Ehrlich going from the woodshed to the cabinet?

We took some time out from pestering Gov. O’Malley’s staff with questions about ’08 campaigning plans to bother former Gov. Bob Ehrlich about his.

Ehrlich joined Rudy Giuliani’s campaign last spring, heading the former mayor’s Mid-Atlantic efforts. Like O’Malley for Clinton, he’s hosted Maryland fundraisers and made trips to New Hampshire earlier this year.

Though one of several major former Governors backing Rudy, he is by far the youngest, which means that if Giuliani makes it to the White House, so will he. And what better perch to launch a political comeback than a cabinet post?

Ehrlich did set himself back a bit when he became the highest profile Giuliani supporter to chide him on revelations that New York City footed the bill for loding, dining and police protection for trysts with his then-mistress and would-be first lady Judy Nathan.

"It's clearly inappropriate, clearly wrong, and would certainly hurt the campaign," Ehrlich said of the scandal left-leaning blogs are dubbing, ‘Sex On the City.’

"If the substance of the story is true, he's got a lot of explaining to do."

They've kept him off the trail for a while for that one, but do keep in mind that other Giuliani supporters have done much more in terms of embarrassing him, so let’s say that Ehrlich's cabinet spot is safe.

On plans to travel to early voting states, specifically where Giuliani is focusing his campaign in Florida, spokesman Henry Fawell would only say "Governor Ehrlich has campaigned for Mayor Giuliani in the past and he is prepared to do so in the future."

Fawell also wouldn’t budge on speculation that Ehrlich would have a place in the Giuliani cabinet.

"It's far too early to have those discussions. Gov. Ehrlich's true interest is to help Mayor Giuliani win the nomination and the presidency.”