Next week is the week Barack Obama returns from vacation and prepares for the Democratic National Convention. The title doesn't have to state what he'll announce, it's what everyone is sitting around and waiting on. The. Running. Mate. My personal favorite remains current Senator and former Governor Evan Bayh of Indiana. Others prefer Wesley Clark(despite the steel-like CW), while I think Zinni or Jones are more likely ex-Generals than Clark. However, Barack Obama's schedule for next week doesn't offer any hints in those directions; rather, sources have said that Barack Obama has an advance team getting set up in Richmond, Virginia.
Marc Ambinder and CBS News have both verified that the advance team is preparing for some kind of campaign event. It's not yet known whether Barack Obama will be there himself, or if CBS and Marc Ambinder are both being fed intentional-leaks to hype up speculation(and local press coverage). However, Ambinder also reports that a Democratic-linked group has been conducting focus groups in eastern Virginia(where Obama needs to be competitive) in regards to Mark Warner(who'll deliver the Keynote) and Tim Kaine(who's on the short list). The results?
Warner came off well; Kaine did not, with respondents saying that he lacks substantive accomplishments and kisses up too much to Obama.
At least they didn't say "Kaine looks like a Chipmunk." I'm with Ambinder; I don't foresee Tim Kaine being the choice. He's got too many problems(national security, foreign policy, lack of accomplishments, not very telegenic). This is the more likely reason for the advance team's positioning and the focus-groups;
No comment from the Obama campaign, but even if it was a campaign-connected firm -- pollster Joel Benenson has done regular work in Virginia, perhaps they testing to see whether Kaine or Warner should be featured in television advertisement.
On Monday and Tuesday, Barack Obama will be making up some time in Florida; think Bill Clinton will be publicly endorsing him there? I think so, as much as I like the idea of Clinton endorsing Obama in a little town called "Hope." Wednesday seems to be a blank slate. Nothing has been announced. So is Wednesday the day that Barack announces? I think so. Right in the middle of the week, guarantees dominating the press coverage for the rest of the week and into the convention, brings clarity to the ticket.. Keep an eye on where he'll be that day.