So, naturally, for our next trick, we're going to rank the vice presidential candidates. How's that for premature coverage?
Now, of course, we're many hundreds of days away from having actual nominees, so pondering whose name might appear on the ticket after the slash and before the number "2016" is nothing but guesswork. But the truth is, we already have some feel for the type of person who might end up on a Veep shortlist. And this exercise, speculative though it is, can focus attention on some of the deeper themes of the race ahead.
When nominees really start considering who they want to share the ticket with, the usual rule of thumb is to pick a running mate who can confer some electoral advantage. Maybe there's a guy or gal who can lock down a few crucial swing states. Maybe there's a partner out there with expertise that can plug a gap in the nominee's own experience. These considerations will still play a role in 2016 -- or at least, we're pretty sure that Ohio's Rob Portman, an Ohioan from Ohio with deep roots in Ohio, hopes this is the case. Ohio.
But the American electorate is changing; it's hungry for renewal and fresh ideas. So there's a real opportunity here for a vice president who can project youthful vitality, or who reflects our ever-diversifying country. And if someone named "Bush" or "Clinton" ends up rising to the heights of our political competition, there'll be an even greater need for someone who seems plugged into the current moment, someone who can lighten the weight of dynasty and suggest by their very presence that this presidential candidate, you know, thinks about the future and stuff.
Of course, that's not to say that some middle-aged white dudes don't have a shot. (This is America, after all.) And we'll remind you that when George H.W. Bush sought somebody young and fresh for his running mate, he brought the world Dan Quayle. The mileage, it may vary! But for our opening peek at this race, here's what we got.
Candidate Photos: Getty, Associated Press