Five Potential Vice Presidential Running Mates for Barack Obama

Barack Obama has inspired many people in his campaign for the Democratic Party's nomination for President. While there is still plenty of campaigning to do in order to nail down the nomination, it's never too early to speculate on a Vice Presidential candidate to fill out the Obama ticket.

Some Presidential hopefuls pick a defeated challenger to be their running mate, but it seems unlikely that Obama would choose either Hillary Clinton or John Edwards to be his Vice President. The race with Clinton has been a bit too hotly contested to believe that Obama would want her as his Vice President. And it is unlikely that Clinton would want the job, anyway.

John Edwards fails as a prospective Vice President for Obama because he fell short in that role just four years ago. Edwards' biggest strength is his populism, and that is one category that Obama holds in spades. And while Edwards has roots in North and South Carolina, he did nothing to deliver those states to the Democratic Party in 2004. And there's nothing to suggest that he could in 2008, either.

Obama should be looking for two key strengths when picking his Vice President. One, how will the candidate help balance the ticket, one of the traditional roles of the second name on the ballot. And more importantly, a Vice President for Obama will have to provide experience, preferably foreign policy or military experience. Because that is an area that Obama is particularly susceptible to attacks from the far right in the Presidential campaign.

Right now, the beginning of April 2008, it appears that these five candidates have the most to offer Obama as a Vice President. In alphabetical order, they are: