Who Would Be Obama's Best Vice President Pick?

I have left off Republicans and Sen. Clinton from this CNN piece. Any of the others are pretty much acceptable to me--though I'm not a huge Evan Bayh fan and I think Sam Nunn is too out of practice to be a national candidate. Personally, I'd prefer someone who has already been on the national stage and who has been vetted. This would mean: Edwards, Biden, Clark, Richardson, Daschle and Dodd--in roughly that order. If I were to just go with my heart rather than being cautious I would pick either of two great new US Senators--Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, and Virginia's Jim Webb. McCaskill was Obama's best spokesperson on TV. Period. That's saying a lot. And Sen. Jim Webb has been the second most exciting new Democratic leader after Sen. Obama. Another obvious choice would be Ohio Gov, Ted Strickland, who was also in the US house.

CNN: (CNN) -- After emerging as victor in the long and and bruising contest to seize the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential race, Barack Obama's next move is to choose a running mate...
Here is a list of possible frontrunners:

# Evan Bayh: What he lacks in charisma, the telegenic Bayh makes up for in national security credentials, having served on both armed services and intelligence committees in the Senate.

# Joseph Biden: A six-term senator who helms the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden, could offer the heavyweight foreign policy experience that Obama is often accused of lacking. But at 65 -- and seen as part of the U.S. political furniture -- he could undermine Obama's message of change...

# Wesley Clark: This former NATO commander, who failed in his bid for the 2004 presidential nomination, was seen as a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter -- a fact that could help unite the party. But the 63-year-old's tough reputation as a no-nonsense soldier is unlikely to win much backing among party activists...

# Chris Dodd: A long-serving senator with solid foreign policy credentials who was previously considered as a running mate for John Kerry's failed presidential bid in 2004, Dodd presents the same problems as Biden...

# Bill Richardson: The New Mexico governor, who identifies himself as Hispanic, could help sway the burgeoning Latino vote in addition to lending heavyweight foreign policy credentials as a former United Nations ambassador.

# Kathleen Sebelius: The two-term governor of mainly Republican Kansas, Sebelius has proven cross-party support but the rising Democratic star still lacks a national profile.

# Jim Webb: Another rising star, straight-talking Webb has already dismissed his vice-presidential prospects, but his appeal as a Vietnam veteran and successful novelist are clear. Webb's bluntness, however, led one commentator to dub him an "unguided missile."...

Other names mentioned in the running include: Former South Dakota senator Tom Daschle, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, former Armed Services Committee chairman Sam Nunn, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.