No, he wasn’t an outstanding veep candidate. A real disappointment, actually. But something that continues to amaze me is how important he was to pulling a number of young conservatives into the movement two decades ago, back in the heyday and aftermath of Kemp-Roth (a genuine legislative accomplishment, by the way–something Edwards doesn’t have). I certainly went through a period where he was one of my favorite pols on the Right. I also recall the day Dole picked him for the veep nomination. I was at the Heritage Foundation and witnessed a profound scene of excitement. The excitement turns out to have been misplaced, but it was sincere, and it wasn’t rooted in a desire simply to win. I can’t speak with any authority on what Edwards inspires among Democrats, but something tells me it’s not much deeper than a sense that he is a ticket to power. Winning is important in politics and Edwards may yet prove to be a winner. On the national stage, Kemp was a loser–but his reputation, ultimately, was built on a substantial foundation that Edwards doesn’t even come close to having.