The Governors Are In.

By Anonymous -
ABC's Marc J. Ambinder put together this article comparing Gov. Howard Dean with former FL governor Sen. Bob Graham.

The article compares how they are alike as well as how they are different. Most noteworthy was the talk that pehaps Gov. Dean is thinking of Sen. Graham as a running mate...
Political observers currently put Dean in the first tier of Democratic candidates while Graham is seen at this early stage in the campaign as a second-tier candidate.

Could Dean be looking far enough into the future and thinking that Graham might make an attractive running mate? One idea, endorsed by some who have spoken with Dean, is that the candidate is angling for Graham to join his ticket.

Being governor is an important qualification for Dean. The last two Democrats elected president — Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton — were state executives. They were from the South, not the North.

So Graham could certainly help Dean's electoral calculus. Democratic candidates planning for the general election aspire to hold the states that Al Gore took in 2000. And then they need to win in at least one more big state. Graham's popularity could add Florida's 27 electoral votes and give the Democratic ticket a boost elsewhere.

Top Dean aides insist there's been no internal discussion about general election strategy.

"We're still trying to figure out how put our organization together in Iowa," said Joe Trippi, Dean's campaign manager. "We haven't given a thought to it."

Based upon many of your votes on the grassrootsfordean.com Dean's VP selection poll, it looks like the pundits aren't the only ones with such thoughts. Gen. Clark is winning, but Sen. Graham is in a strong second place.

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