McCain, Clinton, Obama: The 'Nightmare Ticket'?

In this hotly contested primary season, one which features Hillary Clinton locked in mortal combat with arithmetic and John McCain battling out from under a frantic GOP dogpile, the speculation has turned to the so-called "Veepstakes," with Democratic speculation focused around a "Dream Ticket" of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. But where does that leave McCain?

His choice of a VP is going to be a tough one, because he needs to balance out his ticket with someone even more conservative than he is to satisfy his base, but his age will make the Veep a lightning rod for scrutiny in the general election.

Satire website The Onion has a novel solution:

WASHINGTON-Presidential hopefuls John McCain (R-AZ), Barack Obama (D-IL), and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) announced Monday their plans to form what many Beltway observers have already dubbed the "2008 Nightmare Ticket," a calculated move that political analysts say offers voters the worst of both worlds.

...The candidates said they had not yet decided who would fill the offices of president, vice president, and a new post the nominees are calling "the middle president."

Given the crop McCain has to choose from, this might be the best he can do.