Why Sebelius and not Napolitano? [View All]

[Bucky]

I've seen Kathleen Sebelius's name pop up all over DU whenever VPs are brought up. But I really got turned off to her prospects as a national candidate when she gave the official Democratic response to Bush's lastest Make-Believe State of the Union address. She was so dull & unlively, so prosaic & plodding in her delivery that I simply couldn't sit through it. Whatever her merits as an administrator, I just don't see her as that strong a candidate when her delivery is so lackluster, I doubt she could persuade me to vote to keep the sky blue. I don't think she'd cost us any points in an election, but I just don't see what she'd add other than the very very remote chance of flipping Kansas. And frankly, if the Democrats are in a position to flip Kansas this November, it probably doesn't matter who we nominate.

On the other hand I've also seen Janet Napolitano give a righteous humdinger of a speech on a couple of occasions and her state, Arizona, is a bit more diverse than Kansas. She couldn't carry her state, of course, but she could certainly force the Republicans to defend their home turf. And her stage presense is such that I can also see her having a strong appeal in the more purplish Rust Belt states. If we're looking at governors, I'd think either she or Brian Schweitzer of Montana would be stronger contenders than Gov Sebelius.

Can someone enlighten me here? Is there something else more compelling in the case for Sebelius? Did I just catch her on an off night?