Veepstakes: Breathless anticipation

By Michael J.W. Stickings

David Brooks makes a cliché-riddled case for Biden, "a lunch-bucket Democrat," a man of honesty, loyalty, and experience. As something of a Biden supporter-admirer myself, it's a case I like, and, for once, a Brooks column doesn't give me atrocious indigestion.

And Brooks's column is a fount of calm detachment compared to what is being churned out elsewhere:

CNN: "Obama notifies candidates on shortlist."

AP: "Obama is hours away from naming running mate."

At CNN.com, you can actually watch live footage from the media stakeouts of the homes of Biden and Kaine (if not others). What, is it Sweeps already? Who says the idiot box isn't educational?

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Biden-backer Steve Clemons, calm and detached, offers a new angle, a "sleeper": Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas. A serious and solid guy, to be sure, a relatively unknown Democratic star, perhaps a fine pick any other year, but Obama wouldn't go there, would he?

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On the other side, Mark Halperin reported yesterday that two GOP insiders were calling it for Romney but, now, Le Politico is reporting that "no final decision has been made."

I still think it'll be Romney. Unless it's Eric Cantor, an intriguing option.

According to the NYT, abortion is "crucial for No. 2. Meaning, it'll be an ardent pro-lifer. Meaning, neither Ridge nor Lieberman.

Gen. David Petraeus is being floated by some as a wild card. Which is just silly -- even if he does have political aspirations (2012?). Even McCain doesn't want the election to be entirely about Iraq

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More from Halperin:

-- Hillary was never vetted. (Her supporters will not be amused. Unless, of course, she's the one.)

-- Chet Edwards was vetted. (And "was a finalist for the job." See above.)

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UPDATE: Le Politico goes the blunt route: "Hillary gets stiffed."

She's still my wildcard prediction, but it looks like that won't happen. (Of course, she's already been vetted ad nauseam, notably by the VRWC, so who knows?)