Opinion: Combing Barack Obama’s schedule for VP-pick clues

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With time running out for Barack Obama to finally announce his much-anticipated pick of a running mate, the search for any clue that might provide a hint has gone into overdrive. Thus, there is unusual interest in Obama’s schedule.

Obama this afternoon stumps in Albuquerque, an easy drive from Santa Fe, where Bill Richardson resides as New Mexico’s governor. Might Richardson -- mentioned as a veep prospect both in 2000 and 2004 -- finally get the nod?

We’re betting against it, in part because he underperformed as a presidential contender this year; perhaps more so because of James Carville’s Judas comment about him -- fair or not -- would simply add to the Hillary Clinton-related headaches for no-drama Obama.

Far more intriguing is Obama’s planned Wednesday stop in Martinsville, Va., a small city in the state’s south-central area. What better place for Obama to unveil Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as his choice?

Of course, last week’s selection of former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner as the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention was widely interpreted as a sign that Kaine would get passed over in the veepstakes. The reasoning? No point in spotlighting two Virginians at the conclave.

Tuesday, by the way, finds Obama delivering a speech to the VFW in Orlando, Fla., and then traveling to Raleigh, N.C., for a town hall meeting.

-- Don Frederick