Condi Meant

If you really want to see how working journalists think about this interminable presidential election, read this by Eugene Robinson. I agree with him totally. I want Condi to be McCain's veep choice. Because it would make the thing more fun.

My favorite part of the last election was Teresa Heinz Kerry. I wished there was a way to vote for her as first lady without voting for her husband as president. Four years of Dubya and Terezzzza!Like when you sit through a boring Flyers game and someone in the 700 level pierces the dullness with an anguished shout of "hit somebody!" Even if you don't like hockey fights, you sort of sympathize.

Here's Robinson:

She would, however, provide three things that McCain could really use: relative youth, undeniable pizzazz and photogenic diversity. The Republican Party is in danger of presenting a ticket that looks like a tintype portrait of yesterday -- while the Democratic Party shows the nation a YouTube video of tomorrow.

All right, there's another problem. Rice has described herself as "mildly pro-choice" on abortion and pronounced her support for affirmative action "if it does not lead to quotas." Given McCain's apostate views on immigration, global warming and campaign finance, it's hard to see how he could pick someone with so little regard for the Republican Party's bedrock views.

So I won't hold my breath. But I can't help but imagine having another controversial, larger-than-life character wade into the fray, one who not only raises McCain's big wager on Iraq but also takes us further into terra incognita on issues of race and gender. Whatever you think of Condoleezza Rice, she's a formidable woman with more qualifications than almost any other vice presidential choice I can think of. We'd get to watch another brilliant political novice try to take the country by storm. And, as a bonus, there would be the piano recitals, the early-morning workouts, the skybox appearances at football games, the impromptu lectures on Russian history (in Russian), the daily fashion show .... Pleeeeeease?

Ditto that!