Capital

Obama’s VP shortlist, No ‘dream ticket’

Obama has often said, most recently on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on July 27, that his former rival Senator Hillary Clinton “would be on anybody’s short list” for the Vice President but apparently not his. The U.S. media reports that revealed Obama’s VP short list have made it clear that Obama has closed the door on the ‘dream ticket’ which was first initiated by Clinton after her win which upset Obama’s idea to wrap up the primaries early.
Last Friday, August 22, 2008, [three days before the party gathers in Denver to nominate Obama for the fall campaign] several officials said Rep. Chet Edwards, whose district includes President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, had made the list of finalists. Senator Joe Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana were also in the mix, as were Govs. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas — and others Obama had managed to keep secret despite intense scrutiny.
Obama spent part of the day with Kaine, who reportedly told a colleague last Wednesday that he believed he was on the short list. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said Kaine told him although he hadn’t heard anything from the Obama campaign on where he stands at the time, “he really thinks he has a chance at the short straw.”
Kaine and Obama met privately with the governor’s staff for 15 minutes at a Richmond hotel. Afterward, Kaine said he would let the Obama campaign speak about whether the candidate asked him to be his No. 2. But two people close to Kaine said the governor was still in the dark.
Kaine plans to fly Friday night directly from Virginia to Denver, site of next week’s Democratic National Convention, three people with knowledge of the governor’s travel plans said. The plans could be changed if Kaine is told he needs to fly to Springfield instead.
Biden is a favorite for the vice presidential nomination among Democrats who think Obama could use his experience and tough campaign style. Biden has served 35 years in Congress, while Obama has served three.
Bayh worked in his Capitol Hill office and later spent time at his home in Washington. He left wearing shorts and a baseball cap but told reporters outside he had no news to share. “Not tonight, sorry,” he said.
It’s possible Obama could make a surprise selection, although at least one dark horse candidate appeared out of the running. Former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn’s spokesman said he would be traveling internationally until Monday, making a Saturday visit to Springfield seem unlikely.
Obama, his secret his own, went to the gym on Friday for a morning workout before heading to an office in Chicago to polish the convention acceptance speech he will deliver next Thursday night. Obama said earlier on Thursday that he’s chosen his running mate, but coyly kept all the details to himself as he campaigned with one leading contender and planned a major rally to present the Democratic ticket Saturday in Illinois [at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill.,] where he launched his presidential campaign in February 2007. Obama then planned to travel to the battlegrounds of Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Montana before arriving in Denver to accept his party’s nomination.
Obama refused to say whether he’d notified his pick or when exactly he would send cell phones buzzing with the answer delivered via text message. He didn’t reveal his choice to Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, considered to be on Obama’s short list, even after they met Thursday, according to the Associated Press (AP) reports. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” quoted saying, when an AP reporter asked when the text would be sent. “I’ve made the selection, that’s all you’re gonna get,” Obama said as he visited a store selling roasted Virginia peanuts as nonchalantly as any other day campaigning in a battleground state. Until Capital went to print, Obama’s VP was not made public.
On the Republican side, GOP officials said late Thursday that McCain has not settled on a running mate although former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty were under serious consideration. Two officials close to Romney said he had not been offered the job.
New polls out at the end of this week show Obama is neck-and-neck with McCain and still has yet to win over some supporters of Democratic primary rival Clinton. For Obama VP, Democrats favor Senator Biden – popular and not hesitant for a fight and with acclaimed experience-both Obama is said to lack.