I had heard Newt Gingrich...

...was being considered as a possible running mate for Donald Trump, but I quickly discarded the possibility. I mean, come on, another bombastic, old (Gingrich is 72), thrice-married white guy? How's that for ticket-balancing?

And if you remember, ol' Newt was the speaker of the House back in the 1990s (the heyday of the Clintons). So isn't he the ultimate Insider Politician that Trump has been railing against for almost a year now? You know, "all talk and no action"? Surely, I thought, this can't be. (I seem to say that a lot to myself when the subject turns to Donald Trump.)

And yet . . . who's in first place now for Republican Vice Presidential Candidate on Paddy Power? Yep, Newt Gingrich, at 5/4 odds!*

(John Kasich is now in second at 9/2. Maybe he's serious; maybe he really doesn't want the job.)

But Newt Gingrich? Talk about doubling-down!

There goes the "gender gap" . . . and minority voters . . . and young people . . . and college-educated suburban white voters . . . and, well, anyone who isn't an angry (probably racist) middle-aged white guy without a college degree.

* Jonathan Alter said yesterday on MTP Daily that Trump's running mate would be Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee. His name is nowhere to be found on Paddy Power.