OFFICIAL Vice President leaks, tips, and speculation thread

[WalterMitty]

Note on Morden's post, the strategist did not say that he would bet his life on Biden, only that if you put a gun to his head he would say Biden.  That's a pretty weak prognosis haha.

Reed wouldn't submit to being vetted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/why-radio-silence-can-be_b_119933.html

Wesley Clark and Bill Richardson were not seriously considered according to sources -- and Jack
Reed, who Obama likes a great deal, would not allow himself to be vetted. I don't believe Chris Dodd was high on the list.

but according to the ny times, dodd was vetted.

[Lunar]

Nothing inconsistent about that.  Hell, Dodd probably asked to be vetted.

Sebelius has no public events scheduled for Saturday  That's right, I get you news less than twelve minutes old from the Topeka Kansas Journal.
http://cjonline.com/stories/082008/kan_320718864.shtml

A senior Obama adviser told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday that Obama and his veep choice will appear together in front of the former state Capitol in Illinois on Saturday, where he announced he was running for president in 2007.

Sebelius' office has released no public appearances for Saturday.

Adding to the din of political voices, local observers weighed in Tuesday on why Sebelius isn't likely to be plucked for the presidential ticket (but also why she could just buck the pundits).

For one, in political calculations, she doesn't appear to bring anything to Obama's campaign that he doesn't already have.

[Lunar]

ONLY OBAMASEBELIUS.COM IS OWNED BY THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN
same link as post above

The Web site www.tribble agency.com reviewed the owners of such Internet domain names such as www.obamasebelius.com and www.obamakaine.com. According to the site, only the Sebelius site is owned by the Obama campaign. On another speculative front, some in the blogosphere pointed out that Sebelius had been removed from her speaking engagement at the Democratic convention. (Recent credible reports show she is still scheduled to talk next Tuesday in Denver.)

update: my personal research shows the website is owned by a weird group called "OBAMASEBELIUS.COM@domainsbyproxy.com" out of Scottsdale, Arizona.  The other ObamaVP.com sites are usually owned by individuals, so I believe this story.  I don't think Sebelius is the one, but I believe this rumor.  But the domain was registered in 2007.

[Lunar]

Eh, since there is some hype about an NC schedule change, I think I'll post this again.

Mike Easley isn't interested and got eliminated early, he says
http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/content/2008/aug/19/agency-trip-leave/news/
If Barack Obama is considering Gov. Mike Easley as his running mate, Easley says he doesn't know about it.

"Not that I'm aware of," Easley said Monday, in response to a reporter's question about whether the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate has been vetting him. "I guess you could say I may have gotten eliminated early and not know it."

So, governor, the Obama campaign hasn't asked you for any background information?

"No," Easley said. "I mean, you could get all that online now anyway. To be as specific as possible, I don't have any interest in going to Washington."

[Lunar]

Obama buys pound cake in Greensboro but does not announce VP, off to VIRGINIA
http://www.thestate.com/scpolitics-wire/story/496290.html

GREENSBORO, N.C. --
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made an unannounced stop in Greensboro on Wednesday, greeting voters at a farmer's market while taking care to avoid questions about plans to name a running mate.

The Illinois senator spoke with a number of shoppers about their families, munched on homemade biscuits and purchased some pound cake, tomatoes and corn, along with a number of other items for the road.

There were no hints from Obama as to a possible running mate. His supporters are awaiting a text message this week with that news, and Obama is expected to campaign later this week with his choice back home in Illinois.

He simply joked with reporters who brought up the subject Wednesday: "You know, you're right, I'm just going to give you the scoop right now," he kidded one.

Obama left North Carolina for a town hall in Virginia after the brief appearance. On Tuesday, he held a town hall event in Raleigh and told supporters in the state capital he will "need to win" in North Carolina in November to beat expected GOP nominee John McCain in their race for the White House.

[Lunar]

RE:Kaine
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/08/im-hearing.html#comments

The event scheduled with Tim Kaine on Thursday is apparently invitation-only, and would not be all that well suited to a VP unveil. If it's going to be Kaine, in other words, Obama would probably need to announce today.

[Mr. Morden]

The event scheduled with Tim Kaine on Thursday is apparently invitation-only, and would not be all that well suited to a VP unveil. If it's going to be Kaine, in other words, Obama would probably need to announce today.

Also, other sources have reportd that the appearance in Springfield on Saturday would be the first joint appearance between Obama and his running mate.  Maybe, just seconds before Obama's appearance with Kaine tomorrow, he should turn to Kaine and say "Oh, by the way, I just offered the job to Joe Biden." 

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

walter mitty's favorite political guru chuck todd says 'mccain insiders' have told him lieberman or pawlenty (pawlenty as the safe easy pic).

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I must say that Obama is handling this Vice Presidential thing quite well.

The only question is whether everyone is going to wind up being let down by the eventual pick.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

walter mitty's favorite political guru chuck todd says 'mccain insiders' have told him lieberman or pawlenty (pawlenty as the safe easy pic).

There have been lots of clues for a while now that point to Pawlenty.  I'd be rather surprised if it wasn't.

[WalterMitty]

I must say that Obama is handling this Vice Presidential thing quite well.

The only question is whether everyone is going to wind up being let down by the eventual pick.

no people...obama supporters in particular, wont be let down.

whoever is picked, the media will portray the choice as the best ever.

you can count on that.

i, on the other hand, will be let down.

[Lunar]

I concur.  I give an outside chance for Portman.  But Pawlenty has really done the talkshow circuit amazingly well.

Obama to campaign with Webb today in Lynchburg
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-08-18-0220.html
Sen. Barack Obama has added a Lynchburg appearance with Sen. Jim Webb to his pass through Virginia this Wednesday.

Webb and Obama will hold a town hall meeting with voters, which will focus on improving the economy and Obama's plans for a tax cut for middle-class families and $4,000 in college tuition tax credits, according to the campaign. The event is free and open to the public.

Earlier Wednesday, Obama and former Gov. Mark R. Warner will visit Martinsville. There, they will meet with workers and families who have been affected by what the Obama campaign calls the "failed trade policies of the Bush administration, policies [Arizona Sen.] John McCain promises to continue."

Of the 134 counties and cities in the state, Martinsville has the highest unemployment rate, measured in June at 11.4 percent.

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2008/8/20/obama_team_to_hold_major_event_saturday_in_bayhs_indiana

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[Lunar]

!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12659.html

Obama and Kaine meeting tonight

[WalterMitty]

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i see this is obama's week to be a protectionist.

[Lunar]

Haha
Indiana railroader picked for Dem convention
http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=8872050


An Indiana railroad worker will be among those getting a moment at the Democratic convention to help portray Barack Obama as the people's champion and counter GOP characterizations of him as an out-of-touch celebrity.

Mike Fisher is an Amtrak machinist from Beech Grove. He will talk about Obama's visit to his house for a lunch of Subway sandwiches.

He jokes that his family is the "whole ball of wax" when it comes to Obama's campaign platform - he worries about job security, two of his children are struggling to pay college loans, his son has a new baby and no health insurance, and his son-in-law is in the National Guard facing possible deployment to Iraq.

BUT WHAT DAY

[Mr. Morden]

What time is Obama's event with Kaine tomorrow?

[Mr. Morden]

Ambinder:

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/08/putting_the_clues_together_sti.php

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[Lunar]

What time is Obama's event with Kaine tomorrow?

not sure.
Obama meeting underway
Invitation-only audience told they would be among first notified of VP candidate
http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=15201

Obama, the presumed Democratic nominee for president, is holding an invitation-only event today at an undisclosed time and location. It has been speculated the campaign will announce Gov. Tim Kaine as the vice presidential candidate.

By 10 a.m. Wednesday, a long line of people winded around in front of a building in Henry County, eager to attend the late-morning meeting. Before they were allowed access, attendees were required to pass through a metal detector, and security wands were then waved over each person as a secondary precaution.

[Lunar]

Politico has picked up on the Nashville Post's story and is giving front-page treatment to the major event in Indianapolis!

[Lunar]

All of the prospects have been asked where they will be tomorrow afternoon
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12659.html
According to Newsweek's Howard Fineman, the prospects will know soon: They've been asked where they can be reached tomorrow afternoon.

With the political press corps on hair-trigger alert, Bill Burton, the Obama campaign's puckish national press secretary, sent reporters an e-mail Wednesday morning with the subject line, "Vice Presidential ..."

When they opened it, it said, "Just kidding." Coulda been: "August fool!"

[Mr. Morden]

What time is Obama's event with Kaine tomorrow?

not sure.
Obama meeting underway
Invitation-only audience told they would be among first notified of VP candidate
http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=15201

Obama, the presumed Democratic nominee for president, is holding an invitation-only event today at an undisclosed time and location. It has been speculated the campaign will announce Gov. Tim Kaine as the vice presidential candidate.

By 10 a.m. Wednesday, a long line of people winded around in front of a building in Henry County, eager to attend the late-morning meeting. Before they were allowed access, attendees were required to pass through a metal detector, and security wands were then waved over each person as a secondary precaution.

Reading that article carefully, it seems to be a little misleading:

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Aren't they just telling these people to sign up for the very same text message VP announcement that's already been reported in the media (and is available to anyone who wants to sign up)?  Then the article says:

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What is the relationship between those two sentences?  Are they saying that it's been speculated that Kaine will be announced as the VP choice *at that meeting*?  Or just that there's this meeting that Obama's going to in Virginia, and Virginia also happens to be the home state of one of Kaine, who is a leading VP contender?

[Mr. Morden]

All of the prospects have been asked where they will be tomorrow afternoon
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12659.html
According to Newsweek's Howard Fineman, the prospects will know soon: They've been asked where they can be reached tomorrow afternoon.

Yeah, that was mentioned last night:

Howard Fineman of Newsweek writes this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26288748/

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[Lunar]

Haha, yeah I realized the headline was a bit misleading after posting the article but then I was too lazy to edit.  Yeah it's not a good article, but it was just to tell us what Obama is doing this second.

edit: oops on the redundant polico article then.