In which Stumper examines the Democratic nominee's possible--and not-so-possible--vice-presidential picks. (Previous McCain installments: Bobby Jindal; Mitt Romney. Previous Obama installments: Ted Strickland; Jim Webb.)

Name: Wesley Clark
Age: 63
Resume: Retired four-star U.S. Army general, 2004 Democratic presidential candidate

Source of speculation: Nothing specific--just the usual media whispers (and a bit of logic). The Arkansan's name first surfaced in the MSM veepstakes as early as June 15, 2007, when MSNBC political commentator and former West Wing writer/producer Lawrence O'Donnell made this unequivocal prediction on "The McLaughlin Group": "The Democratic presidential nominee, no matter who he or she may be, will choose General Wesley Clark as the vice presidential nominee." Six months later, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on "rumbles" that Clark, a "major" HRC supporter, "may have been dangled a tasty carrot" by the Obama camp--the "possibility of becoming" Obama's No. 2 if Clark "decided to switch his allegiance." The rumor was never confirmed, but by spring 2008, Clark's name had risen to the top of most pundit's shortlists. As longtime Democratic strategist Bob Shrum put it on "Meet the Press" in April, Obama should pick someone with a military background--"and I think Wes Clark might be it."

Backstory: After failing to win a single consequential primary in 2004, Clark considered running for prez again this time around (even going so far as to release the requisite leadership book--conveniently called "A Time to Lead"--and attend candidate forum with Chris Dodd, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton in Nevada.) But by Fall 2007 it had become clear that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would sucking up all the media oxygen, so Clark did what any reasonable pol would do--declare that he would not pursue the presidency and throw his support to the candidate whose husband he served in the 1990s. Since then, Clark has acted as a loyal character witness for Clinton on military issues and an able attack dog against Obama--which led some early commentators to dismiss his VP chances.

Odds: Strong--precisely because he's a Clinton loyalist. Actually, on paper Clark may be the only veep candidate who meets every single one of Obama's requirements--*UPDATE: or at least what experts say Obama needs, politically-speaking, in a second fiddle.* He's white. Check. He's Southern. Check. And he has the two kinds of experience Obama most desperately lacks: military and executive. A Vietnam war hero, McCain will hammer his Democratic rival on national security and insist that the Illinois senator, whose foreign policy resume is painfully short, doesn't have necessary gravitas to serve as Commander in Chief; Clark, who served for 34 years at the Department of Defense and retired as Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO, provides Obama with an effective counterargument. What's more, while McCain fought in a war (and legislated his way through others), Clark boasts what some voters might see as a more relevant resume point given our current situation in Iraq: he actually ran one. (See: the highly effective U.S. intervention in Kosovo--not to mention the fact the Clark, a Rhodes Scholar, finished first in his class at West Point, and McCain finished fifth from last in his class at Annapolis.) In short, Clark would not only help Obama blunt McCain's major line of attack but also give him a leg up on some key military matters (while adding a dash of administrative competence to boot). And like Obama, Clark was against the Iraq war from the start.

Eager to shore up Obama's weakest flank, supporters have mentioned other military men as potential running mates--namely Anthony Zinni, the anti-war former Commander in Chief of CENTCOM. But Clark outguns Zinni on all fronts. For starters, he's run for president before--meaning he's had the chance to get used to the constant attention and the grueling schedule, and to be vetted (a key concern for any veep pick). He may even boost Obama's bid in a handful of crucial swing states: his home state of Arkansas (a potential pickup); Missouri (its next door neighbor); and Virginia and Colorado, where his political action committee, WesPAC, did a lot to help Democratic candidates win the 2006 midterm elections (Clark was among the most requested Democratic surrogates last cycle). Finally, there's the Clinton factor. What was once a liability--his loyalty to Hillary--has become a definite asset as Democratic divisions threaten to hinder Obama's campaign. I also supported Clinton, Clark could say to her fans. But here's why you should back Barack. According to the Washington Post, top Obama aides Tom Daschle and Jim Johnson (who's running the VP search) want the candidate to "choose a Clinton loyalist as a running mate to heal the party but avoid putting her and her formidable baggage on the ticket"--and Wes Clark is mentioned "almost constantly" as a top pick. One report (soon denied) even had Clark calling Clinton earlier this month and urging her to drop out.

Like everyone else, Clark has his drawbacks. He was a lackluster campaigner in 2004 he's never won an election and he recently managed to piss off the Jewish community with a comment about "New York money people" pressuring elected officials to declare war on Iran--not the most helpful development for Obama, who has his own issues with Jewish voters to deal with. But each problem is pretty easily dismissed. Reports from the road suggest that Clark's stumping has improved significantly in the last four years--and even then, finding a charismatic orator is probably the least of Obama's concerns. Meanwhile, Clark, far from an enemy of Israel, is actually part Jewish himself; in fact, his paternal grandparents--a Belarussian Jew and a Midwestern Methodist--fit nicely into Obama's multicultural message. I can almost see the posters now.

Will Obama pick Clark? Who knows; none of his staffers are talking. But in a brilliant dramatization of the Denver convention published in New York magazine's April 7 issue, O'Donnell imagined how the deal could go down:

Barack: When you walk out of here I’m going straight to a press conference and announce that when I get the nomination, my choice for VP will be Wesley Clark, and—
Hillary(laughs): Not gonna happen. Wes has been with my campaign from the start... I’m not gonna let you have Wes for a phony unity ticket.
Barack: Too late. Michelle is meeting with him right now.
Barack’s iPhone buzzes. He checks it. Barack holds up the iPhone. close on text message: CLARK DEAL DONE. LUV U, M.
Barack: I want you to come with me to the press conference...
Hillary (bitterly):You don’t need me. You’ve got my biggest supporter as your VP. He’s got you covered now on foreign-policy credentials, military experience.
Barack: It’s not a unity ticket unless you say it’s a unity ticket. I want to tell the press that I asked you to be VP, you turned it down and suggested General Clark. I want to give you credit for saving the day, saving the party. I want you leaving Denver with your head held high.

From there, O'Donnell cuts to Clinton "smiling from ear to ear" and shouting, before the entire convention, "I give you the next president of the United States, Barack Obama!"

The only thing that strikes me as implausible about that scenario? That it would take until Denver to happen.