Guess That VP

Since the time is almost upon us, anyone want to state who they think will be the next VP? Time has a list of those already scheduled to speak up until the potential VP will speak. Assuming that this list is correct and assuming that the VP will not speak twice, (I think only one person could possibly speak twice, more on that in a sec.), Mark Halperin has an updated short list.

Sebelius (speaking)
Clinton (speaking)
Warner (keynote speaker)
Bayh (speaking)
Biden (speaking)
Richardson (speaking)
Strickland (speaking, took himself out)
Webb (took himself out)
Rendell (speaking*, took himself out, thanks ivb for the link)
John Edwards (took himself out)
Podesta (hosting a brunch)
Napolitano (speaking* and hosting a women governor’s event)
MacCaskill (speaking)

This means that the real short-list includes: Tim Kaine, Chris Dodd, Wesley Clark, Michael Bloomburg, Jack Reed, Chet Edwards, John Kerry, and Sam Nunn. I would argue that Dodd (mortgage crisis), Kerry (2004), Clark (will be somewhere else), Bloomburg (um...no), and Sam Nunn (cabinent is better as he is too conservative) will not be the pick.

From this list that leaves, Chet Edwards (surprise!!!- he's a good debater, represents a military district, good experience, and is Washington outsider who may not hold his seat for long) and Tim Kaine (who I really do not know much about other than he is a semi-popular Gov. in a Red State that plays harmonica).

Oh, and for some reason, one of the most prominent Democrats, Al Gore, who opposed the war, has been outside of Washington for eight years, and who could do more for Global Warming inside the White House, is not scheduled to speak at the convention. Just saying, that seems odd.

Finally, if there is one person who would speak twice that would be (sigh) Senator Clinton. On Tuesday, she would address her campaign, release her supporters to Obama, and would address gender issues. On Wednesday, without the Obama campaign revealing who the pick would be beforehand, she would walk out on to the stage. Of course, Bill Clinton will be relocated to Antarctica to study penguins for the next 8 - 20 years.

Oh, and McCain will announce his VP pick in Ohio on Friday, August 29th, the day after the Democratic Convention ends to prevent a bounce. Good luck with that.