the buzz log

Just when are voters supposed to buy their bumper stickers?

With the Democratic primaries at last concluded, the citizenry is now supposed to concentrate on the candidates' message... except they're distracted by the gaping hole where a vice president should be standing. Impatient toe-tapping over "obama vice president candidates" (+540%) and, less so, "mccain vice president" has reverberated throughout Search. 

You can probably hold off waxing the car bumper until after the Fourth of July weekend, though. The earliest that recent veepstake winners have been announced was July 6, when Democratic nominee John Kerry anointed then-Senator John Edwards as his political mate for the 2004 campaign. Twelve years before, Bill Clinton touted Al Gore on July 9. President George W. Bush made room on his 2000 presidential seat for Dick Cheney on July 25.

Moving even later into the season, Gore took until August 8 (2000) to present Joe Lieberman, and 1996 Republican nominee Robert Dole waited as long as August 16 to put Jack Kemp in the picture. Surely, neither John McCain nor Barack Obama will wait until the dog days of summer to put constituents out of their misery... right?

In the meantime, the 2008 rumor mill runs on steroids, what with Internet speculation on top of the 24-7 news cycle. Names now being tossed about for the Democratic  ticket include "Wall Streeter" Bob Rubin as panacea for America's economic woes or Elizabeth Edwards as a likeable, female cancer survivor. House representative Nancy Pelosi has singled out Chet Edwards.

Some even want to revive an Al Gore ticket, a not unpopular recycling notion, but a distant second to Hillary Clinton among searchers. Gore barely aces out short-list candidate Senator Sam Nunn. (Speaking of former vice presidents, Dan Quayle isn't being suggested, but he's into heavy-set punditry now.)

Republican voters who feel a woman's place is in the White House consider three females as serious contenders, but Alaska governor Sarah Palin finds the most favor among searchers. However, hints are strong that McCain has already decided in favor of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

For the Democratic cult worshippers, however, a humorist proposes the dream of all dream tickets: Obama-Obama. No, not Michelle... Barack Obama, squared. While backroom strategists figure out that Constitutional amendment, below are the veep possibilities generating the most online curiosity.