Elizabeth Dole unlikely to unseat Alben Barkley

“Former Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina… is the only name on this list [of women Mitt Romney might choose as a running mate], apart from [Michele] Bachmann, to have officially run for president before — although her candidacy, in 2000, was mostly a flop. Her strong personal qualities and long history of public service might nevertheless make her an interesting choice, but she would be 76 years old upon her inauguration next year.

“That would make her the oldest vice president on inauguration by some margin; the current record-holder is Alben W. Barkley, who was sworn in at 71 in 1949. Since Mr. Romney, 65, is himself fairly old, and since the Constitutional function of the vice president is to be ready to step in if the president dies or resigns, that is probably disqualifying.”

— From “In Search for Female Running Mate, a Shortlist for Romney” on Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight blog in the New York Times (July 13)