It’s a given that Senator Hillary Clinton is not the only one on the list of potential Vice Presidential running mates for Barack Obama.  According to the Associated Press

Barack Obama is considering former top military leaders among his possible running mates, according to a senator who met Tuesday with the Democratic presidential candidate’s vice presidential vetting team.

North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad told The Associated Press said the team asked him about potential candidates from three broad categories — current top elected officials, former top elected officials and former top military leaders.

That’s just about everybody, isn’t it?  Of course, a running mate from the military could be an asset. 

A running mate from the military rankscould help address concerns that Obama lacks foreign policy experience, having served just three years in the Senate. It could also provide a counterpoint to the military bonafides of the Republican ticket, which will be led by Vietnam war hero John McCain.

I understand the idea of a military person as a running mate.  I understand that Senator John McCain is a Vietnam war hero.  I understand that Senator John McCain was a POW for five years.  But…

About John McCain’s service to our country.  It was honorable.  He is a hero.  All that is a given.  But, let’s get real here.  How does being a prisoner of war count as a credential on foreign policy?  I guess I just don’t get it.  If all we are looking for as a foreign policy credential is having been in the military, having served honorably, and perhaps being a POW gives a little more “umph”, then I think we have missed the point.  There are thousands of men and women who served honorably in the military.  There are plenty of military personnel who have been prisoners of war during one war or another.  But, I wouldn’t necessarily want them as a foreign policy adviser.

On the other hand, we have seen McCain make one blunder after another while traveling abroad.  Remember when he mixed up the Shi’ite and Sunni connections?  Remember when he claimed that the “insurgents” in Iran were Al-Qaeda?  I just didn’t get the idea that he was all that great on foreign policy.  But, if a vote for John McCain is a vote for anyone who served in the military, well… so be it.  Being a POW just isn’t a qualification for foreign policy experience.

I support the military.  I know that McCain is a hero for being captured in Vietnam and doing the honorable thing during his captivity.  But, does that give a person foreign policy experience?

Anyway, the search goes on for Obama’s running mate.  And, perhaps having a military person on the ticket would be an asset.  There certainly are some great military leaders available and probably a few who will make the short list.

It will probably be some time before we know who will be the running mate for either nominee.  It will become a chess match, each holding out until the last moment to make his selection known.  So, for now it’s back to the economy.