Condi, Condi, Condi!

John McCain's rise in the polls has got Washington buzzing over whom he'd pick as his vice presidential nominee.

An archconservative? A governor? A woman? There are some obvious choices, like Mike Huckabee, who might bolster the maverick Arizonan's conservative creds. Strategists have said for weeks that his praise of McCain has been a thinly veiled bid for the No. 2 spot. Then there are two guys gunning for the job: South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Or Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who helped deliver the state for McCain.

And don't forget Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, say allies. She's not talking, but it's the buzz in conservative circles. In fact, there are groups this week promoting Rice as the perfect pick: fashionable Republican woman, African-American, over-the-top smart, and a very able diplomat.