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VP News Is Who's Not On Ticket

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The Associated Press

Published: August 23, 2008

WASHINGTON - On a day and night of political suspense, Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia told associates Friday he had been ruled out as the vice presidential candidate on Barack Obama's ticket and party officials said Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana was told he was not Obama's choice.

Kaine spread the word that Obama had telephoned him as another leading contender, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware maintained an unusually low profile.

Associates said they thought - but did not know for certain - that Biden would be tapped, and added they had been asked to stand by in case their help was needed.

Compounding the mystery, conservative Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas emerged - however briefly - as a contender.

Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's chances remained uncertain on a day filled with uncertainties. Senior aides said the Obama campaign had never requested financial or other records from her.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius rounded out the roster of likely contenders - a list that did not take into account any surprises that Obama might harbor.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooo," Sebelius told reporters who asked for her latest thoughts on the months-long search.

Three days before Democrats open their convention in Denver, officials said the Obama campaign had taken the trouble to print material bearing the names of several potential ticket mates, minimizing the significance of a report that one company was churning out signs bearing Bayh's name.

Obama told reporters Thursday he had made his choice, and aides used the prospect of a text-message announcement to try to attract additional supporters by soliciting their cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

Even that became occasion for intrigue.

Late Friday, several officials said the text message announcement would be distributed this morning, a few hours before a scheduled rally at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., where the Democratic ticket would appear for the first time.

Hundreds of miles to the west, carpenters, electricians, sound-stage gurus and others transformed the Pepsi Center in Denver into a made-for-television convention venue.

Tucked away in one corner were thousands of lightweight rolled cardboard tubes, ready-made handles for signs bearing the names of the Democratic ticket - once the identity of Obama's running mate was announced.

Edwards, whom House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had touted for running mate, told The Associated Press in Waco, Texas, "I have had interactions with the Obama campaign over the last several months, but I will not get into details."

Bayh, a second-term senator, attended tennis camp with one of his sons, while Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, evidently spent the day at his home in Delaware.

"My answer to any question about the subject that I think you're referring to is that all inquiries should be directed at Senator Obama's campaign," said Clinton, the former first lady who came close to capturing the nomination.

Despite the advice, neither Obama nor his aides were letting anything slip.

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