Progress Illinois

Keeping with tradition, the best seats at the Democratic National Convention are reserved for the presidential nominee's home state delegates. This year, aside from the myriad of speeches by party leaders, the Illinois delegation will be front and center for a special appearance by Illinois Dept. of Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth:

An Iraq war veteran who lost both legs when her Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade will lead a tribute to service members and veterans on the third night of the Democratic National Convention.

Tammy Duckworth, who lost a bid for Congress in Barack Obama's home state of Illinois in 2006, has become a well-known advocate for veterans and military families.

The focus Wednesday will be on honoring the military and a "new, tough foreign policy approach that is neither Republican nor Democratic," the Obama campaign said. The theme is "Securing America's Future." The headline prime-time speaker will be the vice presidential nominee, who has not been named.

Could this be a try-out for a Senate appointment? Only time will tell.

(H/T Think Progress)

We know that Jan Schakowsky is interested (not to mention the strongest progressive on the short list). And to everyone's surprise -- even his own -- Rahm Emanuel's name recently surfaced in a Robert Novak column on the subject. Now the Sun-Times' Michael Sneed is telling us that Tammy Duckworth could be tapped to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate if he is elected president:

Sneed hears rumbles that U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who is this/close to Sen. Barack Obama, and U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel are talking up Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth as Obama's replacement -- if Obama is elected president.

Duckworth, a moderate Democrat, came a hair's breadth from defeating GOP Rep. Peter Roskam in 2006. Her name has already been proposed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who would ultimately make the decision about Obama's replacement. If Sneed is right, Duckworth might have some support from the Democratic nominee as well (Durbin and Obama most likely stay in communication about such things).

Regardless, November is a long way off and we'll probably see more names ground through the rumor mill before the whole thing is done.