Does Sarah Palin Want To Be Donald Trump's Running Mate? She's Not Exactly Denying It

It's all but official that notorious Twitter provocateur Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president, and the Republican National Convention is fast approaching, which means Trump's starting to get serious about who to chose for his potential vice president. Arizona Sen. John McCain's biggest regret keeps coming up again and again as the perfect match. But does Sarah Palin want to be Donald Trump's running mate? She hasn't come right out and said it, but the thirst is palpable.

Earlier this month, CNN's Jake Tapper asked the former Alaskan governor and current Facebook pot-stirrer about a Trump-Palin ticket, and Palin expressed concern that she might hurt the Trump campaign. "I realize there are a whole lot of people out there who would say, 'Anybody but Palin,'" she told Tapper. "I wouldn't want to be a burden on the ticket, and I realize in many, many eyes, I would be that burden." Try not to cry for the unemployed Fox News talking head; she still has millions of followers and dollars to cushion that blow.

While she doesn't know if she's capable of the task, Palin's clearly intrigued; she mentioned to Tapper that she was already well-vetted: "I think if someone wanted to choose me, they already know who I am, what I stand for. They wouldn't be in for any surprises." Yes, someone. Just any old presidential candidate who she's spent every waking moment stumping for. You know, whoever.

But is Trump actually interested in campaigning with a woman whose word salad of an endorsement speech named-checked both Reagan and Allah, featured rhymes, made-up words ("squirmishes"), a near-obsession with oil, and crass imagery ("bend over and say, 'Thank you, enemy'")? Being a great orator isn't necessarily a job requirement for a V.P., but reading a transcript of one of Palin's speeches (or even an interview) is a trying exercise in brain-acrobatics. There are already some people who don't take Trump seriously as a politician (not naming names, but you might be reading the words of one such person at this very moment). Could Palin possibly make him look better, or hell, even just not make him look markedly worse?

According to Ben Carson, former doctor and current member of the Trump campaign entrusted with helping to choose a running mate, Palin's name is on the list. However, in 2008, when Palin was running alongside McCain, she was thrice unable to define the job of vice president, according to Salon. Her responses when asked about her potential duties ranged from the incomprehensible ("vice president will be able to be not only the position flexible") to the flat-out wrong ("they’re like a team member, the teammate to that President. But also, they’re in charge of the United States Senate"). Voters will find out soon enough whether Palin will actually be traveling the country with Trump.