Below The Beltway

Jonathan Martin dials back on Bob Novak’s report of an imminent Veep announcement from the McCain camp:

John McCain has narrowed his vice-presidential possibilities to the point where he considered a decision this week — but he’s likely to hold off, say sources close to the campaign.

The prospect of stepping on Barack Obama’s much-anticipated overseas trip with the headline-grabbing news was discussed among the small inner-circle of McCain aides and advisers privy to the running mate decision, according to a McCain source.

This person declined to categorically rule out an announcement in the coming days, but other plugged-in sources said it was unlikely.

Officially, McCain representaives declined to comment.

But, relishing the diversion, they also did not discourage the speculation.

“A smart feint,” one Republican source said.

One inner-circle McCain adviser said the longtime plans are to name the selection close to the Republican convention, on the theory that all that really matters is the final sprint to Election Day.

“No one is panicking about this week,” the adviser said. “Frankly, it is excellent for the press to be getting Obamamania out of their system.”

Are they really doing that ?

Outside of the political junkies, I don’t think anyone is really paying attention to this other than to wonder if McCain really is thinking of trying to upstage Obama’s overseas trip by announcing his VP choice this week.

The interesting thing right now is that the focus seems to be more on how McCain will pick than who Obama will pick. Smartly, I think, the Obama camp is keeping a very tight lid on their Vice-Presidential vetting process.

The interesting factor this time around, of course, is that the timing for both campaigns is incredibly constricted in a way it hasn’t been in the past:

The window on an announcement is, however, closing.   The Olympics begin August 8th and run until the 24th.  To ensure maximum news coverage of their pick, neither campaign wants to go public with their decision during the international spectacle.  And immediately after, the Democrats begin their convention.   McCain, of course, does not want to make his pick during this period, either.

For Obama, of course, the ideal time to make the announcement is right after the Olympics end and right before the Democratic Convention.

In the past, the logic would have been similar for the Republican candidate.

McCain’s problem is that “right before the Republican Convention” happens to fall at the exact same time that the Democrats will be holding their convention.

The timing of both of these announcements will be as interesting to watch as the choices themselves.