Edwards's Credentials a Likely Target

In Weber's analysis, if terrorism and national security dominate the mind of the electorate, "No amount of smiling and charisma will make up for the fact that Kerry's chosen a vice presidential candidate who does not really have vice presidential credentials, and it will hurt the ticket."

Not surprisingly, Democrats sharply disagreed. "I think the most important dimension is fresh start, that we offer the country a fresh start," said Democratic strategist Mandy Grunwald. "I think people have made a decision they don't want to continue in Bush's direction but have been unsure what direction Kerry will offer, and this feels new and energetic and that's incredibly important."

Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart said Edwards provides Kerry with a direct link to voters, someone who can prompt voters to relate to the Democratic ticket with a "two Americas" message that he said is more in tune with the electorate than anything offered by any other candidate.

"Because Kerry has been a United States senator, he crossed the bar on the experience factor earlier than other previous challengers," Hart said. "There is no doubt about Kerry's ability to be president. So if you have to give up something to get the linkage, that is an easy one to give up."

Kerry advisers were peppered with questions to explain how Edwards fit one of the five criteria that the candidate had set out for his vice presidential selection team, headed by Washington businessman and Democratic veteran James Johnson.

The last of them, according to a campaign document, said, "Fifth, and most important, the candidate had to be ready, at any moment, to assume the awesome responsibility of president."

Asked about Edwards's lack of experience, campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill said, "Senator Edwards has been a leader through his life, and he understands the concerns and desires about the middle class and those who want to be in the middle class better than anyone in politics."

Saying the race is not only about national security and defense but also about financing college education, paying for health care and getting a good job, she added, "He has talked about those in every state of the country, and he will bring those into the debate."

Democrats also noted that Bush had no more experience in national security and foreign policy when he ran four years ago, although the world has changed dramatically since as a result of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Republicans called the choice of Edwards a political decision, but some privately said it was smart politics on Kerry's part, that the presumptive nominee had looked for the person who could help him most to win the election. In Edwards he found a running mate who they said could humanize the ticket and who, according to exit polls during the Democratic primaries, generally did better with voters the more they got to know him.

Four years ago, when Gore was considering Edwards as his running mate, one pro-Edwards adviser said the freshman senator might not be the best choice initially because he was so little known nationally and so untested, but that by October his campaign skills would prove to be a significant help in closely fought states.

This time Edwards is clearly the popular choice at the front end of the campaign. But voters may have different calculations this year than they did four years ago, and the challenge for Edwards and Kerry is to prove that he has not only the campaign skills to energize Democrats but also the intangibles necessary to convince voters that the Democratic ticket is prepared for all contingencies, domestic and foreign.