by Eric Mayes
For New Pittsburgh Courier

(NNPA)—Speculation about who Barack Obama will choose as his running mate has grown as the Democratic convention draws closer. Though the candidate himself has remained silent, a short list of candidates had been vetted by a committee charged with finding a suitable vice president.

TIM KAINE

Chief among them is Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. Kaine was in Washington, D.C., last week reportedly meeting with campaign officials. He declined to say why he met with them telling reporters: “My conversations with the campaign stay with the campaign.”

He continued, saying he was not seeking the vice presidential slot.

“I haven’t sought it. I’m not running for it. I’m not asking for it. I’ve never asked anything of the campaign,” Kaine said.

Kaine, a Catholic and a Spanish-speaker, would allow Obama to broaden his appeal among those voters.

Senator Hillary Clinton is conspicuously absent. According to The New York Times, she has not been vetted like several other candidates.

“(Clinton) has not been asked to provide documentation to the Obama team that is vetting potential vice presidential choices and in recent days she has been reportedly telling friends that she does not think she’ll be on the ticket,” reported the Times.

Kathleen Sebelius

Most pundits agree there are three other strong contenders.

There is Sen. Evan Bayh, of Indiana, who also served two terms as the state’s governor. Bayh, at 33, was the youngest governor in the nation at the time and started in politics in 1986 when he was elected Indiana’s secretary of state.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas is a former state lawmaker and was also elected state insurance commissioner. She is the least-known candidate. However, one of the achievements of her career was when, as the state’s insurance commissioner, she blocked a proposed merger between an out-of-state insurer and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. It was a feat many credited with sparing Kansans an increase in insurance rates.

Perhaps the best-known potential candidate is Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, a senator for nearly 36 years. He has more of a public record than perhaps any other prospect. And his own bid for president puts the focus of the vetting largely on financial and personal matters.

In addition, he is considered to have the national security credentials that might strengthen Obama’s ticket.

The committee looking over possible vice presidential candidates is made up of Caroline Kennedy, Jim Johnson, former Fannie Mae chief and Eric Holder, a former deputy attorney general.

However, campaign officials stressed that the final choice will be Obama’s.

“Senator Obama is pleased to have three talented and dedicated individuals managing this rigorous process,” spokesman Bill Burton told reporters earlier this year. “He will work closely with them in the coming weeks but ultimately this will be his decision and his alone.”

Pundits have been guessing for months who might be Obama’s running mate. They have included: one of Obama’s former opponents, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Pa. Gov. Ed Rendell.