This just in from Marc Ambinder:
Here's a rush transcript of what McCain communications chief Jill Hazelbaker told the Early Show's Maggie Rodriguez:
Ms. HAZELBAKER: Well, I know that John McCain is going to make the choice from his heart. He's going to choose someone who can be a partner in governing. He's going to choose someone who brings character and principle to the table and who shares his priorities and I'm confident that he's going to make a great pick.
They are saying it is NOT Pawlenty and it is NOT Romney. Sounds like Lieberman to me. This makes sense. After the overwhelming success of the convention, the amazing speech by Obama, the visual of 85,000 screaming supporters, the miles-long line of people waiting to get into the stadium, the effusive praise of Pat Buchanan - no way could McCain play it safe. Pawlenty would bring nothing. Romney would reinforce negatives. Putting a woman on the ticket would look too transparent.
I think we will see Obama leading by 10 points in the polls in the next few days. McCain knows that he needs an audacious pick. Lieberman would be audacious, a doubling down on the idea of true bipartisanship (nevermind the fact that Lieberman is no Democrat), and would, presumably, put in play for McCain the massive block of independent voters that both sides desire.
Make no mistake - Obama's pick of Biden, his perfect orchestration of the convention, and the visuals and content of his amazing speech last night have forced McCain to go for the fences. In so doing, he may have fractured the Republican Party by snubbing the religious right's favorite, Pawlenty, and by denying the Club for Growth's favorite, Romney.
If it is Lieberman, it will be our job to frame this debate as a generational conflict (which, let's be honest, shouldn't be hard).
This is all speculation, of course, but consider me floored that McCain did not pick either Romney or Pawlenty. The only other reasonable pick would be Tom Ridge - McCain making a play for Pennsylvania.