John Edwards as a Vice Presidential Running Mate

Whoever ends up winning the Democratic Party nomination in Denver this year -- Senator Barack Obama or Senator Hillary Clinton -- is going to need a strong running mate, a person who can bring with them some voting clout, potential to sway undecided voters, and not be someone who will drive Democrats to vote for the presumptive Republican candidate, Senator John McCain. There are several strong contenders for that position, such as Governor Bill Richardson and Senator Joe Biden, but they all pale in comparison to former North Carolina Senator John Edwards.

John Edwards as a vice-presidential candidate would bring with it almost instant name recognition (two presidential nomination campaigns and half of the unsuccessful Kerry-Edwards ticket in 2004). Name recognition counts considerably and brings with it psychological familiarity (a type of security) that a relative unknown or a lesser known candidate might present.

Edwards has the advantage of being known for his anti-poverty issues and does not have that stigma of animosity that has grown between many black voters and the Clintons (admittedly, this would make him better suited to being Obama's running mate, but would no doubt help considerably with black voters if Clinton were to get the nomination). He appeals to the common man through his blue-collar, working class roots and his rags-to-riches story (his father was a mill worker).

Edwards would also bring to the ticket strong union support. He was endorsed by many states' Service Employees International Unions, the United Mine Workers, the United Steel Workers, the Transport Workers Union of America, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, and others.

Senator Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, is also a plus. Name recognition again is a salient factor. And Elizabeth Edwards is well-liked, seen as a fighter (she is battling cancer), and would go a long way in securing the middle-aged female vote (the nation's largest voting bloc).