That’s right gang, the time in the election process where the Presidential Candidates begin to hunt down their 4-8 year soulmates. The yin to their yang, the Ed to their Johnny, the Triscuit to their Easy Cheese…

You get the idea.

So while Obama does but doesn’t have someone hunting for possible running mates (he’s keeping mum about the whole ordeal), McCain is using his hunt in a more savvy a way… as an election tool with battle ground state Florida providing the home for at least one contender for the next best thing.

Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and a onetime rival for the Republican nomination, have all accepted invitations to visit Mr. McCain at his ranch in Sedona, Republicans said.

Mr. McCain himself has said his choice of a running mate would draw particular scrutiny from voters given Mr. McCain’s age; he is now 71, or “as old as dirt,” as he likes to joke, while quickly adding that he is in good health. More than that, with Mr. Obama’s selection as his party’s nominee now almost assured, Mr. McCain is contemplating a contest against an energized Democratic electorate after a campaign that has highlighted race and gender issues.

Mr. Crist, a fairly popular first-term governor, has been included on various lists of potential running mates for Mr. McCain, whom he endorsed shortly before Florida’s January primary, which effectively helped Mr. McCain claim the nomination. Mr. Crist said Wednesday that he and Mr. McCain had not discussed the prospect, not even at a fund-raiser in Miami that the two attended Tuesday night.

As governor of Florida, Mr. Crist, 51, would bring obvious assets to the Republican ticket, beginning with his popularity in a state that is almost always an electoral battleground — and where Mr. Obama appears to be struggling. Mr. Crist’s relative youth could also be an asset for Mr. McCain, who has made clear that age will be a consideration in his search for a running mate.

In Florida, Mr. Crist has long been known for his affability and a campaign skills. Instantly recognizable because of his perpetual tan and striking white hair, Mr. Crist, who was Florida’s attorney general before being elected governor in 2006, has also acquired a reputation as something of a hard-liner on law and order issues.

He supports the death penalty, largely opposes restrictions on the rights of gun owners, early on earned the nickname “Chain Gang Charlie” because he favored allowing convicts to be used in road work, and has described himself as a “pro-life and pro-family” candidate.

Mr. Romney, the former chief executive who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and who was born in Michigan, has made no secret of his desire to join Mr. McCain’s presidential ticket. Mr. Romney’s M.B.A. skills, and business background — including running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games — could address concerns about Mr. McCain’s ability to manage a struggling economy.

Mr. Jindal, who was born in Baton Rouge, La., to a family that had just arrived there from the Punjab area of India, took office in January after serving three years in the House of Representatives. In a race with four candidates, Mr. Jindal, who was born a Hindu but converted to Roman Catholicism as a teenager, won 54 percent of the vote after campaigning as a social conservative, opposing human embryonic stem cell research and abortion in any form, and favoring teaching “intelligent design” in schools as an alternative to evolution.

So we’re looking at “Chain Gang Charlie”, Romney (the guy who failed at getting the nomination because of party distrust an inability to connect with voters and record of flip flopping on issues), and the guy who (prepping for backlash now) believes in magical tales of how we came to be against evidence that would prove the contrary, and wants all our kids to learn it that way too, regardless of whether they follow the same beliefs or not (and I won’t even further the shit storm I could be earning here by getting into abortion or stem cell research).

Those all sound like solid arguments to keep from voting on the Republican ticket, and here I thought I’d already had enough reasons.

As of this moment there’s no word on who Hillary Clinton in her alternate universe version of the elections is going to choose for her running mate.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Hillary Clinton won in Kentucky, won big in fact.  But Barack Obama won Oregon, and with it- more delagates, which puts him solidly in the majority delegate count, regardless of how the next contests pan out.  He’s less than a hundred shy of the needed 2,026 to be handed the nomination, barring the sudden jumping ship of a vast percentage of super delegates already pledged to Obama, this thing is over, but as we’ve learned Hillary will not quit.  Ever.  She’s so solidly into this whole Primary thing that she’s spent herself into debt to the tune of $31 million in debt.  Let me repeat that, because it takes a bit to seep in.  Hillary Clinton and her campaign owe $31 million that she’s spent over what she’s brought in either through fund raising, or from giving it to herself.  In a nation that is struggling financially due to over taxing it’s resources whether economically, ecologically, or militarily- someone arguing that she’s the one to get us back on track is sending herself steadily into potentially unrecoverable debt to keep a lost campaign in all appearances- viable.

Obama on the other hand continues to be a money making machine, though to a lesser degree now than earlier in the year, with his April earnings rounding out at about… wow, get this… $31 million.  Maybe if Hillary asks nicely Obama will lend her the money to stay afloat after the DNC tells us what we already know- that he is the Presidential candidate.  Wouldn’t that be a nice gesture?

Popularity: 2% [?]

…I could set that up for a bad joke, but instead I’ll just go right into the meat of the matter.

Barack Obama has informed the Republicans through the media that they had better lay off his wife Michelle when the Primaries end and the race for the White House begins, or else… umm… something. Yeah.

Well, I hate to say it, but to quote one of my favorite comic book characters of all time “Sorry Bub”. Welcome to the public arena. Everything you, and those associated with you, do or say in view of the world- will be witnessed and commented upon by everyone, and I mean everyone (hell, probably even me and Ms. Missive).

Besides, it’s not like your campaign hasn’t had a few things to say about another Prez hopeful’s significant other, I mean, granted Bill Clinton is a slightly more public figure having been the President already, and still being a public social and political figure, whos past job makes his public appearances an endorcement from a big wig in the Dem party, as well as from a husband in the case of Hillary, but still, fair is fair.

Cindy McCain hasn’t been completely left out either, as her refusal to disclose tax information as the other candidate’s families have done has stirred a few pots, but isn’t as heavily commented upon as, well, Michelle Obama saying she didn’t used to be proud of her country. But she said it in public, and as any celeb (and let’s be honest, in America politicians are far less scrutinized than the pop diva of the moment) will tell you- what you say and do in public is fair game for the media, and those who can gain from your missteps.

So you have two options, lighten up, toughen up, and learn to take the heat- or lock her up from the public eye until the whole campaign is over.

Your choice.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Just a scant few hours ago former Prez Contender John Edwards gave his formal endorsement to Dem front-runner Barack Obama. Mostly this means Edwards is hitching his wagon to the pretty much assured winner in an attempt to get a job with the next administration, whether as VP, or as Attorney General, or some other cabinet position.

In terms of what this means for the Clinton/Obama never ending primary contest- the answer is: nothing.

Popularity: 2% [?]