Veepstakes: Meeting with the vetters
Posted: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 6:56 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ’s Mike Memoli
THE SHORT LIST. Obama made a stop at the office of VP-vetter Eric Holder this morning. No one would confirm what happened.
Meanwhile, Caroline Kennedy will be joining Obama and Hillary Clinton on the flight to New York tonight. Kennedy joined uncle Ted as he returned to the Senate today.
Clinton would not say if she’s turned over documents.
WHAT THEY’RE UP TO. Clinton votes, “No,” on FISA today -- the opposite position of Obama. The RNC was all over the discrepancy. In a statement, Clinton says: “I applaud the efforts of my colleagues who negotiated this legislation, and I respect my colleagues who reached a different conclusion on today’s vote. I do so because this is a difficult issue. Nonetheless, I could not vote for the legislation in its current form.”
Gov. Ted Strickland (D-OH), who has counted himself out, joined ex-Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) on an Obama conference call to talk energy.
Obama released a statement praising Strickland’s Ohio GI Bill.
Mitt Romney will lead the MA GOP delegation to the RNC.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) was scheduled to join a McCain conference call.
Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) was uninjured when the car she was driving was rear-ended today.
Bob Graham is raising money for Obama in FL.
ON THE RECORD. Rob Portman joined McCain at his Ohio rally today. He said the campaign also asked him to represent them in Cleveland tomorrow. On being VP, he said: Nobody believes me when I say it, but I'm really happy to be home; and I'm not looking to go back to Washington right now. Maybe more important, my family is not looking for me to go back to Washington."
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) said it’s unlikely he’ll be picked. “I guess right now the campaigns, both campaigns, Democrats and Republicans are probably going through a process that will get them to some conclusion, perhaps by the conventions in August.”
Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) said he hasn’t been approached by Obama. “If I were approached I would be honored. It would be something that would be considered,” Salazar added, “But I don't expect that that will happen.” Asked who he’d pick, Salazar named Bill Richardson, Wes Clark, or Jim Webb.
BUZZ METER. Bob Novak now ranks Gov. Tim Kaine (D-VA) at the top of Obama’s list, followed by Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) and Evan Bayh (D-IN). For McCain, Novak lists Romney, Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and Portman.
Terry McAuliffe told Chris Matthews clarifies his belief that Obama would pick Biden: “That was a guess. … Could pick Hillary, we don’t know.”
Steve Kornacki looks at other two-time running mates.
VEEP VETTING. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R-LA) office ranks last in transparency, according to a local TV report.
McCain wouldn’t comment on Carly Fiorina’s Viagra talk.
