CNN’s Political Ticker opines on the possibilty that Barack Obama may be using the DNC schedule to hint at his vice presidential pick.

The vice presidential nominee—whomever he or she turns out to be—is scheduled to speak on Wednesday night, the so-called “national security” night.

Given the luminaries lined up to appear that night, Wednesday is threatening to eclipse Thursday and Obama’s own speech.

OK, not really. But almost.

Joining former president Bill Clinton on the Wednesday schedule are Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, the media’s odds-on favorites of late. But New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar are also on the Wednesday lineup.

Salazar’s inclusion is likely attributable to the fact that he’s from a swing state. I haven’t seen any mention of Rockefeller as a potential VP, though he does fit that “regular white guy” demographic Obama’s had trouble with, and he is from a state where Obama got crushed in the primary (Hillary Clinton trashed Obama by an astonishing 41 points).

But Richardson’s appearance is what caught my eye. I’ve said here before that he was by far the most experienced and most capable candidate from which the Democrats had to choose in the primaries. Just as confusing to me as Richardson not catching on with Democrats is why he seems to have fallen out of favor in the veepstakes and slipped down the prospective-suitor list. In the humble opinion of this political watcher, only former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia would be a better match with Obama than Richardson.

Maybe the schedule indicates that Richardson is not that far down the list after all.

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