Veepstakes: McCain holding off for now?
Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 9:13 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
2008
Compiled by NBC/NJ’s Mike Memoli…
REPUBLICANS: Jonathan Martin reported that McCain’s search has indeed narrowed “to the point where he considered a decision this week -- but he’s likely to hold off.” Aides were “relishing the diversion, [and] they also did not discourage the speculation.”
CNN: “Even some of McCain’s own advisers admit that just leaking the possibility of a VP selection could take some of the attention away from Obama -- which could, in fact, be what the campaign is trying to do.”
VIDEO: Reports swirl that John McCain may announce his running mate this week, possibly in an effort to detract attention from Barack Obama's international tour. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
Adding to the McCain speculation was this report that he’d be
meeting in Louisiana with Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA). Jindal said he
has no meeting on the schedule.
A Mitt Romney spokesperson said he’s in Canada with family, and is expected to be there for at least a week.
Marc
Ambinder: “I don't think the McCain campaign will do much to tamp down on this speculation because it drives press attention to their campaign. But I don't expect McCain to announce his pick this week. He might have wanted to, at some point, and told one of his friends.”
Rudy Giuliani, on Today: “I am not on the short list, I don’t want to be on the short list, and I think Sen. McCain has some excellent choices.” On “Morning Joe,” he said he’s not being vetted, and said he doesn’t believe he’s being considered. He also said he doesn’t think an announcement’s coming this week.
DEMOCRATS: Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) was asked whether David Petraeus embraced Obama’s 16-month troop-withdrawal schedule. “Reed did not directly answer that question. Nor has Reed -- who has generally tried to push for troop withdrawals without hard deadlines -- explicitly endorsed Obama’s troop-withdrawal timetable.”
Wall Street Journal’s Seib profiles Reed, saying he gives Obama cover on Iraq, if he brings nothing else to the ticket.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Clinton backers have given Obama’s camp $1.6 million. But Obama backers gave Clinton just $105,000 in June.
