Big Al for VP!

Here’s ten reasons why Al Gore should be Obama’s choice for VP in ’08:
1. He doesn’t crave being prez and doesn’t have a prez-or-bust ego — in other words, if he’s called, he will answer;
2. As veep, he could pick a couple pet projects and focus on them, a position that he would surely enjoy;
3. He would provide solid White House experience;
4. He would mootify the “what if Barack gets shot” “argument” that Hillary so tactfully raised this past week;
5. He is about the only major politician who can match Obama’s anti-Iraq-invasion-from-Day-1 credibility;
6. Seriously, who’s a better choice?
7. If Bush Jr.-Cheney has taught us anything, it’s that VP doesn’t only have to mean “the guy who goes to state funerals” anymore (Cheney proved it by blowing off Gerald Ford’s funeral) — it’s two presidents for the price of one, but this time in a good way;
8. People around the world have been talking about how an Obama presidency would immediately improve America’s global image (indeed, I have heard this personally from people of many different nationalities) — add Big Al to the mix and we’re talking international America-love-in;
9. Dig, if you will, a picture of a future presidential challenge that Jr. & Cheney don’t have the wherewithal to handle — e.g. getting us out of Iraq gracefully, actually trying to capture bin Laden, or dealing with a resurgent China or Russia. Now imagine two guys as intelligent and thoughtful as Obama and Gore huddling in the Oval Office to come up with a solution. Not only is it the best possible solution but Obama gives the speech laying it out. Does it get any better than that? They could sell tickets to this kind of thing;
10. Obama-Gore would be a slam dunk in November — big states like CA, PA, FL, would go from on-the-table to in-the-bag.

So, Barack, if you’re reading this (and we know you’re a regular), pick up the fone. It says here that if we aren’t treated to an Obama-Gore ticket, it will be because Barack didn’t ask — not because Al turned him down.

Either way, you heard it here first.