Candidates Grapple With Timing of VP Picks

2 conventions, 1 Olympic games, and an August birthday complicate matters
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 30, 2008 6:41 PM CDT
Candidates Grapple With Timing of VP Picks
Barack Obama talks about something, but not his VP pick.   (AP Photo)

Barack Obama and John McCain must do more than pick VP candidates—they have to time the announcements carefully, a key tactical move in a busy summer, the New York Times reports. Two national conventions, the Beijing Olympics, and Obama's Aug. 4 birthday all help or hinder the timing, but it appears that Obama, with a convention closer to the games, faces the harder choice.

Presumptive nominees often announce a week before convention-time, but such a move would pit Obama against the Olympics. And he likely won't risk announcing during the convention. Which leaves early August, but is announcing on his birthday "too cute"? McCain, with a later convention, will probably announce right after the Dems' to steal their momentum. (More Barack Obama stories.)

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