the buzz log

Some have already withdrawn their name from consideration. Others are relative political unknowns. And two are too busy tussling over their party's presidential slot to consider a No. 2 placement.

In the coming days, Republican presidential candidate John McCain will be picking his running mate. And as soon as Democrats choose, either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will consider which running mate will fare best on their buttons, bumper stickers, and posters.

Among those who have been asked (not by McCain, but reporters), Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has already declined the honor by virtue of being too outspoken. Louisiana guv Bobby Jindal said he wouldn't be asked and expressed contentment with his current gig, but appeared on Jay Leno ... just because.

As McCain and eventually Obama/Clinton ponder their choices, do they also need to consider if public familiarity seeds vice-presidential possibilities? A record of public service doesn't hurt: Former Hewlett-Packard CEO and chair Carly Fiorina garnered searches after the Wall Street Journal surfaced her name on the McCain "short list,"  although her online profile didn't see an enthusiastic surge. Then again, running for president doesn't guarantee you a lasting impression either: In a Search review of the vice-presidential candidate pool, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani doesn't even make the top 20.

A Huffington Post analysis argued recently that the best "veepstakes" winners trump polls, stay in the background, come from the right state, and prove competence... such as with a solid public record. Let's look at which names have registered among the public this past month to be the next Dick Cheney (figuratively speaking):

April's Most-Searched Veep Possibilities
1. Barack Obama (D) Illinois senator and presidential candidate
2. Hillary Clinton (D) New York senator and presidential candidate
3. Condoleezza Rice (R) Secretary of State
4. Antonin Scalia (R) Supreme Court Justice
5. Mitt Romney (R) Former Massachusetts governor and recent presidential candidate
6. Mike Huckabee (R) Former Arkansas governor and recent presidential candidate
7. John Edwards (D) Former North Carolina senator and recent presidential candidate
8. Sarah Palin (R) Alaska governor
9. Bill Richardson (D) New Mexico governor
10. Lindsey Graham (R) South Carolina senator
11. Sam Nunn (D) Former Georgia senator
12. Charlie Crist (R) Florida governor
13. Jim Webb (D) Virginia senator
14. Evan Bayh (D) Indiana senator
15. Bobby Jindal (R) Louisiana governor
16. Ted Strickland (D) Ohio governor
17. Tim Kaine (D) Virginia governor
18. Joe Lieberman (D) Connecticut senator and former vice-presidential candidate
19. Tim Pawlenty (R) Minnesota governor
20. Mark Sanford (R) South Carolina governor

Mind you, the Search ranking above is about name recognition. In queries that paired names with the words "vice president," Romney led the pack, followed by Rice, Richardson, Jindal, and former South Dakota senator Tom Daschle (D). Giuliani made this top 10, barely beating out former president Bill Clinton (D).

Yes, a nostalgic few have posed the scenario, "can bill clinton be vice president" and the more generic question, "can an ex president be vice president." In either case, Hillary Clinton would probably have something to say about this.