Veepstakes: Sovietology...

Perhaps it was the fact that I was up half the night reading an analysis of Soviet approaches to Clausewitz but this morning's tea leaves all look positive for my girl Kathy.

Here's why:

1) Mark Warner named Keynote speaker in Denver: if Kaine is the biggest threat to Sebelius (and I am sure he is), then is Obama really going with back-to back Virginians? And, more importantly, is he going to have Kaine follow Warner on Wednesday night inviting unflattering comparisons of both their records, their popularity and their rhetorical gifts?

2) Kathleen Sebelius' speaking slot: "Unlike Claire McCaskill, Mark Warner, Ted Strickland, or Hillary Clinton, the Democrats are not yet ready to assign her a specific slot". It's been confirmed that she will get one but "The exact time and day is TBD." So, as my friend John put it, "exactly when in prime time on Wednesday night will she speak?"

3) Kathleen Sebelius (in her capacity as Convention Co-Chair): "Every potential vice presidential choice also has a speaking slot". Where are the slots for Kaine and Bayh? The Obama cmapaign will have to announce these soon to head off too much joining-of-the-dots like that which this very post is attempting.

4) Lastly, Poblano makes a great point about the symmetry forming here for the Convention if she is the Veep: "You would have, essentially, three "couples" speaking: Michelle and Barack to bookend the convention (the present), Hillary and Bill in the middle (the past), and then Warner and Sebelius (the future), who aren't a couple, but who hit many of the same themes."

Full disclosure: I have put my money where my blog is and invested online in Kathy. Either my faith will be rewarded or I'll lose more then face...

UPDATE

Per Al Giordano, Sebelius has now been given a speaking slot on Tuesday alongside Arizona Governor (and, in my opinion, likely Obama Attorney General) Janet Napolitano. Sebelius and Napolitano are both both not quite the most shall we say inspirational of speakers, so the loss of one wouldn't neccesarily hurt too much... Besides, the fact remains that Kaine suffers in the shadow of Warner and by the time the annoucements are finished it's likely that all of the potential Obama Veeps will have been given so-called speaking assignments. I'm keeping the faith for Kathy.