiet the right-wing media whores' speculation that his first choice was McCain, or that he was asking McCain to be his VP. While McCain spoke out repeatedly saying he was not interested in being Kerry's VP, that didn't silence the bastards, because Kerry said virtually nothing about it all.

As a result today these same right-wing bobble heads are making the same spurious claim about McCain having been Kerry's first choice, and McCain just made Kerry look bad.

He virtually repeated the same mistake when it came to all the Gephardt speculation in the media.

He should have consistently shut them all up throughout these months with at least press releases clarifying that he has not, throughout this entire time, offered the VP position to anyone.

That aside, I'm absolutely delighted he chose Edwards. And it apparently took the Rovians by surprise, because their attacks on Edwards today where the stupidest, lamest pile of BS imaginable.

[mirandaod]

4. Seems very good to me,

may even be "masterful", but time will tell. If they keep campaigning well and avoid doing anything dumb, we just may be celebrating on Nov 3.

[LittleApple81]

5. When I watched The Daily Show last night, despite the fact I KNEW

why Edwards was not with Kerry during the official announcement in Pittsburgh... I could see (as a funny footnote...) how it might be attacked.