It is pretty clear that we are down to two candidates. So now the questions begin as to the potential running mates. The candidates were each asked about whether the other was a potential running mate and, of course, neither ruled it out. But let’s be realistic, Hillary Clinton is not interested in being vice president so Obama-Clinton will not be showing up bumper stickers except as a gag.
That leaves the question of whether Obama would be willing to take the chance that a Clinton-Obama ticket would be a net positive. It would almost certainly be a formidable ticket. An agent of change paired with a voice of experience. A woman and an African-American on the same ticket blowing up the ultimate glass ceiling for both race (well, at least one prominent minority)  and gender. Each candidate covering the other’s weaknesses.
But is it good for Obama in the long term? George Will has suggested that Obama may be better off becoming the Illinois governor if he has to wait for the high office. It would certainly address one of his critical weaknesses. To date, he has never had to sign or veto legislation. He simply has no real governing experience to run on. Governors tend to have a much more effective argument for experience. Of course, then you have a record that you also have to defend. It can be easier for a candidate to say “trust me” than to say “look at what I’ve done but ignore those decisions that I made that you don’t like”.
Personally, I think Joe Biden would make a great running mate for either of the two front runners. Biden is a smart, savvy fellow with a common-sense attitiude toward working with Republican colleagues. He didn’t make a great presidential candidate. He was running against way too much firepower and public sentiment. But as a running mate he could really enhance the credibility of the ticket, especially for Obama. If Obama pulls an upset and wins the nomination, he could do a lot worse than adding a voice of experience, reason, and realism (to balance out the idealism).
Obama -Biden would be a pretty strong ticket, and it does now look like Obama will get the nomination so we’ll find out soon. You have to wonder how far to the middle he will go with his choice for a running mate because someone like Biden might push away moderates looking for something different. I have personally always liked Biden.