Hillary Rodham ClintonIn a desperate attempt to be Hillary’s running mate, Gov. Hickenlooper is buddying up to the national media to hint that he’s in the running, while saving face with modest speculation in case that he’s not the pick, by declaring it a long shot.

The Washington Post, no less, is on the Speculating for Hick bandwagon with an article that keeps him in the word-of-mouth running, but ultimately does him no favors.

Hickenlooper insists he hasn’t been approached by Clinton’s camp, and he uses self-deprecating humor to deflect queries about his ambitions. But his name has come up before.

“Everyone says I’m on the short list,” he said recently. “I think it’s probably a long list; I’m probably closer to the bottom.”

The Post mentions, but does not rub in Hick’s face, that one of those names being mentioned as a top candidate includes former Colorado Sen. and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

After deep and meaningful thoughts of enormous brain thingies, the Post piece goes on to recite all the important reasons why Hick would make a great wingman for Hillary.

Topping the list, he has a sense of humor.

Who needs foreign policy experience when one can crack jokes with foreign leaders to avoid WWIII?

Hick was also lauded for his consensus-making skills, bringing Coloradans together on the issues of gun and energy, which is news to us.

The drawback to Hick as the Democrat’s Veep? He’s not anti-energy (see consensus, above), and he wasn’t able to circumvent TABOR and raise taxes.

Not raising taxes is a deal-killer for Democrats. No wonder Hick is down-playing his chances.