Vice presidents are an untapped resource. A dynamic andinteresting running mate who complements a candidate’s weaknesses cannot only extend the support demographic, but also instill confidencein voters and moot criticism. The 2004 election has a uniquepossibility to change the direction of this country while reinventingthe office of vice president. A Dean/Clark campaign could becharismatic and well-rounded enough to revitalize the DemocraticParty.

Howard Dean is clearly the strongest candidate for the Democraticnomination. He is an experienced governor, with a geographicfoundation and roots in domestic policy-making. He has a lot ofsuccess – as governor of Vermont, he managed to lower taxes, pay offa $70 million deficit and establish a reserve in case of economicdownturn. As a Democrat who is responsible to a working-class voterconstituency, he did not do this at the expense of valuablegovernment services such as healthcare, education and transportation.Dean is also a highly educated physician. He is in a slightlyelevated position to address the healthcare crisis and can boast anentire career made of serving others and improving people’s qualityof life.

A strong domestic agenda should be the fulcrum of a Democratcampaign, and the area is Dean’s forte. However, the actions of theUnited States affect billions, and our recent foreign policy andmilitary management has been immoral and costly to the well-being ofthe entire planet. The American people deserve a president who looksout for them, but the world deserves an administration with respectfor other nations and an expert foreign policy team. Dean has littleexperience in international affairs, and for him to ignore thisweakness would be disastrous.

Democrats need to take terrorism seriously, and the visibleforeign policy plan cannot simply be “not what Bush is doing.”Addressing terrorism “seriously” is not instilling fear at home,squandering money and resources in a preemptive war, inflaming ahostile atmosphere and alienating your allies, but it’s also morethan criticism.

This is where Gen. Wesley Clark has the most utility within theDemocratic Party. Not as a presidential candidate – but as a visiblefigure symbolizing the party’s commitment to the internationalsituation. As NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Commander in Chief ofU.S. European Command, Clark oversaw the effort in Kosovo. AlthoughKosovo resembled Iraq in the sense that human rights violations wereused as an excuse to take action for economic benefit, at least itwas multilateral. Clark has experience working directly with alliesto achieve a common goal, and that knowledge will help a newadministration garner global pressure to suppress terrorism. Ifelevated in the party to vice president, it shows the party’scommitment to international issues.

The reason Clark is not a viable presidential candidate is rootedin the priorities the Democratic Party should make abundantly clear -domestic issues first. Clark is not a policy maker. The only reasonhe is being considered is because he is an anomaly – a moderateliberal with a lot of international military experience, willing tospeak frankly and with authority about military mismanagement. Clarkis a gift to the party, but he needs more legislating experience tobe the alpha male of a group that seeks to rectify social problemswith social programs.

But in all actuality, Clark’s campaign is probably more aboutgaining exposure than contending for the presidency. His campaign hasgiven him plenty of headlines and airtime, adding to his strength asa political figure and better positioning himself within thedemocratic party. If this indeed is Clark’s strategy, it’s a success.He now has the political clout (and right attributes) to run for vicepresident.

Hopefully, this is what the entire Democratic primaries are allabout. The Democratic nominees may be competing with each other now,but hopefully when the dust clears there will be a pecking order andthe party will have several established personalities. Activists andsupporters will be rallied and geared up for the general election andinstead of internal conflict, there will be synergy.

The grandest vision – the best-case scenario – would look a lotlike Voltron. The candidates who failed to achieve the nominationwill band together as a body around the victor, who acts as the headof a super-machine who beats the bad guys. Nowhere is this element ofteamwork more obvious, beneficial and sorely needed than in thepotential of a Dean/Clark presidential ticket. Let’s just hope theycan cooperate on the highest level – because there is a greater goodfor this country to be worked toward, and we just may need Voltron’shelp.

– Joe Zarro is an English senior and managing editor for The DailyAztec.

– This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of TheDaily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com.Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, majorand year in school.