The names of 20 prominent political figures - from Hillary Clinton to Al Gore, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and other senators and governors have been listed as possible candidates in the much-awaited US "Veepstakes."

There are ten names in the list for Obama and ten for McCain in the coming Vice Presidential race. On top of those picked for Obama, who would be first African-American president, is New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who is still fighting him for the Democratic Party's nomination. Both of them have been talked about as the "Dream Team."

Hillary is followed by former Vice President Al Gore, who ran for president but lost to George W. Bush. Gore is now famous as an "Eco-Warrior" for his campaign on global climate change. If he is picked then his "vast political experience" can be useful to Obama, the "inexperienced" senator from Illinois.

Others in the list are North Carolina Senator John Edwards; Alaska Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; Bill Richarson; Ex-Gen. Wesley Clark; Virginia Senator Jim Webb; Pennsylvania Senator Robert Casey; Senator Joe Biden; and - surprise, surprise, surprise! - Oprah Winfrey, a popular TV show host and one of America's most powerful women today.

McCain, who'll be 72 years old at the time of the inauguration, needs to pick his partner very carefully from a list of suggested names. Top of the list is Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawberty, who's known for his rhetorical skills and liked by the political left and right. He's followed by Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, who is 66 years old; Gov. Mitt Romney; former State Secretary Colin Powell; Florida Gov. Charlie Crist; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal; Alaska Senator Sarah Polin; Mississippi Gov. Galey Barbour; Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and -surprise, surprise, surprise! - Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice, a "Dream Ticket" for some, but a "Nightmare" for others!

Just like Hillary Clinton, whose choice as Obama's running mate has been dubbed as the "hate-filled Dream Ticket." She is, however, still on the campaign trail to wrest the Democratic nomination from Obama, now the presumptive nominee, who claims he's leading her in both the popular vote and the number of superdelegates that ultimately decide who'll be the presidential candidate in their party's convention in August.

Now, interestingly, Hillary's presidential campaign is increasingly aiming its punches not at front-running Obama, but at the mass media. In political ads and in meetings with fund donors and superdelegates, she is reportedly blasting the punditry in Washington, D.C. and other key cities for "counting her out of the race." She's probably hoping that she can still capture the party's nomination with the protest votes in four or five states that have yet to hold primaries.

Hillary has been widely quoted as courageously saying, "I believe I am better prepared to be president and I am more likely to be able to win." And she added acidly: "I don't care what the pundits say. I'm going to leave it up to the voters."

And so, the still unanswered $64-question at this moment is, if she does not win the Democratic presidential nomination, will she accept an offer for the vice presidency? If she accepts it, and Obama loses to McCain, the political wise guys say, then she'll see a 2012 race opening up before her!.

Well, the latest surveys show that majority of Democrats want Hillary Clinton as vice president.