Obama May Announce Vice President Next Week: Is it Biden, Bayh, or Kaine?

Congressional supporters of Sen. Barack Obama's campaign say that he is looking to name his running mate as early as next week, once Congress goes on recess. "He wants to refocus his campaign on his agenda and doesn't want anything interfering," says a key Democratic leadership aide. "He wants Congress out before he does this." Others say the timing and spotlight on Congress leaving town suggest that Obama will be picking a senator, such as Indiana's Evan Bayh or Delaware's Joe Biden. But don't count out a Washington local: Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who ducked a question about his talks with Obama during an interview on WTOP. Senate aides working with the Obama campaign say that the delay is aimed at making his vice presidential choice the top story next week at a time when the Washington news will be slow due to the recess. Also, he would like to switch the campaign debate between him and Sen. John McCain away from Iraq and his recent overseas trip to his vice presidential selection and the judgment that went into that. "This would put McCain back on defense and response," says an ally.