Debate question:

Do the Vice Presidential candidates influence your vote?

I'll start... I'm going to have to say in this election, it does not make a huge difference, but I would prefer that I agree with the Vice President and his/her policies. If I couldn't decide between two candidates (which normally doesn't happen), the vice President might help me decide. All in all though, my decision is based on the Presidential candidate.

I do believe history will record that Dick Cheney has been the most influential vice president this country has ever had. My own feelings are that he does a great deal of the heavy lifting independent of the President. Unfortunately, little of the influence is now public -- for example, the closed-session meetings to determine energy policy

So yes, this VP does influence my vote. I want the guy out of office and back into the known world of wheelers and dealers, so I intend to vote twice as hard.

Otherwise, VP choices don't matter to me very much. Being a heartbeat away from the Presidency should be considered, as should the grooming for a run at the White House. But it'd have to be a very horrible selection to make me vote against a VP if I support the primary candidate.

The VP choice is important, as well it should be. Afterall 'only a hearbeat away' and all that. The job has also grown in inluence in recent years. At least it did before Queen HRC usurped it.

In this particular election the choice, or should I say second choice, may prove critical. Kerry's first choice, John McCain, has been very vocal in his support for GWB ever since he recovered from the laughter brought on by Kerry's desperate offer.

John Edwards? Just about the only candidate with less recognition than Kerry himself.

I gotta tell you folks, this country is in a heap of trouble politically. The Democrat party is totally inept and bereft of ideas. Take a look at their proposed platform. That puppy could have been written by Karl Rove!

Edwards as VP choice will garner a few votes from the 'he's so cute' crowd, but not enough to save Kerry's disastorous campaign.

I've said it before, this country needs a strong two-party system. To all the Dems out there, please find someone with a clue to lead you. And stop trying to steal ours!

I've always kind of thought about this myself. And, I don't think it matters. Maybe a little geographically--i.e. Edwards is from North Carolina, so maybe, maybe he could make 4 or 5 more people vote for Kerry (does anyone believe that the South is going to vote for Kerry anyway?).

So, no, it does not in anyway influence my vote.

Although I do like John Edwards. He seems like a really cool dude. Smooth.