Ventura for President?

National polls are out showing either of the putative Democratic nominees ahead of John McCain. But...

But the differences are within the margin of error and we're still half a year away from the general election. At this same point in 2004, I believe that John Kerry had a similar lead over GWB, to put things in perspective. (Kerry of course had the nomination wrapped up around this time in 2004, so that may have been something of a factor, but I don't know. I just know that independent voters are called that because they can go either way, and might not decide until November 4.)

Also not factored into the polls is the "animosity factor" about which NPR did a report this morning. They interviewed Clinton and Obama activists at the California Democratic Convention. Both camps were really antagonistic to each other to the point of admitting they might sit out the general election or vote for McCain if their candidate didn't get the nomination.

That celebration you hear quietly in the background is coming from Republicans who thought they had no chance this year after 8 years of Bush.

But now, somehow, they do. If they face Obama, Rev. Wright* will become the best-known minister in America and not in a good sense. If they face Hillary, they have all kinds of other demons to scare voters with, including hubby Bill. "Do you really want him in the White House again?" the voice asks, as they show Bill hugging Monica Lewinsky.

Meantime, the fact Cindy McCain is a beer distributor will probably go down well (pun intended) with NASCARites, hockey fans and many other assorted aging men who would all like to marry a rich trophy wife 17 years younger than them.

*My hunch on this is that McCain will not address this issue head-on himself but leave it to various attack dogs like whoever he gets to run for vice president. There's even talk of Joe Lieberman being his running mate - which would be a first - first guy ever to run for vice president for both major parties. Joe could get all moralistic about Wright and be relatively safe since he's a liberal on social issues. Whether that's even possible, I don't know.

But look for McCain to pick a political rockstar for veep. Maybe Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal -- he's very young, bright, "ethnically balances" the ticket and hasn't been in office long enough to get a bad rep. And if they gave civil service exams for president, Jindal is the one politician I can think of who would pass. And, he got elected governor in a basically Democratic state in a year when very few Republicans were getting elected anywhere. Jindal as veep candidate might be a huge stroke of genius.

Hillary and Barack are the Democrats' only active rockstars, and they are not going to be on the same ticket, unless some really wicked Faustian bargain is done, so evil Satan wouldn't want to be in on the negotiations. Bill Richardson? He's not really a rockstar. Nancy Pelosi? A turnoff for anyone outside California, and for many inside. Al Gore? No, he's been there and done that and probably still wants to be president.

It's all pretty disenchanting since McCain, Obama and Clinton are one and all proponents of government management of most human activities.

What would really energize the election would be someone like Jesse Ventura jumping in as independent candidate. Check out his appearance on CNN's Larry King Live early this week. Jesse talked straight and honest while the Obama, Clinton and McCain guys sounded like the slicko political operatives they are.

I'm hoping Ventura will run. If he does, I'm hoping he'll win. Now that would really shake things up in Washington town.