Who's gonna be the No. 2 for McCain and Obama?

OK, we're getting pretty close on the presidential running mate situation.

Barack Obama's been meeting with his selection people the last couple of days. John McCain's been thinking about it, though neither one is talking about any names. Except, for unity's sake, Obama's got to say Hillary Clinton is on his shortlist even though she's probably not.

You can't blame them for not talking. That's about the only element of mystery left after, what, 19 months of campaigning with three more to go.

Here in midsummer with only 14 Americans actually following the presidential race -- and one of them, Obama, is going on vacation too quite soon -- the only things left to chew over are the pluses and minuses of a whole bunch of folks, two of whom we'll come to know much better in these 97 stretch days to Nov. 4.

This website is actually run by a whole lot of skilled people you don't see very much about. And a talented pack of them came together in recent days to construct a special veep package for LATimes.com readers. So you can learn all about the potential candidates in the talking mix at the moment.

It was unveiled today.

The Ticket wants to highly recommend that VP package available here.

And we want to thank Christine Kang, Tenny Tatusian, Diana Swartz and Kate Linthicum for their behind-the-scenes labors (labours, if you're reading this in Canada or the U.K.).

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Peter]

Obama is closing in on a veep, he will be able to cross that off his list very shortly. I guess its time to stop routing for Clark, I dont even have a vp I can route for anymore, my candidate lost, my vp isnt going to be on the ticket. Wow bummer. As far as McCain goes his only hope for getting my vote would be Huckabee, However Im almost certain he is going to preform political suicide, and he is going to pick Romney (Barf) In Case you need reminding why Romney cant be Veep, just go to http://www.hotpres.com they have put together a few of Romneys attack ads used against mccain during the primary, not to mention a video of him calling mccain dishonest. Thats not counting the beat up evangelecals who have been complely left out of the process this year. I guess it doesnt matter. I dont think McCain can win as the Nominee anyway. Could you imagine McCain even having enough energy to run your local Mcdonalds. Seriously. Think about it next time your in line watching the Mcdonalds manager run around taking orders and shouting orders. McCain couldnt do it. So I ask You, how will McCain be president??? Looks as though the RNC got behind the wrong candidate and they will pay for it., Guess they should of let the primary season play out without trying to minupulate the outcome.. Good news is i think McCain is just about done, I wouldnt doubt the GOP ditch him at the last second and run a younger more charasmatic charachter. Did you see him knock all that stuff off the shelf at the supermarket. the video is at http://www.mccanes.com all the while barack obama is looking like a star On the red carpet, (arrogence and all) even taking time to stop and have a cigar break video at http://www.theobamaplan.com Good news is i think McCain is just about done, I wouldnt doubt the GOP ditch him at the last second and run a younger more charasmatic charachter. I mean really what is the GOP going to do. McCain cannot win at this point and we havnt even started the debates. You could go to a site www.veeppeek.com to sign a petition for your favorite veep. and see where your veep stands in realation to the other veeps. Tim Kaine isnt a bad choice for Obama just not my pick.

[John]

The August Surprise should be none of the above, but Sen. Jeff Bingaman. An early opponent of the war in Iraq, a leader in energy and environmental policy, a former State AG, someone who can help Obama carry NV, AZ and NM, a man of unimpeachable integrity, and someone with gray hair.

[John Lumea]

Bayh? Biden? Kaine?!!

Hahahaha! Way to chase after the conventional wisdom of, what, 5 minutes ago?

It will be neither of those three.

[VJ Machiavelli]

You have left out the "Dark Horse Candidate" Peter King from Nassau/Suffolk county NY. Yes I did say "DARK HORSE" but you never "KNOW"

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[Rick Friedman]

All this talk about veep picks is so off-point as to be ridiculous. The only thing less ridiculous, and not by much, is the two candidates, both of whom have been reduced to pawns in a chess match.

The real players are Steve Schmidt (for McCain) and David Axelrod (for Obama). The two chief strategists are moving the pawns on the chess board. Mr. Schmidt has the weaker candidate, but has had the upper hand for the past week with all the attacks on Obama. Make fun of them if you will, but they are effective.

Axelrod, like so many other Democrats before him, is showing himself to be spineless and inept. There should be a parade of Democratic talking heads and hard-hitting commercials attacking McCain for what he is: an unprincipled flip-flopper who uses his senior moments as an excuse to outright lie.

The Obama movement is a cult, not a religion, and is destined to fade into the soon-to-be forgotten legacies of Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, and Al Gore. Only the Obama loyalists believe. It is not enough. They must make converts of the doubting masses. Otherwise, we'll have eight more years of failed policies leading to the ultimate decline and fall of the American empire.

Someone give David Axelrod a reality check.

[Arnie]

John McCain should pick someone younger and fresher than he is. McCain-Dole '08!

[gary]

Christine is the best, she definitely deserves my thanks!

[Mary]

I still say McCain would be smart as heck to choose Romney. He knows darn well he won't get far without conservative support, and moderates will have no problem with him either when faced with the Obama socialist alternative. Contrary to the press trying to say otherwise, Christians have no problem with Romney, except for a few sulking Huckabee-ites. We need an economic wiz, and that's Romney.