Uh, GUEST, the only person to comment on your suggestion of a midwest/southwest ticket (Feingold/Richardson) was me, and I supported it. Where do you see all this supposed resistance to it? Also, your other suggestion was Bill Bradley, a classic Northeastern Liberal type.   

I agree, by the way, that Northeastern liberals aren't such a good idea, since the Northeast will likely vote for the Dem anyway. A western, midwestern or southern candidate is almost always preferable, since he may be able to win his own state and neighboring states. Traditionally, the Dems have focused on the South, but already in this cycle people were saying the Dems should concede the south and try for the southwest... hence, Kerry's early overtures to McCain for a cross-party ticket, and all the buzz about Richardson for VP before Edwards was selected.

Richardson is also a good choice because he is Latino, and that will be a more powerful community in 2008, and more powerful still in the years to follow. He has had a wide range of domestic experience (as a congressman and governor) and foreign policy experience (as ambassador to the UN), and specific expertise in Energy (where he had a cabinet post under Clinton). He has been in an extremely stable, 30 year marriage, which means a lot to some voters.

The only minus to Bill R for Prez is he doesn't have the good looks or the personal magnetism. People like Martin Gibson will find some unflattering pop culture comparison (Fred Flintstone?) and beat us over the head with it for a year!