This article discusses the John Kerry's presidential campaign's vice-presidential candidate selection process that began after Kerry became the presumptive Democratic Party candidate for president of the United States of America in the 2004 election campaign.
Kerry announced on July 6, 2004 that his choice for running mate was Senator John Edwards of North Carolina. The discussion of the possibilities is preserved below for historical interest:
Vice presidential candidate possibilities
Some of the candidates mentioned as potential picks included the following individuals who held high political offices:
Gov. Phil Bredesen - Tennessee
Gov. Jim Doyle - Wisconsin
Gov. Mike Easley - North Carolina
Gov. Joe Kernan - Indiana
Gov. Gary Locke - Washington
Gov. James E. McGreevey - New Jersey
Gov. Janet Napolitano - Arizona
Gov. Ed Rendell - Pennsylvania
Gov. Bill Richardson - New Mexico
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius - Kansas
Gov. Tom Vilsack - Iowa
Gov. Mark Warner - Virginia
Sen. Evan Bayh - Indiana; Former Governor of Indiana
Sen. Joe Biden - Delaware
Sen. John Breaux - Louisiana
Sen. Hillary Clinton - New York
Sen. Jon S. Corzine - New Jersey
Sen. Tom Daschle - South Dakota
Sen. Dick Durbin - Illinois
Sen. Russ Feingold - Wisconsin
Sen. Dianne Feinstein - California
Sen. Bob Graham - Florida
Sen. Mary Landrieu - Louisiana
Sen. Joe Lieberman - Connecticut
Sen. Blanche Lincoln - Arkansas
Sen. Bill Nelson - Florida
Sen. Jay Rockefeller - West Virginia
Sen. Debbie Stabenow - Michigan
Sen. John McCain - Arizona; although McCain is a Republican, he was heavily vetted by Kerry as a Kerry/McCain ticket was seen as potentially unbeatable. McCain declined and supported his prior rival, President George W. Bush
Rep. James Clyburn - South Carolina
Rep. John Lewis - (Georgia)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi - California
Some recently retired figures who still have an important place on the national stage were also considered to be in the running:
Former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland (Georgia)
Former U.S. Representative Lee H. Hamilton (Indiana)
Former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart (Colorado) - Hart was an informal foreign policy advisor to Kerry during his campaign.
Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn (Ohio)
Former U.S. Sen. J. Robert Kerrey (Nebraska)
Former U.S. Sen. Samuel A. Nunn (Georgia)
Former OMB Director Franklin Raines - (New York)
Former Governor Ann Richards - (Texas)
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin
Former U.S. HHS Secretary Donna Shalala
Former Governor Jeanne Shaheen - (New Hampshire)
Former Marine 4-star general Anthony Zinni - (Virginia)
Newsman Tom Brokaw - (New York)
Kerry selected a vice presidential candidate from among former challengers for the Democratic nomination:
Sen. John R. Edwards - North Carolina, the last major rival to Kerry during the primary season. Political pundits had openly speculated for months that Edwards's campaign was simply an "audition for vice-president." Edwards's campaign refused to actively criticize fellow Democratic challengers, including Kerry, and Edwards' concession speech upon withdrawing from the race spoke highly of Kerry.
Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun - Illinois
Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.) - Arkansas
Former Gov. Howard Dean - Vermont
Rep. Richard Gephardt - Missouri
Sen. Bob Graham - Florida; Former Governor of Florida
Some moderate or maverick Republicans were also mentioned, especially U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona. McCain caused widespread speculation by suggesting in March 2004 that he might consider an offer from Kerry, although he later claimed that was not a serious comment, and that he supported Bush's reelection. A May 2004 poll showing a Kerry-McCain pairing with a 14% lead over a Bush-Cheney ticket further fueled speculation, reportedly leading to serious overtures from Kerry inviting McCain to join the ticket. However, McCain reportedly personally refused the overtures, laying most further speculation to rest.
Other Republicans that were occasionally mentioned as potential running mates include:
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania), although this was highly unlikely due to major support he received from George W. Bush during his Republican primary in Pennsylvania.
U.S. Sen. Charles T. "Chuck" Hagel (Nebraska)
William S. Cohen, who served as a Republican U.S. senator from Maine, but was U.S. defense secretary under Democratic President Bill Clinton
U.S Sen. Lincoln Chafee (Rhode Island)
Former U.S. Sen. Warren Rudman (New Hampshire)
