Everything's running ahead of schedule this election cycle, so it should come as no surprise that the first major analysis of Vice Presidential choices is out, nearly a full year before the conventions. Reid Wilson of Real Clear Politics is the culprit:

Republican Huckabee, should his second-place showing in the straw poll not be enough to carry him to the top, seems to be the most likely current member of the GOP field to wind up in the veep slot. If the Democratic nominee is Hillary Clinton, who better to serve the role of attack dog than a former governor of a state closely affiliated with her? Huckabee's debate performances have been uniformly strong, and his stump speech -- delivered without notes in Ames as others used a teleprompter -- makes even some liberals nod along in agreement. He's a conservative from the South, but one who defies stereotypes and whose easy going manner and message of compassionate conservatism will resonate well beyond Dixie.

If Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney end up winning the GOP nomination, they may want a more strongly identifiable conservative like Huckabee to communicate with the base even while they use their time to appeal to moderates and independents. But Huckabee's chances erode if Fred Thompson, a Southerner himself with good relations with the base, becomes the nominee.

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A Richardson pick might cause problems for Hillary Clinton, who may not want to pick a former member of her husband's administration, and one with rumors that remind voters of her husband's less than stellar moments. Richardson would add foreign policy heft to Barack Obama's or John Edwards' campaigns. Obama, however, running as the ultimate outsider, may want an outside-the-box contender with national security credentials, like retired General Anthony Zinni or former Presidential candidate Wesley Clark.

Also on the Democratic side, Evan Bayh - who Bill Clinton said would be president one day - ended his White House bid because of the pressures of raising money, though he remains a strong speaker and hugely popular in a red state. But what does Bayh bring to the table, aside from looks and presence? Geographically, not much. John Kerry won just four counties in Indiana and lost the state by 20 points.

Read the whole article at the above link. Interesting stuff for political junkies, but it could wait until the winners are clear in both parties. After all, what else will we talk about between the time they "clinch" and the conventions?