Obama VP Team Floats New Female GOP Pick

Politico is reporting, via AOL News, that Barack Obama's Vice Presidential selection committee is floating a new possibility as a running mate for the presumptive Democratic nominee:

Barack Obama's vice presidential search team has floated the name of a member of President Bush's first-term Cabinet, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, as Obama's running mate.

The search committee, now led by Caroline Kennedy and Eric Holder, raised Veneman's name - among others - in discussions with members of Congress, two Democrats familiar with the conversations said.

This just in:

Barack Obama Replaces Entire VP Selection Committee

Seriously, though, haven't you ever been at a meeting, and there's always that one person who flings out every idea they can think of to avoid having to go back to work? "I think the vendors would appreciate handcrafted invoices, on pretty stationery."

The general idea is sound. If you're looking for a "good Republican," you pretty much have to look outside the legislature, which has fallen in line with Bush like ants at a picnic. However, a pick like this has a lot going against it.

First of all, Secretary of Agriculture doesn't exactly scream, "A heartbeat away!" Although she helps to deliver the elusive Choice, Select, and Prime demographics, the title lacks gravitas.

I also think it would be a very risky move for Obama to choose any woman over Hillary Clinton. He might get some right-leaning women in the process, but risks losing the tremendous gains he has made with Hillary's supporters.

Aside from that, it doesn't jibe at all with what my sources have been telling me. These test balloons are either the work of bored committee members, or are intended to burnish Obama's post-partisan image.

Dream Ticket Update:

At last look, my short, short list was comprised of Hillary Clinton, Evan Bayh, and Joe Biden, with Hagel hanging in there like that cute kitten in those "Hang in There!" greeting cards.

My list hasn't changed much, but the conditions that have to be met in order for Hillary to be the VP nominee have not come together much. It's tough to get too worried, though, since the main hurdle is allowing some time to pass, and inflamed passions to dissipate. Ironically, the colder the Dream Ticket story gets, the better it is.

Many will point to Terry McAuliffe's pick of Va. Governor Tim Kaine as a bad sign, but I chalk that up to either misdirection, or him just not being in the loop. Kaine has little chance.

The key, here, is for Obama's donors to come through for Hillary, and for many of Hillary's former supporters to come around. After speaking with several influential Clinton donors this week, it is my sense that they would support a Hillary Clinton vice presidency. They make a lot of noise about feeling McCain out, but the prospect of backing the wrong horse against a Dream Ticket is very unattractive to donors seeking influence.

To sum up, I think the Dream Ticket has gone from a simmer to a poach. Set that egg timer for August 15 or so.

Update: I just spoke with prominent Hillary Clinton supporter and co-founder of Together4us Amy Siskind, and I got what I think will be a fairly typical reaction to this.

Tommy Christopher: Do you have any reaction to the selection committee floating Ann Veneman for VP?

Amy Siskind: Who?

TC: Amy Veneman. She was Secretary of Agriculture under Bush from '01 to '04.

AS: For who, McCain?

TC: No, Obama.

AS: That's absurd!

She wet on to echo my sentiments about a backlash if Obama picks a woman other than Hillary.