Just thinking about VP's for the Dems

[Mr. Morden]

I still don't see Obama, who will have served just four years in the U.S. Senate by the end of 2008, picking a governor with zero Washington experience and zero foreign policy experience to be his VP.  Not in an election in which foreign policy is likely to be a major issue.  I know many people are suggesting he (or any other nominee) pick someone who could help deliver a swing state, but I see scant evidence that presidential nominees use that as a big factor in picking their running mates these days.  The most recent major party VP nominees came from North Carolina, Connecticut, Wyoming, and New York.  It seems to be far more common for them to pick running mates who they think will have more national appeal, or else will fill a particular niche with their personality or record that isn't filled by the presidential nominee himself.

Obama's greatest weakness as a candidate is lack of experience, so I would anticipate that he would go for, as Verily suggests, "a "safe pair of hands" VP: an older, very experienced politician who can appear statesmanlike" regardless of that person's home state.