Contenders, but where's the real heavyweight?

Following Charles Kennedy's decision to test the Liberal Democrats' faith in his leadership, political pundits have been quick to identify his potential challengers for the leadership of the UK's third party.
Unfortunately for those who would like to see a genuine three-way contest at the next general election, the one true heavyweight the party possesses is missing from the list. Paddy Ashdown is the one LibDem politician with the experience (running Bosnia after his many years in the Westminster bearpit), the profile and the ability to give Blair and Cameron sleepless nights. In Sir Reg Empey the Ulster Unionists elected a leader who was not an MP. Will Ashdown run and will the LibDems have the courage to elect him as leader a second time? Probably not, but it would be an opportunity missed.