Who will Obama choose for his Vice President? Who will he choose to share his ticket as VP?

In a recent Washington post political blog post, about who will be Barack Obama’s Vice President? Chris Cillizza says this about his possible VP choices:

The reality is that there are lots (and lots) of people who want to be vice president and getting yourself into that final group to be considered requires some risk and some luck.

Take Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. He was for Obama before almost any other elected official. Endorsing Obama (and, therefore, endorsing against the Clinton machine) was a major risk at the time that has paid off in a huge way for Kaine. Kaine also shepherded Obama to a victory in the Commonwealth last Tuesday.

That’s a pretty impressive resume. And, there are many other like Kaine. Given that, it’s hard to see Obama overlooking ALL of those people to pick someone who went with Clinton during the primaries.

He has a good point of course, but the way I read his post, he’s implying that Obama will choose a VP based largley on who he owes. That’s not the way to ensure he gets elected, and won’t be Obama’s main concern.  He will be choosing a VP to even out the tickeet, based on strong international experience. Someone who helps people feel more comfortable that someone so green will be Commander in Chief.   If that someone was a Hillary supporter, but still is the strongest person to add to the ticket, Obama will still go with his top choice.

Obama must choose as his Vice President running mate someone who exudes confidence, competence and experience.  This makes John Edwards unlikely as Obama’s VP.  I have been saying for several weeks that Joe Biden would be a logical choice for Obama. Nearly everyone likes him on both sides of the isle (I didn’t say loves him), and he is respected and trusted as a genuinely good man, rather authentic. (Plus he’s clean).  Ok, so he made one or two mistatements in recent months, but that can be forgiven. he has said he meant to say Obama was “clean cut” which didn’t help much, but he seems to be forgiven for the mistatement.

Who else could be Obama’s VP? What about General Wesley Clark? What about Colin Powell?  They would both have the international war experience, although there’s no indication Powell is even remotely in consideration or interested.  Bill Richardson? He is well liked, and has international experience, but has never generated much enthusiasm, and likely wouldn’t bring much more to the ticket than he would cost, in votes and momentum.

And then of course is the question “What about Hillary as Obama’s Vice President?”  After their last cozy debate when Wolf brought it up, it seemed to me, briefly, in the realm of possibility.  But that was a fleeting loss of reason.  Hillary would rather be a leader in the senate than a follower in the White House. She won’t consider it.  If Barack plays his cards right, he might make it known she was asked and turned him down, thus bringing more Hillary followers over to his side- hey, he tried.

Any other names you think are on Obama’s VP short list? Who do you think Obama will choose for Vice President?