It’s Veep Week at the news magazines, which give us news on the veepstakes, words from the current veep himself, and a big (and somewhat curious) profile of the nation’s second veep and third president, Thomas Jefferson.

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman kicks it off with a by-the-book veepstakes story thinly disguised as a “How-to guide” for those interested in capturing the number two slot on the ticket. “There are many ways to run for the vice presidency, all requiring that the contender somehow be simultaneously indirect and clear,” writes Fineman. But, he notes, no one knows what’s the best way, since the “sole vote belongs to a deeply secretive, highly complex, superbly connected and (usually) politically cautious insider at the top of the ticket. ‘[Kerry] doesn’t like to be pushed,’ said a good friend.”

Fineman continues by treating the reader to the anonymously sourced tidbits of information that have come to define the Veepstakes tale. Gephardt, Edwards, Graham, and Vilsack, we hear, are all still in the running. One plan has Kerry making his choice within in the next week or so, which points to Gephardt — no, wait — Vilsack. You get the idea.

Buried in Time’s special issue on Thomas Jefferson is Perry Bacon Jr.’s critique of the man that wants to be the 44th president. Kerry, according to Bacon, is having trouble connecting with African American voters, even failing to “follow Hippocrates’ instruction: do no harm.” Bacon ticks off a series of Kerry missteps, including the largely press manufactured controversy over the absence of an African-American in Kerry’s inner circle.

Democratic insiders tell Bacon there is little chance that Kerry will follow in Clinton’s footsteps to earn the title of the second black president. But, Bacon points out, “Even if Kerry fails...

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