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Now that John Kerry has nearly locked up the Democratic nomination for president, the real fun is just beginning as he and President Bush start down the long road of campaigning toward the Nov. 2 presidential election. Sen. Kerry’s next task is to select a vice presidential running mate. His selection will be extremely important in deciding the outcome of the 2004 presidential election. Vice presidential running mates do many of the same things presidential nominees do – they barnstorm, fundraise, give policy speeches and even have their own debate in October. So to help Sen. Kerry select a running mate, here are a few candidates and a look at how they stack up against their counterpart on the Republican ticket, incumbent Vice President Richard Cheney.

John Edwards v. Dick Cheney Age is an issue for both men. Edwards seems to have discovered the fountain of youth as his boyish good looks make him look more like an inexperienced college graduate than a 50-year-old senator from North Carolina. Cheney could use a couple sips from the fountain of youth. He had three minor heart attacks before he even turned 50, had quadruple bypass surgery in 1988, and had a pacemaker installed during his first term as vice president. John Edwards’ smile makes him look like Mr. Nice Guy Tom Hanks. Not exactly the kind of person you want standing up to terrorists and dictators. Cheney’s smile makes him look like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Not exactly the kind of person you want visiting with foreign leaders and trying to make nice with foreign countries. In elections, presidential candidates usually try to stay above the fray while vice presidents do most of the dirty work of attacking the other side. Cheney, who has been involved in politics since he graduated from college, is highly experienced in this role. Edwards, who based his entire primary campaign around being positive, rarely uttered a negative comment about the other side.

Richard Gephardt v. Dick Cheney Both men are career politicians, both of their first names are Richard, and both are elder statesmen. But the similarities stop there. Gephardt grew up in working-class America – his father was a milk truck driver. I think he still has an understanding of the working class. Cheney, however, became chairman and CEO of Halliburton Corporation, one of the world’s largest oil engineering companies. His big oil connections have been highly criticized in the media – especially after it was discovered that Halliburton allegedly overcharged American taxpayers by tens of millions of dollars for its Iraq reconstruction contract. Gephardt will connect more with U.S. nerds – he received his bachelor’s of science from Northwestern University and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1965. Cheney preferred a wide variety of letters of the alphabet on his report card. His poor marks during his first term at Yale in 1959 allegedly led him to leave the university altogether after his second year because he couldn’t cut it. Gephardt is famous for his staunch support of organized labor and leadership on the issue of free trade. This may not be much help because of Gephardt’s poor showing in the Iowa caucuses early this year, normally a labor stronghold. Cheney is infamous for his vote against a House Resolution calling on South Africa’s apartheid government to release Nelson Mandela from prison in 1986. This may not be very harmful because he was elected as the House minority whip two years later.

Janet Napolitano v. Dick Cheney Napolitano, the governor of Arizona, has an obvious upside in that her presence could help the Democratic ticket’s ability to connect with 50 percent of the electorate. Downside: She could hurt the Democratic ticket’s ability to connect with the other 50 percent of the electorate. She is also very popular in the important swing state of Arizona and its 10 electoral votes. Cheney is popular in his home state, too, the great state of Wyoming and all three of its electoral votes. Additionally, the last (and first) time there was a female vice presidential running mate (Mondale-Ferraro), that ticket was destroyed in the 1984 presidential election in a stunning 49 state defeat. Cheney, on the other hand, is such a scrappy and rugged running mate that his ticket emerged victorious in the 2000 presidential election despite having lost the popular vote. While vice presidents may not have very much power once in office, choosing the right one as a running mate can be critical for election year success.

Bitondo is a third-year political science and history student. E-mail him at mbitondo@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.