VP Rubin?

So everyone is saying that Obama is the inevitable choice for the vice-presidential nomination in 2008. The thinking, I presume, is that he'll be a great addition to any ticket, but it's too soon for him to run for president outright. In my view, though, it's too soon for Obama to leave Illinois. The Vice President doesn't traditionally yield much opportunity to demonstrate leadership or mastery of policy, and should the Democrats lose it could derail his career (though probably not).

A better choice, if he would accept it, is Robert Rubin. Rubin is the epitome of competence, and he's not ideological in the way that most career politicians are. Nominating him for VP will show that the Democrats are serious about good economic policy and achieving something, not just scoring symbolic points in a culture war. Rubin represents what was best about the Clinton administration, and though he hasn't demonstrated a lot of charisma, his reasonableness and intelligence should shine through.

Of course, all of these are political reasons, but the real reason to nominate Rubin is that he has demonstrated considerable skill and dedication as a public servant. He is basically the polar opposite of Cheney, and his presence in DC should help produce a culture of pragmatism and cooperation. I hope that whoever gets the nomination sees his potential.