Reports: McCain Closing In On VP Choice

UPDATE JULY 22: McCain campaign sources confirm to CNN that there have been discussions high in the campaign about naming a running mate this week. They also say that, whether or not the announcement is made, the choices have been "narrowed" to the point where McCain could make a decision that soon.

Robert Novak reports:

Sources close to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign are suggesting he will reveal the name of his vice presidential selection this week while Sen. Barack Obama is getting the headlines on his foreign trip. The name of McCain's running mate has not been disclosed, but Mitt Romney has led the speculation recently.

The news set off a flurry of reporting, with Politico's Jonathan Martin appearing to throw some water on Novak's story:

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. [...]

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."

Meanwhile, Chris Cillizza reports:

John McCain will huddle with vice presidential aspirant Bobby Jindal during a trip to New Orleans later this week, sources close to the campaign confirm to The Fix.

McCain's trip to Louisiana on Wednesday was the cause of much head scratching in the political world as it was not in keeping with a week of planned stops in battleground states.

But, the meeting with Jindal, who has been the state's governor since 2007, suggests that McCain himself is deeply engaged in the process of picking his second-in-command and that the youthful Jindal is under serious consideration.

Comments

[wbramh]

I predict it's going to be Bobby Jindal since McCain will need nothing less than an exorcism to pull this one out.

[turboe4truth]

Isn't Jindal A MUSLIM????? He sure looks like one or maybe an Indian or something other that a TRUE american ????? He doesn't look like an AMerican Citizen to me!!!

[Marlyn]

I am predicting that John McCain will choose Democrat Joe Lieberman as his VP in the spirit of bipartisanship.

[NotaBeliever]

If Senator McCain is the best of the best of the Republicans, so far as presidential candidates are concerned, it must be quite humbling to be on his list as a potential VP. I can see the introductions from the podium now ... "He's the best we could do, given the circumstances ..."

[splendidbeast]

McCain needs the religious right to back him BADLY, so look for him to select the person who "talks" the best Jesus speak.

[marignymitch]

Please take Jindal! Please take Jindal! Please take Jindal.

[holyhandgrenaid]

I second that. Jindal would be one of very few VP's that would make McPTSD even easier to steamroll... although Mittens the Kitten would make it pretty easy too

[Beninn]

The B u s h family worked to make Rom ney the nominee during the primary.

M c C a i n met with B u s h 41 this week.

Rom ney is being talked about as on the short-short list.

[Marlyn]

Y ou have a st u tt er.

[Marlyn]

No, not Romney. JEB will be McCain's VP.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

The mc-lame campaign's palpable desperation is now appearing parthetic.

[normalkid0615]

jindal - sterilization for all!!!

I never understood that, men will rape regardless if they have sperm or not. what a SERIOUS idiot.

[Marlyn]

But testosterone is the problem. Take it away and no more rape.

[mcamp52]

The only chance McCain has at the White House would be to pick Hillary as VP.

[ReasonableBill]

He names Mitt Romney - he's finished. Than again, Romney could buy the spot and sign them all up for his Massachusetts Healthcare Plan and bring the whole thing into debt - just as he did Massachusetts and than promptly left.

[Chandidevi]

WHO CARES????

[ConcernedAmerican]

Isn't Jindal "too brown" for the GOP? I'm just saying....

[Marlyn]

No. Jindal is the GOP's answer to Barack Obama. It is rather like Stephen Colbert and his newest best black friend.

[disgustedbuthopeful]

Surely the media is not this gullible! Can they really not see this for what it really is? JOHN MCCAIN WILL NOT NAME HIS VEEP THIS WEEK. But he sure is getting a lot of mileage/attention out of this just from the mere speculation--exactly what he wanted. Naming his VEEP is one of the last BIG cards he will have to play to steal attention away from Obama and I don't believe he will do that until the Democratic convention to try to step on all the media hype expected around that time.

I wish the media would stick to reporting facts--and not mere speculation--and then continuing to speculate on their speculation for days at a time. Good grief!

[CocteausTwin]

Sources confirm something is possible -- way to go out on a limb there!