The Vice President

At TPB, we're less interested in handicapping who will be picked than what criteria should be used and what the selection says about the person doing the picking. Once the names are announced, there will be a LOT of coverage, a TON of analysis on cable with anyone who once spent 5 minutes stuffing envelopes being labeled a "strategist" and asked their opinion, etc., I'd like it if we could keep our eye on the ball.

First and foremost, the person should be very well qualified to lead the country should something happen to the President.

When the names are announced, ask yourself the following question: what was primary reason in selecting this person?

If the answer you derive is that the selection was done in consideration of how it would help the President once elected, the selection was probably a sound one. If your answer is "it helps deliver a potential swing state," or "it will help turnout the base," the selection was probably not.

The rest is just noise - and there's going to be a lot of it.