Chris Cillizza of The Fix On Top 10 Veep Choices

May 9th, 2008 by HOLLY IN CINCINNATI

Chris Cillizza of Washington Post’s The Fix On the Top 10 Veep Choices

The Friday Line: Veepstakes!

Ask someone who works for either Barack Obama (Ill.) or John McCain (Ariz.) about the search for a vice presidential nominee and, to a person, the response you get goes something like this: “It’s way too early to even be thinking about specific names.”

Bring up potential VP’s with people outside the direct orbit of the campaigns, however, and you get a panoply of names, discussions of running mate strategy, and handicapping of strengths and weaknesses.

Welcome to the veepstakes — where those who know the most are saying the least and, unfortunately, vice versa.

The Fix, as always, navigates these tricky waters for the good of our readers. Conversations with a variety of operatives who are in a position to have a general sense of the veepstakes have produced the lists you will find below. When it comes to picking a vice presidential candidate, we acknowledge it is something of a moving target — so if your preferred guy (or gal) didn’t make the list never fear, they could show up next time.

Also, since McCain and Obama appear to have the nominations locked up, we are, for the first time, ranking the five most likely veep picks. The number one slot on the Line is the candidate with the best chance — right now — of being picked.

Agree or disagree? Have a favorite of your own? Or even a full list? The comments section awaits.

[Lists Top 5 Republican Choices and Top 5 Democratic Choices]

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm and is filed under Democratic Party, I-35W Bridge, Republican Party, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, 2008 Elections, Hillary Clinton, Politics. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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