All Politics is Loco

So most of you know I spent the better part of a decade working in Congress and while this by no means makes me qualified to handicap political races or make predictions, it makes me vastly more qualified than half of the people on TV, etc. who are doing it already, so I'm going to take this opportunity/space to throw my speculation into the ring.

President: Barack Obama
I guess this is the popular choice, but he's clearly got the inside line with the Dems and I just don't see McCain making it happen for the GOP.

Vice President(1): Blanche Linoln
As much as I dislike "conventional wisdom" there's no denying that it has sway in the world of politics, and the cw says that you have to have a southerner on a democratic ticket. Blanche would be the southern, female, moderate choice to appease the south. I've worked with her (or at least her staff) and I've always had a favorable impression of her and the work she does, though she's a little less liberal that I would like.

Vice President (2): Wesley Clark
Also from Arkansas, lots of plusses, not too many negatives -- but you never know what you will find when you dig into a military career.

Vice President (3): Colin Powell
He's been coy about his potential support for Obama, and he would bring a lot of military types and even some Republicans on board. The obvious downside is that a lot of people would be alienated by a black ticket.

Obama's Cabinet:
Secretary of State: Colin Powell
Interior: Tom Daschle
Defense: Wes Clark
Education: Rep. George Miller
Energy: Al Gore? probably not, but maybe if the position was elevated into some sort of Climate Change czar...
Labor: Dick Gephardt
Homeland Security:Chuck Hagel
Attorney General: Andrew Cuomo (or possibly his dad Mario)
Amb. to the UN: Bill Clinton

There are obviously a lot of other important cabinet positions, but for me to go any further, I'd just be making crap up. Other people I think will be involved in a significant way include:
John Edwards
Joe Biden
George Mitchell
Mark Warner (if he loses the VA Senate race)