Lots of email along these lines:
There is a practical as opposed to political reason why Harold Ford, Jr. won’t be Kerry’s V.P. Art. II, Sec. 1 of the Constitution sets the minimum age for the President at 35 yrs. Congressman Ford will be 34 on May 11th. The Constitution is silent as to the age of a Vice President, however, it seems absurd for a nominee to choose as his running mate someone who can’t succeed him–succession being the only duty prescribed to the V.P. under the Constitution. Should Kerry choose Harold Ford, Jr. as his running mate, and should they be elected, Dennis Hastert, not Ford, would be next in line for the Presidency until May 2005.