Bill Bradley Says No! - Fuels Speculation For Obama Veep!

Bradley says No to Obama VP. What about Clinton? Not her. Him!

Just in case you're keeping score, yet another Democratic politician has said he would decline to be the vice presidential running mate of Sen. Barack Obama.

This one was a surprise too because, to be honest, not one living soul on the planet had mentioned his name as a possible Democratic VP.

Not at least until NBC's Andrea Mitchell asked the big Veep question on a conference call Monday with Bill Bradley, the former basketball player, former senator from New Jersey and former unsuccessful presidential primary candidate himself.

Bradley took care of that query with his usual longwinded eloquence.

"No," he said.

He joins a growing list of folks who've said modestly, no thank you, in advance of being asked. (Obama wouldn't want a pro showing him up with three-pointers anyway.)

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Obama did dodge the complication question Sunday, saying he would love to have the ex-president campaign for him this fall.

Wait a minute. Maybe that's a perfect mid-summer opening to start the rumor that when Obama says "Clinton would be on anyone's short-list of vice presidential picks," he doesn't mean Hillary.

He means Bill!

Oh, sure there might be some kind of minor historical crisis if Bill ever had to assume the top job again. But what a dynamo combo!

It'd give the Republicans fits again by having a Southerner on a Democratic ticket. Like Bill Clinton and Al Gore. And John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. And Jimmy Carter and what's-his-name who was always going to funerals around the globe.