Okay, in the spirit of "Almost Anybody But Tim Kaine" (which by the way besides him being halfway to Republican would give the Republicans the Virginia governship), and since Sebelius is horribly, deathly boring (as Gasket made me painfully acknowledge by watching a video that had me chewing on my leather arm restraints after 43 seconds), and since through a ton of non-too-subtle hints that Hillary is more likely to launch on the next space shuttle than be the VP nominee, I today for this moment and perhaps longer if my heart can stop fluttering sign on to Matt Stoller's Wes Clark promotion.

Obama doesn't support the troops? Here's that one in your eye. Being a POW is your main claim to fame? Well, here's a 4-star general who ran a war and still rappelled down a ravine to try and save troops. And most important, he's got liberal tendencies. While occasionally seeming a bit too earnest or naive and getting foot-in-mouth disease, virtually all the potential candidates suffer from these traits (with the least prone now set to blast off on Challenger any day now). And I don't think anyone doubts Clark on his beliefs and where he sits on positions. And frankly, I hope he'll put the kabash on sending more troops to Afghanistan, or at least figure out a strategic reason for sending them before we do.

So let's stand down Kaine, bring in Clark and raise some Hell. Give Wes a few piercing soundbites to work with on the Surge, on bringing troops home, on McCain's ability to waffle and backtrack on his multiple flip-flops, on what real on-the-ground fighting experience means (but don't give Wes too long a leash - he'll get it twisted around the lightpole).

I was scanning my usual important morning news sources on the internet, and I came across a disturbing news item - Angelina Jolie is still undecided. I went like WTF? Angie hasn't made up her mind? And here people have been giving me shit for months because I haven't joined the parade, while one of our leading cultural icons is cutting her path through the swamps of indecision? If nothing else, we should be joined in solidarity with her fight, her movement - with all she's given us, for far longer than a single campaign season, it can only be the right thing to do. And if she hadn't adopted a child from Africa, does anyone here honestly believe Obama would be in this race at this point? Or that Madonna would have adopted one on her own? Laughable.

So here's what I want you to do - find out who else out there is lost in the fog, needs help coming ashore. What's Brad think? Jessica Simpson (Obama could use her pro-meat contingent)? Kiefer Sutherland (he gave us a black president *AND* Gitmo - for a Canuck he's center court on this year's campaign)? Where do we stand? Who are the undecideds, what are the compelling issues? Come on, people, it's not just about Us anymore.

Okay, I wrote the headline, someone else write the piece for me.

I don't know of a better term than "shuck and jive" so I'll use it. The leaks about Ann Veneman and Tim Kaine? Can this be serious? 1 1/2 months into Veep selection and this is what we get? Evan Bayh? Alright, Joe Biden is pretty solid if not terribly exciting - Dodd's certainly shown more spine and independence than Joe. Touring with Hagel? Should we be so lucky?

But here's what I figure is happening - Obama is leaving us with relatively distasteful choices to allow the one slightly more palatable. Why isn't he bracing Hillary voters for his rejection, as some have asked? Well, because he doesn't give a shit, for one (or actually makes it a point to not give a shit - it's a sign of power). And there's really no way to do it - it would only bring the howls up to concert level with weeks remaining before the convention.

So now I figure there are 2 scenarios - he's going to go with Biden despite that choice being so safe and stodgy it hurts because he simply wants to get elected and having the elder white defense guy by his side brings it close. Or he's actually going to choose Sibelius because she's somewhat different, including some well-earned female support.

Now by bringing out Kaine for a week, plus a Republican woman/water carrier for Bush, and a Republican hawk, we've been somewhat pistol whipped into reality - it can get worse - much worse. Aside from Sibelius being a woman, she's exactly the dynasty type that supposedly offended Obama supporters about Clinton - Dad was a governor, father-in-law a Congressman. But Obama's vetting team is led by a career Kennedy kid and his primary efforts were spearheaded by Uncle Ted and no one (on the Obama side) said boo, so that's what we're stuck with, "dynastic change", or as Girl From the Bronx said, the first black Kennedy.

Anyway, aside from that and being a none-too-exciting speech maker and of course being a female candidate with about half the excitement of Hillary - winner of the 2nd best-dressed at the prom award - she's probably the best anyone can hope for in terms of credibility, actual experience, reasonable policy positions and competence, etc. It's hard to see the PUMA/JustSayNoDeal coalition keeping much steam going with a decent female Veep candidate in the way, whatever they say at this point.

So that's my guess. Obama did it his way. I hope. Because if it really is Kaine, or some other dismal choice, we're in for one world of hurt.

As I sit through the dog days of summer watching with disdain as one horrid VP candidate after another is floated out - Ann Veneman, Tim Kaine, Chuck Hagel, Sam Nunn - I'm comforted by the realization that it's not my choice - it's Obama's. That's right, the Constitution gives We the People all sorts of powers, but when it comes to the choice of VP, well, that's the party candidate's perogative, and we should all just butt out, espeacially followers of that other divisive candidate who should have dropped out long before.

Doesn't matter if the proposed VP candidate is a card-carrying Republican, brought daiquiris on the sly to George W. Bush, helped Cheney taser a suspected terrorist or two, favors mandatory baptism for all first graders - it's Obama's choice. This is one of the great freedoms our Constitution allows us - to be completely free of responsibility for picking the person that's a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I'm not so sure about a woman's right to choose - seems like a big responsibility for one person to take - but a presumed nominee's right to choose - that's certainly sacred. So I urge all of you folks chomping at the bit to give your opinion - it's one thing for you to evaluate, and a little chit-chat won't hurt, but please stay behind the cordon and keep your silence during the actual vetting, because after all, We the People need to step back sometime. And after the last 8 years we should be pretty good at it.

In an operation that took several hours, John McCain had a small mole-like growth removed from his face. Doctors said the most difficult part was that nasal hairs seem to have grown attached to the anal membranes due to the length of time embedded, and most experts seem to agree that this late effort to sever ties with the 43rd president will ultimately prove unsuccessful despite considerable advances of modern science. Plastic surgery is being considered to remove what some call a Shroud of Turin effect now imprinted across his cheeks. The candidate could not be reached for comment.

In honor of Melissa McEwan's wonderful post on OpenLeft, I'd like you all to remember that women's rights got better under the Taliban and worse after they were thrown out. Now, "better" and "worse" are relative terms, and not very meaningful here, but the same thing happened with Saddam Hussein - women's rights improved under Saddam and got worse when he was overthrown and going out without a man became anathema. Not every up in a man's world is an up in a woman's.

Via Chet Scoville at Shakeville, Sadly No reports on the Obama Death List. Remember back when people said Hillary had more baggge, that the right wing machine would be more likely to attack her? Nope, they either recycle the false stuff against her or resort to their specialty, making shit up. Why resort to the truth when a good fib works 10 times as well? Why indeed. Here's an exercise for the class - pick your worst enemy, make up a list of 20 names, think of 20 unlikely or horrible ways to design, and attribute all as caused by your enemy. Fun, eh?