Veep Daddies?

It could still be anyone. That is, there are still hours left before Barack Obama and John McCain have to announce who they hope/expect their respective conventions to nominate as candidate for VP. So maybe there's a reason to consider the father angle.

Or maybe, like most other "media" speculation, it's just typed pixels doomed to float forever in the electronic ether making no diff. Still, if you are looking for a story that has political legs — that is, it should make it through a few news (re)cycles — consider that son of Joe, Beau Biden (aka Joseph Robinette Biden III, the Delaware attorney general) could be voting for dad with his National Guard unit in Iraq. That is, if Obama makes the senior senator from Delaware and son of a car salesman his veep.

In addition to the blah, blah about his son following in his footsteps (beware the political poison ivy of Bush-Bush comparisons) the other father angle to be reported on will surely be how Joe Biden lost his wife and daughter in a car accident shortly before Christmas and after he first captured his senate seat. Beau and brother Robert were seriously injured. Oh, and there's 27-year-old daughter, Ashley Blazer, from his second (and current) marriage.

There's already been much made (i.e., more than anyone really seems to care) about the leading candidate to be the Repub veep, father Mitt of the five roving rangers. [Earlier: Honor, Dad's Campaigns Not Big with PKFC and Running For First Dad].

But there are still others to be chattered about. Candidate Birch Evan Bayh III, the Democratic Indiana senator known best for following in father Birch's seat(steps?) has twin 13-year-olds, Birch Evans "Beau" Bayh IV and Nicholas Harrison Bayh. Perhaps after we see how he does with them we'll know if he really is ready to have his finger on the nuclear button?

And there's Virginia gov of three years — and father of Nat, Woody and Annella — Tim Kaine. Of course, he might not be tough enough on the death penalty for may people's tastes (he said his religion says don't kill, but if the people want him to as gov, he will), a "weakness" for any father whose kids have forced him beyond the exasperation point, not to mention a politician trying to stay out of controversy.

And sorta rounding out the Dem VP field (at this moment) is Jack Reed, son of a janitor and father of a teen girl, Emily. He keeps saying "no," but people who sound like they know keep saying "yes."

From the elephants to the donkeys, consider that former mullet head Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesta Governor, is the father of a truck driver and also has 15- and 17-year-old girls.

Also said to be on the McCain list is kosher dill Joe Lieberman, the democrat, republican, 2004 VP candidate, independent — and touted "revolutionary" pick — is also father to son Matthew, step-son Evan and madel Rebecca, once described as having, "the facial plasticity and natural comic timing of a young Madeline Kahn."

And, finally (unless it is none of the above), there's John Thune, the South Dakota senator who defeated likely Chief of Staff in an Obama administration, Tom Daschle. He, too, is father of teens, daughters Brittany and Larissa.

Whoever it is picked, the odds are it is someone with teens. So, for that father, it will be very good that being VPOTUS, is a job that requires waiting around to cast tie breaking votes in the senate and maintaining one's breath at least a little longer than POTUS maintains his ... at least in constitutional terms.