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

[cheshirecat831]

And the Veep nominee is........

http://sfbaysailingpix.com/pez2008p1.htm

[Teas]

Who Cares?

[VOTER]

Come on Huffpost!

How about posting pending comments online BEFORE removing the article from your website?

These 9, now 10, pending comments have waited long enough for McCane to have figured out the Internet.

Suggestion: Post UP FRONT that only X number of postings will be accepted for particular
articles.

Something. Anything to make this work!

[Peddler]

McJin.....­..God help us.......

[perk]

Clearly, the right-wing dominated media is just piling on to Obama's plane to give the false impression that actually are "fair and balanced". Thankfully, they aren't claiming McClain-Bush's "surge" in Iraq actually worked and parroting the rest of the Bushy propaganda that is being spewed forth.

[GuyFawkes]

Maybe his VP could babysit him so he doesn't make anymore gaffes like these (courtesy of Politico):

Confusing the Iraq/Afghanistan border on ABC/GOOD MORNING AMERICA.

• “Somalia” for “Sudan”: As recounted in a reporter’s pool report from McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus on June 30, the senator said while discussing Darfur, a region of Sudan: "How can we bring pressure on the government of Somalia?"

Senior adviser Mark Salter corrected him: “Sudan.”

• “Germany” for “Russia”: A YouTube clip from last year memorializes McCain referring to Vladimir Putin of Russia — following a trip to Germany — as “President Putin of Germany.”

• This spring, McCain said troops in Iraq were “down to pre-surge levels” when in fact there were 20,000 more troops than when the surge policy began.

• Also this spring, McCain twice appeared to mistake Sunnis and Shiites, two branches of Islam that split violently.

• In Phoenix earlier this month, McCain referred to Czechoslovakia, which has been divided since Jan. 1, 1993, into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also referred to Czechoslovakia during a debate in November and a radio show in April.

• In perhaps the most curious incident, McCain said earlier this month that as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, he had tried to confuse his captors by giving the names of Pittsburgh Steelers starting players when asked to identify his squadron mates.

[cougarrr15]

Is he going to make the announcement at the border of Pakistan and Iraq? or Chekloslovakia? or Somalia (he confused with Sudan recently but didnt seem to get much coverage). As an Obama supporter, I would welcome Romney or Jindal. Romney has flipped on most of his political issues which would make him fit perfectly in McCain's campaign. It would anger alot of Evangelicals who are not supportive of Romneys Mormon faith and cancel any ridiculous argument McCain and supporters can make against Obama as an Elitist. Jindal throws the experience argument out of the window, and may anger Evangelicals with Jindal's admitted "exorcisms," was born into Hinduism (although a converted Catholic now).

[Mondayboy]

why do Mcthuselah's hands look so short?

[Marlyn]

Don't ask.

[crusty]

"Closing in on?" Sounds like he has to corner them to get them to agree. Maybe that's so!

[Egalitare]

If McCain is going to risk having half the GOP spend from now until Labor Day 2nd-guessing and nit-picking his VP selection just to attempt to push Obama off the top of the news for this week, then his campaign is worse off than I thought.

[suntzu]

It's about time we have an exorcist in the White House. The place is cursed with demons. Go, Bobby!

[2008bears]

the best thing that could ever happen to the Obama campaign is Romney being chosen for the McCain ticket. that guy is a pathalogical liar and sleezier than any politician of recent memory for me.
plus, i doubt an LDS will bring many evangelicals to the polling stations come november. after all, those all loving souls deem LDS to be "non-Chris­tians." nice.

[njack]

Does it seem odd to anyone else besides me that McCain is vacationing with GHWBush in Kennebunkport, Maine? Answer this question because it has plagued me in recent days. Does anyone think the neocons are plotting for McCain to have him be another puppet for them in the WH? If yes, can they again manipulate the election? Please comment.

[Marlyn]

"can they again manipulate the election?"

Yes, of course they can because they still have those electronic voting machines in place that provide no way to verify the tally. We can thank my Senator Dianne Feinstein among others for this situation. She said it just wouldn't be possible to get rid of them before 2012.

These machines were put in place by a Republican controlled Congress under HAVA (Help America Vote Act) which gave $4 billion to Republican companies to supply the machines.

We did not need these machines. They can never be trusted.

[monahan73]

While I buy the rumors of VP Romney, seems to me that he'd be a horrible choice.

Not to be totally cliche but he's so two-faced flip-flopping to whatever gets him elected.
Here's a great article on the whole debacle including a debate video from '94 which shows a totally different Democrat-acting Romney.
http://www.greenfaucet.com/hanlons-pub/mitt-romney-nooooooooooo/01949
A quote:
"Pretty surprising to see the "conservative," "pro-life" Romney so fully support abortion rights in this video, isn't it? It's even more shocking to any Republican to see him completely disavow the name of Ronald Reagan. And how about mandating that companies report salaries and job titles on all women and minorities in their quarterly filings to identify the "glass ceiling?" Huh?! Just what GM and its quarter of a million employees could use right about now."
What a waste of a VP- His econ background won't fix all these problems.

[cougarrr15]

I agree. Romneys flips would fit right in the McCain campaign. His Mormon faith angers Evangelicals and it would hush an "Elitism" claims toward Obama, as ridiculous as they already are. Jindal would be great (for Dems) too because it throws out any "experience," "foreign policy" and "national security" claims McCain may have against Obama. Similar to Hillary making all those claims, but saying Obama could be her VP. That backfired when Obama noted that to be a VP, or picked as VP, you have to be ready to be president, and the person picking them has to think so too.

[SCG]

Magoo, don't forget.... "Honey attracts more flies, than vinegar."

[Godfearing]

For Senator John McCain's true agenda:

http://mccainsource.com/corruption?id=0022

For detailed report on the economy:

http://mwhodges.home.att.net/

[prochange]

I am sure McCain will announce his never-to-be-vice president just before Obama is giving his speech in Berlin on Thursday..
Anything to take the media attention away from Obama's success. It will not influence coverage of the event in Europe, but it may here. Instead of showing how well received Obama is in Europe, the talking heads will concentrate on the choice of McCain from every angle.
Like it matters. If McCain gets elected we all better learn Chinese and pray that they will give us jobs on the assembly lines, because the third world jobs and wages will be in the U.S..

[Marlyn]

What's wrong with learning Chinese? I love it.