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Here's the deal: Every president who has succeeded a two-termer (from the same party) has been either:

(1) a "senior administration official," meaning a high-profile Cabinet officer or the vice-president; or

(2) a governor. Most presidents got their offices after successfully running one of the fifty states.

Notably, NONE, repeat NONE, have been Senators. The Senate is a warehouse of people who WANT the Presidency but lack the leadership to get there.

With that in mind, let us evaluate the potential candidates.

George Allen: My Governor when I lived in Virginia. Very effective; perhaps he should return to Richmond this year and agree to appoint Kilgore as his replacement in the Senate. Then run in '08. But don't discout a President Kilgore automatically either. (That would really irk ex-veep Gore.)

John McCain: Senator. Used to like him, but he's a little, well, power-hungry or perhaps just too old.

Rudolph Guiliani: Too liberal for the red-state electorate (especially on social policy), but great on foreign policy. Let him replace Hillary in 2006. (That should deflate Hillary's bubble, but interestingly, Lincoln lost a Senate race to Douglas in 1858 before defeating him for the presidency in 1860.)

Bill Frist: Senator. Automatically disqualify. Perhaps he should return to Tennessee as a Governor.

Bill Owens: Colorado governor. Reputedly has some family problems, but otherwise solid. Opponent of tax hikes.

Arnold Schwartzenegger: Not born an American citizen, therefore ineligible. And we're not going to change our Constitution.

Chuck Hagel: Who? Some RINO Senator? Never. May he lose his next primary.

Sam Brownback: Senator. Disqualify until he gets some real experience (Governor of Kansas).

Rick Santorum: Senator, perhaps too conservative for his own geriatric Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, especially with the wild popularity and increasing ranks of the deceased Philadelphia Democrats.

Mitt Romney: Looks conservative, but only by the standards of Massachusetts, and as a victim of lunatic judical tyranny. Is it possible to carry both Massachusetts and the South?

Let's try: Mark Sanford, Governor of South Carolina. As a former Congressman, he knows something about foreign policy. And he's a real fiscal conservative, too.

Mark Sanford: