What if Al Gore had picked John Edwards to be his running mate in 2000 instead?

[Mister Mets]

Hmm, interesting question.

I would guess that without Lieberman, Florida would not have been as close. Gore would still have lost, but there would not have been the controversial recount.

Edwards would start as the 2004 favorite in that primary. He might have a career-ending scandal even earlier, just because of his increased profile. That could have shaken up the race. It could have resulted in Dean being the nominee, as he seems the logical second choice for people who wanted someone more combative/ telegenic in the primary.

Without Edwards, there may have been more of an opening for Warner in 2008. So he might have been in the top-tier with Hillary and Obama.

Morden had a good point that Lieberman might not have been as polarized.

If Edwards didn't have a career-ending scandal, he probably would have been President in 2004. I think he would have been atrocious, due to his ego and personal failings. So 2008 would have been bad for the Democrats.