What would you do for a Klondike . . .I mean, the Vice Presidency?

The Hill - one of our Capitol's newspapers - recently did a fun-piece based on 97 interviews with Senators"

"The Hill asked all 97 senators who are not running for president the same question: “If you were asked, would you accept an offer to be the VP nominee?”"

First Read was kind enough to pick out some of the more fun responses for your enjoyment, they are printed here for my vast readership:

-- Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.): “No. I don’t like going to funerals.”
-- Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.): “Absolutely. Absolutely. I think I would be great. First of all, I know how to behave at weddings and funerals. And I know how to be commander in chief. I’d bring a lot of fun to the job. We would rock the Naval Observatory.”
-- Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho): “I would say ‘No, Hillary.’ ”
-- Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.): “Yes. Sign me up. I’ve been kidding people for years: The hours are better, the wages are just as good -- whoever heard of a vice president getting shot at? -- and it’s a great opportunity to travel... The chances are slim to none. But I promise you, I would deliver all three of Delaware’s electoral votes.”
-- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.): “If I were asked I’d probably have to get a divorce, so the answer would probably be no. But I won’t be asked if he [McCain] wants to win.”
-- Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.): “When I was much younger I would have probably said, ‘Sure, I’ll be glad to accept it,’ but I’m 70 years [old] and they need a younger person for the job.
-- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): “I’m too old to be vice president. But I am young enough to be reelected to the Senate.”
-- Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.): “Never say no. You always have to give it some thought. It depends who asks you, too.”
-- Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.): “I’m not really interested. That’s all I want to say.”
-- Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.): “Are you kidding? Every senator would accept that offer. My guess is that almost every senator looks at themselves in the mirror in the morning and sees either a future president or vice president.”
-- Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.): “Of course. I think anybody would.”
-- Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.): “I don’t get into hypotheticals. No, I haven’t considered it. I don’t have a clue, honestly.”
-- Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.): “Once is enough. I already have the T-shirt and I’m proud of it.
-- Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.): “I’d say, ‘Please read the Constitution.’ I wasn’t born in America; I can’t be VP.”
-- Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.): “If Hillary’s the nominee, Barack will be the running mate. If Barack’s the nominee, Hillary will be the running mate. That’s my answer.”

- Wyatt Schroeder