Daniel Drezner has an interesting article about restocking the Cabinet.

While his post focuses on Defense, State, etc., it also brings up some interesting points about Cheney. Should Cheney be on the ticket? Honestly, I don't think so. Cheney's speech at Reagan's state funeral was the first time I could remember seeing postive coverage of him. That's not enough. Plus, Cheney won't be running for President in 2008. I worry a lot about a rift in the party then. Having a strong sitting VP as a candidate would go a long ways toward preventing that.

So, if not Cheney, who?

1. John McCain. He's the obvious choice. With McCain on the ticket, Bush/McCain would win in a landslide of Mondalian proportions. We can go on and on about how Bush & McCain hate each other, but Bush wants to win and McCain can give him that and for McCain being the VP for the next 4 years means he's got at least a 75% chance of being the next President. It'd for hard to give that up for a feud.

2. Rudy Guiliani. A popular figure that would again probably guarantee a Bush win. However, I can't see Rudy satisfied as a VP. I think he'd serve the Party better defeating Hillary in two years or in a Cabinet position.

3. Tommy Thompson. Don't laugh. Tommy has some serious positives: he would bring Wisconsin firmly in the fold (and in a close race, Wisconsin will be absolutely pivotal), while Cheney is defense-oriented, Thompson's appeal is on domestic issues. People still care about those issues and it'd be a message that Bush is, for better or worse, not just about the War on Terror. On the downside, Thompson wants to get the hell out of DC and back to Wisconsin (who wouldn't?). I suspect the VP position would make him stay, but it's not going to happen.

4. Condi Rice. A black woman on a Republican ticket? But, but, but, those Republicans are all women-hating racists!?!? Yes, her star has seriously fallen, but she could be rescued on the ticket. With her, though, it's less about what she can give Bush and more about positioning her as a top candidate for 2008.

Anyone have more candidates? I'm sure I'm missing 4 or 5 obvious choices.