Hillary VP Speculation Picks Up

Chatter about a promotion for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues from Beltway pundits, who say that President Barack Obama could use the lift by selecting her as his vice presidential running mate in 2012.

The evolving relationship between Obama and Clinton has remained a popular topic since the 2008 presidential election. In the latest take on the team of rivals idea, Clinton adds competency to the ticket and helps to raise her one-time adversary's sagging poll numbers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "Former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder, his state's first African-American governor, touched off the controversy. Writing at Politico.com last week, Mr. Wilder argued that Mr. Biden's tenure has been undistinguished and chock full of 'too many YouTube moments.' He charged that Mr. Biden 'has continued to undermine what little confidence the public may have had in him.'"

Some even suggest that Clinton could switch positions with Biden, the Journal reports.

"Pundits jumped on Mr. Wilder's comments and expressed near-universal approval. On his syndicated national show, Chris Matthews of MSNBC assembled a panel to discuss the Wilder intervention. Howard Fineman of Newsweek, a longtime Hillary watcher, said Mrs. Clinton would accept a place on the 2012 ticket 'in a second.' John Heilemann, a reporter New York magazine, said the major obstacle would be to 'figure out a way for Biden to slide aside happily' and suggested that Mr. Biden replace Mrs. Clinton as Secretary of State."