The Veep Moment...

Since Kerry's Vice Presidential choice seems to be coming to a head, I suppose I ought to summarize my thinking on the subject.
As always the VP criteria is complicated and contradictory....you want ideological compatibility, personal compatibility (ergo someone who'll take orders and be a team player)...you want this person's home state obviously...and no odd characteristics or a difficult financial history.
I'd be bad for example to nominate D. Donald Dipstick only to discover that he has been taking an annual pay off from a dozen practicing satanists on the board of Conoco.
Kerry has some good choices with merits and defects galore:

John Edwards: Nice pleasant well mannered fella it always a sign of character when a guy runs for President and makes nothing but friends along the way. He is young maybe too young...and last year's rumor was the only reason he got into the race was to get his name bruited about prior to a gubernatorial run in North Carolina. So his commitment factor has to be questioned.
Moreover can he deliver North Carolina to the democratic column?
If he can't then he has to be able to put the ticket over in Florida...some hard headed polling must inform this choice.
Still he is bright and charismatic, and Edwards is the party favorite...can't go wrong with that.

General Wesley Clark: Ah the General...once he was my fifth choice for President (after Kerry, Kerry, Kerry, and Kerry)...for a while there last winter I thought he building up to a "Bobby Kennedy" moment in the primary race. Alas Clark's stumbling start reveals that he shares little of the late Senator from New York's political acumen. But he is a serious well spoken man in many respects...like Edwards he might play well in the south and render up a border state or two.
And it is nice to have a soldier come over to the democratic side and add some martial solemnity to the mix.
Choosing Clark means choosing "seriousness".

Dick Gephardt: In a normal political environment Dick would already be on the ticket. He is an esteemed party elder whose nomination would offend few and whose populist bona fides and skill as a legislative tactician make Gephardt a reasonable selection in every way.
Alas since Bush stole the 2000 election and the terrorist attacks on 9-11 we are not living in normal times...and every time Dick runs for President he seems to make more enemies.
But he is a good talker that much I know and he understands how the game is played.

And then there are the Florida twins, Bob Graham and Bill Nelson. Both are capable candidates in every way...both are alleged personal friends of Senator Kerry.
Nelson is a veteran and a former "politician in space" type astronaut. Graham is hung up on education issues and is a former Governor of Florida. He was briefly in the presidential race last year before bowing out. He like Gephardt a reliable party elder with few enemies and who can be relied on not to burden the ticket.
Both men are fine but a bit interchangeable.

While we are here, let me throw one name in the mix:
Former Texas Governor Anne Richards...okay so Bush beat her in 1994. Rovecorp has thrown everything they have at her and she is still standing....she might get something going with southern women and she is charismatic and known for her good manners.
She would make a good race.

All this having been said, my money is on Edwards....if it comes down to him or Gephardt then it's definitely the Junior Senator assuming the polling breaks in his favor.