Instapundit got an e-mail with a suggestion I'd never even considered:

Resolved: There is no significant downside, and nearly limitless upside, in Pres Bush's replacement of Mr. Cheney with the lovely Ms. Rice. Please discuss.

The VP position now seems to be widely seen as the batting deck for the Presidency (a 180 degree turnaround from what it was a century ago.) The combination of choosing an extremely qualified person who also happens to be a member of two influential minority groups for a position that could bank-shoot them into the Presidency is, to me, almost literally breathtaking.

Of course, it's not a slam-dunk. Ms. Rice's association with the Great Right-Wing Conspiracy has made her none too popular with large sections of the black community. I'm not sure anyone even knows her positions on the various hot-button issues of the activist women's movement. But in an election that promises to be every bit as close as the last one, the choice could (would!) provide valuable swing votes.

And it would probably make my mom actually consider voting for the Republican ticket, which is worth the price of admission all by itself.

Of course, when an idea is this good it can't possibly happen. Which is good for the Dems, who have enough trouble as it is. Still, fun to think about!