Barack Obama did it. Twice.

So did Hillary.

John McCain did it. And don't forget Sarah Palin. 

Marco Rubio already wrote a book; no word on whether Chris Christie is talking to publishers yet. But Wisconsin's own Scott Walker is reportedly about to get the jump on his potential opponents for a 2016 presidential run by writing his autobiography.

According to a report in the conservative publication The National Review, Walker plans to write what's described as his autobiography with Marc Thiessen, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush and contributing writer for the Washington Post.

It's not a surprise that a potential presidential candidate would write a book, seeing how many people credit books written by President Obama ("Dreams of My Father," "The Audacity of Hope") with launching a then-unknown Illinois state senator to Congress and then the White House.

For many political observers, writing a well-received book is one way for a relative unknown on the national stage to gain a certain amount of gravitas.

Of course, in Wisconsin it might spark a few snickers from Walker opponents who have derided the governor for his policy decisions and his lack of interest in advancing any educational agenda outside of school vouchers.

Harsher critics point to Walker's lack of a college degree as a sign he might not be proficient enough with language to write a book on his own, which would be an unjustified statement. After all, there are plenty of authors who have published books without a college degree; some of them great writers.

Walker's book would undoubtedly seek to cast more light on the son of a Baptist minister who has often leaned on his middle-class background and religious upbringing to better explain how he came to be the man he is today and explain his basic principles and values that shape how he governs the state.

Some of us would no doubt love to know the political evolution of the Scott Walker who decided to run for governor years ago while still serving as Milwaukee County Executive. In a part of the state where liberal Democrats dominated government for most of his term and effectively blocked many of his budget slashing proposals, Walker must have been chomping on the bit for the day he could ram through his proposals with little or no resistance.

Now that he's governor, his prayers have been answered. I'd love to hear his thoughts on that.

It would also be enlightening to hear Walker finally clear up the enduring mystery on why he decided to leave Marquette University just a few credits short of receiving a degree.

Some people doubt Walker will officially run for president without somehow finding a way to complete the requirements to receive a college degree; it would be an unusual blip on a presidential candidate's resume and a potential stumbling block during early debates or interviews.

My personal hunch is the governor will probably attain one in the next few years after finding a way to make up any remaining credits. But the unsubstantiated rumors about why he left persist.

A few years ago, I asked Walker's spokesman point-blank about why the governor left Marquette before graduating. I was referred to Marquette officials whose official response was that Walker left Marquette in good standing with no taint or whiff of scandal.

I guess that settled it; I still can't wait to see if Walker elaborates in his book.

Another lingering question for Walker to address would probably be the origin of his decision to propose ending collective bargaining for most state unions and whether he ever made that proposal known while campaigning or if he just decided to spring it on voters after winning the statehouse.

A chapter on his relationship with the controversial Koch brothers, the right-wing businessmen known for funding conservative candidates across the nation, would also be a good read. I'm interested whether Walker felt duped after talking to a radio host pretending to be David Koch and making some eye-opening statements about his political opponents in Wisconsin.

Wonder if he regrets it?

No politically minded memoir is ever really "an open book" about the candidate's life. Transparency isn't the goal; it's about creating a sheen that can help the candidate get elected. In that sense, autobiographies written by politicians seeking higher office – particularly president of the United States – will likely be closely scrutinized by staff, media and consultants for any hint of controversy that could derail a greater future.

Some friends on social media suggested a number of titles for Walker's book, including "Stand With Me; Fall for Anything," and "How to Ruin Education in 100 Days." Some Walker supporters also chimed in; one suggestion was "Taking Sanity Back from Insanity."

A few of the suggested titles weren't suitable for publication.

(UPDATE: According to latest reports, Walker's book will be titled, "Unintimidated: A Governor’s Story and a Nation’s Challenge." The publication date is said to be in late 2013.)

I have no doubt Walker has a compelling personal story; you don't become the kind of lightning rod he's become without some powerful motivation.

In Wisconsin, most voters don't need to know about Walker's past as much as they want to know he's planning to do for the rest of his term and beyond so we don't get caught off-guard.

That would be better than waiting to read about it in a book.