Kudos to The Hill for getting all 97 senators to answer the question, “If you were asked, would you accept an offer to be the VP nominee?”
The answers exhibit inverse proportions of humor to actual willingness to consider the job, with age as a factor in both regards (older=funnier, less interested; rural states also seem to generate less self-important answers). The answer in the title comes from Utah’s Bob Bennett. Less disqualifying answers came from:
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio): “No, I want to continue serving the people of Ohio as their senator for as long as I’m able.” (Anyone whose “no” answer depends on “continuing to serve the people” has an exit.)
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.): “Never say no. You always have to give it some thought. It depends who asks you, too.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.): “I have said that John needs to pick someone that he feels comfortable with and will help him win in the fall. I like him and I feel comfortable with him. But I think there are other portfolios that help more than I do. There are people that would bring a different portfolio to the table than I would and that would help us win in the fall.”
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas): “I just really don’t have any comment beyond what I’ve said about that, that I don’t want to go in that direction at all.”
The most unequivocal response?
Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.): “I am focused on my election. And frankly, I don’t think John McCain should pick any member of Congress or the United States Senate.”
The funniest — or at least the most mystifying, on several levels:
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho): “I would say ‘No, Hillary.’ ”
Uh-huh.