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The summer sport of US politics is about to start the 2004 season. First up, the 2004 Presidential Draft.

Leaving summer camp first will be the Democratic ticket known as Kerry/Clinton 2004. No, not that Clinton the one that wears pants. No, not him, the one that keeps her pants on. With Hillary Clinton on the ticket the Democrats will activate it's base in a manner like none we've ever seen.

I know, I know, the report is that she wants the honor of being in the first seat rather than the second but I got to tell you, if she is sworn in as VP it WILL provide the country with just the type of training wheels it needs to make the final leap of being able to accept a woman President. I don't have a problem with it now but in 4 to 8 years I have to believe that the transformation of the voting class will be complete (mainly through natural attrition of earlier generations). What I DO have a problem with is Hillary being the first. God save history from such a fate. Can anyone truly imagine a world where we have 16 more years of Bill and Hillary living on Pennsylvania Avenue? (shuttering)

One month after John Kerry does or does not cross the police union picket lines (we'll see how that plays out) the Republicans will bring their "dream team" out of summer camp. Either the economy will be continuing to grow at a record pace or it will not. Either the security situation in Iraq will be improving or it will not. Either we will be hit with another large-scale and deadly terrorist act or we will not.

One thing is for certain, if Hillary is the VP candidate Dick Cheney needs to leave the ticket. Hell for that matter he should probably leave anyway "for health reasons" if nothing else. Still, if Kerry is STUPID enough to pick Dick Gephardt then we are home free. Bush could keep Cheney, pick up Trent Lott, or even ME and he'd still win the election.

But, assuming Bush makes a pick for a new VP (I at this point I think that is a pretty good assumption) who should it be? Well, this one is easy. You don't even have to have a degree in Political Science to pick this one. Still, I'll make my real pick, my fantasy pick, and my "WOW, you have got to be F-ing kidding, that's great!" pick.

Real Pick: John McCain, turned down Kerry's "for the good of the country" offer and substitutes it by agreeing to be Bush's VP "for the REAL good of the country."
Positives: He's a centrist, has almost no baggage (they can't scream Halliburton), is an exPOW who trumps Kerry's service, has excellent name recognition, and immediately provides the GOP with their 2008 Presidential frontrunner.
Negatives: He's a centrist that won't invigorate the base as much as a more conservative would. With Bush being as centrist as he is, McCain doesn't feed the far-right beast. He MAY however cause a number of additional Democratic votes to swing Bush's way.

Fantasy Pick: Condoleezza Rice, gets a promotion to become the first black AND the first woman VP (I see your Hillary and raise you a Condi).
Positives: Extremely smart, well respected, women minority with excellent name recognition.
Negatives: Some of the voting population might not be THAT ready for a new look at the VP slot (which is a damn shame but there it is). Some blame her for 9/11. Some will say Bush is simply "exploiting" her for political gain. After all, why would a Republican want to see a black person in a position one step away from the Presidency?

WOW, you have got to be F-ing kidding, that's great!" Pick: Colin Powell, it will never happen because his wife said she'd leave him and like all smart husbands he wishes to keep his wife happy.
Positives: All
Negatives: None (well, see the race think above)

So, there you have it. By a vote of 1-0, the unanimous selection for the 2004 Presidential Draft is:
1) Kerry/Clinton 2004
2) Bush/McCain 2004
3) Nader/Some guy no one knows or cares about.

And the winner of the 2004 Presidential Election is...

Stay tuned. Same bat time, same bat channel.

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