BEFORE the candidates for America's presidential election have even been decided, hardened gamblers and political junkies can still take a flutter on who will take the vice-presidency. Punters reckon Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in close contention to become the Democrats' second-in-command, according to fast-changing odds offered on Betfair, a British online-gambling exchange. Mike Huckabee is the Republican with the shortest odds. But if you think John McCain might somehow blow his chances of securing the Republican nomination and instead walk into the White House alongside President Huckabee, you can expect very attractive odds indeed.

AP