Given that I have yet to see a prediction for Bush II turn out correctly (except for the Condi Rice no-brainer), I think I can prognosticate with the best of them. So who is the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency? Some insiders are saying Tom Skinner. Some free market folks are hoping for Lynn Scarlett. Presumably nobody thinks it will be Steven Griles who just left Interior.

My prediction (not to be confused with my hope) is former Montana Governor Marc Racicot. He's played the dutiful soldier for a long time now, taking a front position in both of the last two election fights. Bush probably would like to pay off that loyalty and moreover would probably be happy to have someone he knows will tow the line after the Whitman debacle of almost two years ago. Racicot also became good friends with departing Administrator Leavitt when they were both western governors and thus might be in the list of names that Leavitt would suggest.

But shouldn't we give everyone a chance, so how about enviro-guy? I'm sure Canada would let us have him cheap. Not to be confused with this enviro-guy. (Though their hopes to rule the world with a super-weapon that reverses global warming while also sinking the world's economies are strikingly similar.)

UPDATE: By the way, the leading contenders last time around. Note the absence of Leavitt on the list and the failed prediction: ""We're more likely to see Miguel Estrada confirmed before we see a new EPA administrator confirmed."

UPDATE NUMBER TWO: The Rocky Mountain News reports on other top contenders for EPA this time around.