VEEP VEEP!

Some intriguing chatter about vice presidential picks lately. I saw a story that says Mike Huckabee is now at the top of McCain’s short list. One thing about McCain, he is not dumb. Huckabee may not be from a swing state (I think Arkansas will be in the R column in any election not featuring a Clinton on the ticket), but he can deliver the very key evangelical vote, especially in states like Florida and Ohio.

Huckabee has some truly nutty ideas and will turn some off with his very religious politics, but those voters are likely not to vote R anyhow. What he does bring is a lot of star power and likeability to the ticket. And he is not, as McCain has said about himself, “old as dirt.”

I just remember when Huck said the Wal Mart voters were the wind beneath his wings. Brilliant! That guy can connect with those voters, and bring them out, in a way that a Pawlenty or a Romney never would. Huckabee would be a great choice for VP.

And then there is the much-talked-about Obama/Clinton ticket. Some are now saying that if Sen. Clinton wants it, Obama will have to give her the job because she has so many delegates and so much support. But I can really see strong arguments both ways. Obama has been criticizing Clinton as part of the problem in Washington; it’s going to be tough to turn around and pick her as VP. And who wants Bill Clinton roaming the White House, bored, looking for trouble?? Not BO, I would bet.

But still. Hillary Clinton, like Huckabee, has proven to be a formidable campaigner who appeals to working class people (and not just whites; Latinos are also a very strong group for her). IF the two could get along, and IF their staffs didn’t start sniping at each other and IF they could ship Bill off to Tahiti or something, this matchup could really generate some excitement. But those are big ifs, don’t you think?

So what's your opinion? Any favorites for VP?

Oh, and I found this; The Hill went to every senator and asked if they’d be interested in the VP slot. Some of the replies are pretty funny: Joe Lieberman said, “I already have the T-shirt.” Larry Craig (of all people) also had a good response: “I would say, ‘No, Hillary.’”