If not Hillary for the Democrats in 2016, who?

The reluctance of any other Democrats to raise their hands now doesn’t reflect a lack of talent in the party. Just consider the rich menu of choices candidate Clinton would have for a running mate.

She has a keen appreciation, associates say, of the dynamics, the pull of electing a female president. Thus, her initial instinct in selecting a running mate might be to emulate her husband in 1992 and shun convention. By choosing Al Gore, also a young centrist progressive Southern policy wonk, Bill Clinton made the election about generational change instead of seeking geographic and ideological balance on the ticket. Similarly, Mrs. Clinton might look for a woman, though there is no natural fit. With her long experience, she might have more leeway to pick the head of the Senate Budget Committee, Patty Murray of Washington, or Ms. Klobuchar or Gov. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.

More likely, she would take a conventional approach, and there would be attractive options, starting with politicians from two swing states: Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia, both former governors (a job qualification that is lacking on Mrs. Clinton’s résumé), Or, from Colorado, Gov. John W. Hickenlooper and Senator Michael Bennet, once superintendent of Denver’s public school system. Or, if she wants to emphasize fiscal issues, Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. All would be top-tier choices.