If it is McCain (and Thompson and Huck both make a lot of sense for McCain), better be ready for a huge battle for the VP spot with lots of trial balloons and whispers. McCain's age and the "heir apparent" aspect of the VP (yes, I know it did not seem to help Joementum or Edwards but it did help Bush patria and Gore), not to mention the complete lack of a bright star in the wings (ala Hillary and Obama) make it a temptation. This could be interesting. Thomson makes sense but McCain might go for someone a bit younger with more energy-and McCain and Huck have generally played nice. But Pawlwnety and to a lesser extent Sanford also make sense. Crist will get a lot of talk and no action (those in FL can guess why though I think he will be riding high this year if he gets his tax cut on 1-29-and he will). Veepstakes will be fun...and important.

Whoever the GOP nominee is, the VP needs to be Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

Thompson perhaps. But Lindsay Graham is the obvious choice. Southerner with a military background, young and telegenic. And loyal to McCain to the bone.

Nice ticket.

Nice ticket.

Don't get me wrong, McCain at the top of any ticket is still a nightmare. But I have pledged to support any Republican running against Hil or Obama. If it's Johnny Mac then it's Johnny Mac. I just hope Republicans choose someone else.

I hear that McCain's first choice was going to be Adm. Stockdale, but he's dead now.

Thompson would be cool. It gives back Giuliani to NY (instead of being the Veep) and we can bug the begeezes out of him to run for Gub'ner.

Whoever the GOP nominee is, the VP needs to be Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

she's only been governor for a year, and then only a mayor of a town of 5000 people before that. i'm thinking some combination of bobby jindal and sarah palin in 2012.

As BrentJ. points out, Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin are our secret weapons for a future election.

If McCain turns out to be the nominee, I don't think it would be wise to pick Thompson as VP.
We can't have an "over 65" ticket to run against Hillary or Obama---the superficial contrast would be too unfavorable for us.

We will need some youthful energy, at least on the bottom half of the ticket.

Ok, Bad Boy, I hear you. How about we dump McCain from the top part, then?

I refuse to vote for John McCain

I refuse to vote for someone who never bends their elbows

Rachel's comments reminded me of an old tale that someone with TNR caught sometime ago. The writer saw that somebody else was coming McCain's hair and made a nasty comment about it. Turns out McCain can not reach up there to comb his hair courtesy of his years in captivity. I'm sorry that Rachel will not back McCain due to the sacrifice he made for his nation. There are plenty of reasons I won't support McCain but his service to the United States is not one of them.

Von Bek,

I believe Rachel is a Democrat---she won't be voting for McCain in any paradigm.
I'm sure she would say she was, uh, 'just kidding.'
Kidding or not, it is pretty nasty of her to make such a remark about a guy who was a P.O.W. for nearly as twice as long as her guy Obama has been...in the Senate !
Ironically, if anyone were to say they wouldn't vote 'for a woman,' 'or a black,' I bet Rachel would be first to jump up and say "that's not a legitimate reason to not vote for someone !"

Fred Thompson belongs on the Supreme Court. At least, we know he won't be an activist judge.