The buzz will surround Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton. I'm guessing that others like Senator Warner may run...but who knows. The Democrats nominate people out of hats. In 1976 it was the random Governor of Georgia, then in 1988 it was the random Governor of Massachusetts, then in 1992 it was the random Governor of Arkansas. In 2004, it was just a random U.S. Senator and in 2008, it was a one-term Senator from a non-swing state.
Compared to Republicans:
68: random failed candidate from eight years ago
76: random congressman who had recently randomly became president after randomly being appointed VP
80: random actor / random governor
88: VP of random actor
96: random senator
00: random governor / random son of aforementioned vp of random actor
08: random senator / random failed candidate from eight years before
in other news, the word random starts sounding really weird after you say it in your head over and over like that.
However, you might on to something here. The Republicans tend to nominate people who (unsuccessfully) ran as president before.
McCain: tried to become Republican nominee in 2000
Dole: tried to become Repulican nominee in 1988, was the VP nominee in 1976
Bush Sr.: tried to become Republican nominee in 1980
Reagan: tried to become Republican nominee in 1976
Nixon: was the Republican nominee in 1960
Exceptions to the rule: Bush Jr., Ford
The same can't be said about the Democrats. Al Gore ran for president in 1988. And Hubert Humphrey had tried prior to 1968. But that's about it, I think. The Democrats don't usually nominate people who ran for president before. I guess that's bad news for Hillary Clinton. But then again, this might bode well for Romney in 2012.
(Ironically, in 2000 the Democrats nominated someone who had run for president before, but the Republicans chose a first-timer.)
