I think we should think outside the box - a former public servant who is conservative and a former member of Congress... they don't like rejecting their own.
Personnally, I'd love to see JRB but Bush likely won't do it. Owen, Clement, Jones, Sykes all stand a better chance IMHO. It won't be Gonzalez - people need to put aside that fear.
Why not Lynn Cheney? Don Nickles? Dan Coats? Anybody know a younger conservative who retired from public life that could be enticed back in? (No thanks, Speaker Gingrich doesn't have the votes). I still like the Santorum option.
We need a young female Bret Schundler.
JRB is my first choice; but at this point, I'm befuddled about who the President's "second" choice was/is. I'm not familiar with Bret Schundler.