The NOTION THAT BARACK Obama should pick Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential running mate is crazy. She passes the first test of a veep selection: she’s a plausible president. But she fails the second. She doesn’t qualify as a partner on the Democratic ticket (and possibly in the White House) that Obama would be comfortable with–far from it.

But there is someone who does meet these two requirements, plus a third one and maybe a fourth. That person is Democratic Governor Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania. Yes, Rendell was the leading supporter of Clinton when she trounced Obama in the Pennsylvania presidential primary last month. But he’s a smart, tough, and respected politician who would no doubt embrace Obama eagerly, fully, and loyally.