Dick Durbin, current Senate Majority Whip, and current Senator from Illinois since 1997, was considered on the long list of vice presidential candidates for Al Gore in 2000. What if he had been chosen? Would he have helped or hurt the ticket? How would he be perceived and/or portrayed? Who would replace him? Who would be Senate Majority Whip now? Would he have a shot at the presidency in 2004 or 2008? A strong one or a weak one?
Also, I imagine it's been asked before, but 2004 vice presidential nominee, South Carolina Sen. John Edwards, was also on the vice presidential shortlist that year. Since Edwards' career in the Senate is blatantly overshadowed by his two presidential runs and one vice presidential run, so I guess there's not many what-ifs besides, what if he was the running mate?
I'm open to discussing other options as well, those are two that caught my eye.