Barack Obama is apparently spending the day calling the also-rans in the Veepstakes:
(CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama called some people on his shortlist for the vice presidential slot Thursday night to tell them he had not selected them as a running mate, a highly placed Democratic Party source said.
The source did not say which people got the call.
Obama has told some other potential running mates over the last few weeks that he would not be choosing them.
Obama is expected to appear at a rally Saturday with his vice presidential choice in Springfield, Illinois.
The presumptive Democratic nominee is at home Friday in Chicago, Illinois, with no public events planned before launching a string of rallies with his running mate ahead of the Democratic National Convention next week in Denver, Colorado.
Obama said Thursday that he had made his decision but declined to give any further details.
“I won’t comment on anything else until I introduce our running mate to the world,” he told reporters in Emporia, Virginia. “That’s all you’re going to get out of me.”
One of those getting the close-but-no-cigar phone call looks to be Virginia Governor Tim Kaine:
ABC News’ Jennifer Duck Reports: After a private meeting between Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine intensified the vice presidential drumbeat, does Kaine’s schedule (and verb usage) reveal he’s not actually in the running?
ollowing an event in Virginia, Kaine spoke to reporters and revealed that he’s flying to Denver Friday night and that his whole family will be with him. “We’re also trying to make a family vacation out of it,” Kaine said.
Obama has plans to appear with his running mate on Saturday in Springfield, Ill.
Kaine’s reflections on being in the vice presidential mix were also tinged more with past tense than present.
“It makes me feel good…flattering,” Kaine said, “I’ve always thought it seemed a bit unlikely but I’m not going to tell you it hadn’t been fun.”
Or, perhaps that’s an indication that Obama doesn’t need to call Kaine because he gave him the it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech in person.
To bad for Timmy I guess.
Meanwhile, if you’re into tea leaf reading, this is rather interesting:
NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports one of Biden’s sons was flown in a private plane from Maine to the Senator’s home in Delaware Wednesday. Biden is “gathering the clan,” she said.
Gathering them for an announcement perhaps ?
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Biden?
Obama’s going to hitch the Change campaign to a guy who’s spent more than half his life in the US Senate?
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
And why would that be a problem ?
The VP has little influence on policy to begin with.
Picking Biden is a smart move for Obama precisely because of his time in the Senate.