“Because I could die.”

There is nothing like a few days away from the keyboard to clear the cobwebs from the head.

Some four days ago, I started a post that was going to link the key toss-up states for November’s election with the Vice Presidential picks of both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. I had over 600 words drafted that highlighted the significance of Florida (27), Pennsylvania (21), Ohio (20) and Michigan (17), the not-so-significance of the next cut of toss-up states, and the insignificance of the toss-up states with three to five Electoral Votes. I was going to suggest that the Presidential message that wins three of the top four would certainly be enough to carry many of the states in the second and third cut and thus delivery the Presidency.

Then, I recalled an episode of my favorite TV series of all-time, West Wing.

In the inaugural season, it could have been the first episode but it was certainly one of the very first episodes, our hero, Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, is faced with selecting his vice presidential running mate. He had just gone through a brutal campaign with his bitter rival and there was much discussion among Jed’s staff as to whether Jed should ask his rival. Well, Jed does. In a campaign staff meeting, Jed’s campaign manager and chief strategist, passes a note written by the nominee, to all the other staffers with the answer as to why he was going to ask his rival.

“Because I could die,” said the note.

Well, television got it right.

I think both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain will also get it right.

I am going to give both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain credit for not selecting a Vice Presidential running mate for the pandering reason that the running mate might be able to deliver a key state (recall, even Presidential candidate Al Gore lost his home state of Tennessee in the 2000 election) or deliver a key constituency. Instead, they will ask someone who could actually be President.

So, because Sen. Obama could die in office, I think Sen. Obama will ask Sen. Hillary Clinton to be his running mate. I’m not thrilled that I have to write this, but I do think Sen. Clinton could be President. I would disagree with her on just about everything, but she could lead. She would lead. Again, I’m not thrilled with where she would take us, but she would be a strong Presidential figure.

Because Sen. McCain could die in office, I think Sen. McCain will ask Gov. Mitt Romney to be his running mate. The media will make much of this pick being a pandering pick (Michigan), but the facts are that Gov. Romney has a history of successfully leading. Gov. Romney would be a strong Presidential figure.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a guess in the prior post. Without writing another 200 words, I think Carl submitted a name that would qualify under the “Because I could die” scenario: Sen. Jack Reed. Sen. Reed also knows that the terrorists being held in Guantanamo are really bad guys. No one could ever claim Sen. Obama selected Reed because of Rhode Island’s key 3 Electoral Votes.