A couple of weeks ago I posted about the five most controversial Republican VP candidates, and had some fun coming up with those choices. Due to popular demand, today I'm turning my attention to the Democratic field now that Obama has sewn up the nomination.

(I didn't bother to include Hillary here; while it would be surprising, so many have tossed her name around that it just wouldn't be controversial at all.)

• Joe Lieberman -- I covered him in the other post, but he brings something to this candidacy too. His solid foreign policy experience would shore up an area sorely lacking in this ticket. Also, just a few short months ago the Democratic party turned on him and he still managed to pull out a win; putting him on the ticket would demonstrate Obama's independence from the "business as usual" dealings in the Democratic party.

• Jesse Ventura -- One way for Obama to solidify his "change" claims is to nominate an independent candidate. Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura certainly fills that bill. No stranger to the public eye, Ventura's mixture of social liberalism and economic conservatism would appeal to a broader audience apprehensive with the perceived extreme choices of Obama and McCain. Also, as a former Navy seal, he brings a military perspective that Obama lacks.
  
  On the downside, his outspokenness can quickly put him in hot water, such as his repeated criticism of the two-party system and his suspicions about the tower collapses on 9/11.

• Al Gore -- OK, I can't for the life of me think of a reason why Gore would do this. However, he would bring some key elements currently missing from the Obama candidacy including foreign policy experience and a more extensive experience in the inner workings of Capital Hill. Plus, with his Oscar and Nobel in hand he has morphed into some sort of cult hero.
  
  The downside is clear, though -- what kind of "change" is it to bring back the Clinton VP? 

• Oprah Winfrey -- Many pundits points to Oprah's May 2007 endorsement of Obama's candidacy as a watershed event. The fact that she has such a widespread and influential following (witness the impact of an Oprah book endorsement) and the fact that she'd never endorsed anyone before made it a newsworthy event. Was it enough to get him the nomination? Probably not, but certainly it was enough to get him in position to do so.
  
  Oprah has no real national political experience, but could nonetheless be a tremendous asset to the Obama campaign. He has real need to reach out to women voters, after the way he trounced Hillary, and this would help those efforts. Plus, having two minorities on the ticket would be a historic event. (It worked for Chris Rock and Bernie Mac in "Head of State" after all...)
  
  On the negative side, Oprah's political experience makes Obama look like an elder statesman. Plus, with equal time laws the networks would probably have to give McCain his own talk show.

• Howard Dean --  Dean had a successful campaign going in 2004 until his impromptu yell came back to doom his chances. Still, his maverick approach to campaigning earned him the top spot in the DNCC. As a former physician, he could take point on Obama's universal health care issue like nobody else could. As a former governor of Vermont, he brings much-needed executive experience lacking in both presumptive presidential nominees. He also extends the idea of the "change" candidacy, being known as a maverick in his own day.
  
  Dean's downsides are numerous. His "change" credentials can easily be challenged - after all, he is the current DNCC chairman. Plus his decidedly liberal leanings that won him terms in Vermont could galvanize the conservative opposition in ways that John McCain is having trouble doing on his own.

So who do you think will be the eventual VP pick?