Up next - - the race for vice president

We’re sure Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu is feverishly hoping Sen. John McCain will choose Gov. Bobby Jindal as his running mate in the coming presidential election.

And then on election day, the Democrat might even vote Republican to help Jindal win so he could get the promotion he wants.

Jindal could probably be groomed as an effective running mate for McCain. He would counter some of the diversity and youth that prospective Democratic nominee Barack Obama offers the campaign. His age would also help make up for the problem facing his running mate who would be the oldest person ever to assume the presidency. And his intelligence would shine out in any debates and live interviews he might encounter with reporters.

But he would face one main problem. He just got finished promising the people of Louisiana that he will provide them with honest and effective government in Baton Rouge for the next four years. If he ran and won as v-p, he would be going back on his word.

Maybe next time, in 2012, you can try it, Bobby. But let’s finish delivering and seeing through what you told your constituents you would do.

Now that Obama has just about cinched the nomination for president in a close contest, it looks like he will be drawn into drafting Hillary Clinton as his running mate. We know that, other than Jindal, McCain is considering the governor of Florida with its big electoral vote as his running mate. But if Condoleesa Rice would accept the nomination, she would offer many of the same attractions as both Obama and Clinton, being both black and female. She would offset what they would offer together as running mates. As a black woman who is intelligent and admired, she could serve McCain well. She could make an outstanding vice president and, perhaps later, one of our best presidents.

But we have the feeling she won’t let it happen. She has not indicated any such desire in the past and is not likely to change in the future - - unless she is convinced that her services are very much needed by her country and party.