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Presidential Running Mates: A look at the vice presidential prospects in both parties in a rough order of how their chances rank: Democratic: Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine: The logical choice is a moderate Southern governor, and Kaine is the only one who fits that description. His negatives are multiple: only been governor for two and one-half years, with few accomplishments; an absolutely zero profile nationally with low charisma to match; hard to imagine him as President of the United States. But he's popular in Virginia, which hasn't been carried by a Democrat for president since '64, but would be possible...

<p>Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner reiterated Tuesday that he is not interested in being Barack Obama’s running mate, citing a desire to spend time with his family in an interview with Washingtonpost.com.</p> <p>Warner, who is running for the open U.S. Senate seat in Virginia, said in June at his state’s Democratic convention that he would not seek a spot on Obama’s ticket.</p>

At a social gathering over the weekend, an assortment of political operatives, analysts and journalists engaged in Washington’s favorite parlor game: Declaring whom the presidential candidates ought to pick as running mates. Among Democrats there were, predictably, those who wanted Sen. Barack Obama to put Sen. Hillary Clinton on his ticket. More surprising, as their discussion unfolded, a groundswell began to build for two less-conventional possibilities: Sen. Joseph Biden and Al Gore. (Yes, that would be the same Al Gore who held the job of vice president for eight years.) The two men, different in many ways, have one important...

VIA SURVEYUSA There are so many terrible things in the latest SurveyUSA Oregon poll for Democrats that we don't really know where to start. However, it is important to note that SurveyUSA, like any poll, should be taken with a grain of salt. In the primaries, SurveyUSA was often the most reliable in the Clinton-Obama race, but it was off by large margins in some contests (we remember North Carolina being one of them, but must note everyone but Rasmussen was off in North Carolina...SurveyUSA nailed other contests perfectly, and it seems its sampling problems were 100% tied to high...

Former U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton ruled out the possibility on Tuesday that she would seek the vice presidential post in a Barack Obama administration. "I am not seeking any other position," the New York senator said during her first public appearance since she suspended her campaign on June 7. "You know, it is not something that I think about. This is totally Senator Obama's decision and that's the way it should be," she told reporters at the Senate. However, it is a U.S. political tradition for potential VP candidates to deny their intentions to seek the position...

In case you missed it ... the P-I's politics blog has posted on an online rumor: Open Left reported last week that Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), an early supporter of Hillary Clinton, has been approached as a possible vice presidential running mate for Sen. Barack Obama. Open Left cites a "trusted inside source" and writes: Murray was first elected to the Senate in Washington State in 1992, the "year of the woman" in the U.S. Senate. Murray would be a reinforcing pick for Barack Obama in that she is one of the few sitting Senators or Governors who opposed the...

There is a very straightforward way for John McCain to ensure a success against Obama this fall (beyond all the valid points regarding Obama’s inexperience, his huge mistake on the success in Iraq, his questionable associations, his liberal record). Hillary’s supporters want to go somewhere other than Obama. If McCain selects a stalwart, conservative women VP this election is over before it begins. Obama can’t lose the 50% of Hillary voters who garnered her the most votes for any presidential candidate in the primaries. And if McCain selects a woman VP, I am fairly certain many of those Hillary supporters...

So there at the Hillary Clinton event at Baruch College was Lanny Davis, Senator Clinton's old pal from Yale--speaking to reporters, he stressed, as just a private citizen. Barack Obama, he said, "is strong in places where she isn't strong." Also Mr. Davis had called Senator Clinton that morning to tell her he was starting a campaign on a web site, one that would launch at midnight, after the victory speech! One the web site, womenforfairpolitics.com, women may send a form letter to Barack Obama, asking him to make Hillary Clinton his pick for vice president. Mr. Davis said that...

Yes, to heal divisions among Democrats Yes, because she'll force it No, she doesn't want it No, but she'll influence his pick No, he doesn't want to listen to Hillary or Bill Don't know Don't care

As political rituals go, the phony denial of interest in the VP nomination is among the most annoying. So credit Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for unequivocally stating their willingness to serve as McCain's running mate. But please, politicians out there, spare us the feeble non-denial denials such as the one Jim Webb offered up on today's Morning Joe. Isn't Webb supposed to be Mr. No-Nonsense Macho Man? After all, he was on the show to tout his new book, A Time to Fight, and to talk up his rough 'n tumble Scots-Irish roots. But judging by his wimpy response...

<p>Women, we are told by some people who say they know them, are not amused. Women, or at least those whose consciousnesses have been properly raised, supposedly think that the impatience being expressed about the protracted futility of Hillary Clinton's campaign is disrespectful. They say that if the roles were reversed -- if Barack Obama's delegate arithmetic were as hopeless as hers -- people would not be so insensitive as to try to hurry a man off the stage.</p>

John Edwards says he's not interested in becoming vice president...The former presidential candidate told the press his wishes last night in New York City. Edwards was in the city receiving an award from demos, a liberal policy research center. On Wednesday Edwards endorsed democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama. The fresh support helped add to Obama's overall delegate count. (Watch the Video)

WASHINGTON – Sen. Barack Obama's victory in North Carolina and near-miss in Indiana last week remove much of the doubt about whether he will win the Democratic nomination for president. With Obama the likely Democratic nominee and Sen. John McCain long his party's presumptive nominee, the search for their vice presidential picks can now begin. Below, you'll find the five most logical veeps, assuming McCain and Obama are the candidates, ranked in the order of the likelihood of being chosen. No. 1 on each side is currently the likeliest to be named. REPUBLICANS 5. Mitt Romney: A few months ago,...

Friends and close associates of both Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are now convinced that, assuming she loses the race for the presidential nomination, she is probably going to fight to be the vice presidential nominee on an Obama-for-president ticket. Clinton "is trying to figure out how to land the plane without looking like surrender," a prominent figure in the Obama camp said Friday. This means, in all likelihood, bringing her campaign to a close in the next few weeks and trying to leverage her way onto an Obama ticket from a position of maximum strength, said several knowledgeable...

Is Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., staying in the race to get the vice presidential slot? George thinks so. Clinton vowed to fight on today, despite a growing chorus that says Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has just about wrapped up the Democratic presidential nominaton. ABC's chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos told Charles Gibson on "World News" that Clinton is staying in the race to negotiate a spot on the Democratic ticket in November. CHARLES GIBSON: George, she puts on a brave face in public. What's going on behind the scenes? GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, I think it's fair to say ... that...

Ed Rendell is too truthful to be a good vice-presidential candidate. Just ask him. The Pennsylvania governor and Hillary supporter was a guest on this afternoon's Hardball. Wrapping up the interview, host Chris Matthews broached his availability as Veep. CHRIS MATTHEWS: Do you think the Democrats have a shot at carrying Florida on the best of conditions this year? ED RENDELL: Oh, absolutely, absolutely. Particularly when the issues about Social Security are fashioned. I think this is going to be the best chance we've had to carry Florida since 2000. MATTHEWS: I think Hillary has a better chance than Barack...

Maybe, just maybe, it’s now worth at least asking whether Hillary Clinton might wind up as the Democratic candidate for vice president. When the chatter about a Democratic “dream ticket” began last year, it was easy to dismiss. Either Clinton or Obama would win a clear victory in the primaries and, after what inevitably would be a contentious campaign, each would want as little to do with the other as possible. Clinton, if she emerged victorious, would instead choose some kind of national security graybeard to her political right, a retired general perhaps, or maybe even a Republican. Likewise, Obama...

I have been troubled by Former President Bill and Senator Hillary Clinton's "presumptuous" offer to Senator Barack Obama to serve as vice-president during her presidency. Her assumption is that she would be more electable by the public at large and become the nation's first female president. While we would be ecstatic to have Barack as vice president, all of this is totally ignoring the fact that he is clearly the Democratic frontrunner in the race. After listening to the Clintons, I had a chance to talk to my dear friend Rev. Art Forbes when he came by the office to...

Yes, yes, yes, it's much too early to start thinking about running mates. Too bad. People are doing it anyway. And even though they won't admit it, odds are that Sens. John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are giving it at least some thought. So, too, are people who turn up their noses at the suggestion they might be a good fit, yet secretly harbor ambitions of getting the nod. Veepstakes speculation - always an undercurrent with a presidential election afoot - intensified this past week after Mitt Romney dropped out of the race, helping to clear McCain's...

Well surprise, surprise! Sure, he danced the full Kabuki, including the obligatory statement about considering John McCain for his VP slot. But at the end of the day, Mike Huckabee has admitted the obvious: he'll take the Veep nomination if John McCain offers it. Huckabee was a guest on this morning's Today. View video here.