All Blog Posts from Horserace

From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s parents were called early this morning at their home in Wasilla and told to “listen to the radio” by Palin’s husband, Todd.*

Palin’s father, Chuck Heath, says he and his wife were caribou hunting when they were told to come home and tune into their local radio station to hear “exciting news,” but said he did not know if his daughter was the choice for John McCain’s vice president.

“The river was swollen, so we almost didn’t get back,” Palin’s mother, Sally Heath, told CBS News.

The two said they said the call was “a wonderful surprise.”

“I am shocked!” said Mrs. Heath.

*Correction: This post originally identified Palin's husband as Tim. His name is Todd.

CBS News’ Joy Lin reports:

(NEW YORK) As rumors swirl about John McCain's VP pick, there are reports out that former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee may be in the mix, despite his statements to the contrary. Asked about his whereabouts, Mike Huckabee told CBS News: "Same place tonight and tomorrow. In Arkansas. What’s funny is that networks are reporting that I’m ‘on my way to Dayton.’ None of them bothered to ask me."

With John McCain on the verge of selecting his running mate, Republican delegates have selected former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney as their top choice for the Republican vice presidential slot.

Romney was chosen by 38 percent of delegates in a new CBS News/New York Times poll, far ahead of the second place finisher, former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who was selected by 7 percent of delegates attending the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

Tom Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor, and Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota governor, were each selected by 4 percent of delegates surveyed. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin were each selected by 2 percent.

Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who has consistently campaigned with McCain and is a good friend of the Arizona senator, was selected by just 1 percent of Republican delegates.

Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed said they did not know or declined to answer.

John McCain told a Pittsburgh radio station that he has not decided on a running mate yet, the AP reports. McCain would not tell KDKA which way he was leaning but “talked very highly” about former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge who he called a “great friend,” according to the wire service.

Both the Politico and the New York Times reported last night that McCain had made up his mind on the selection, both citing sources either with the campaign or close to it. McCain is expected to unveil his announcement formally at a morning rally tomorrow in Dayton, Ohio.

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Sen. John McCain has chosen his running mate, whom he will notify on Thursday, a senior McCain campaign official told The Politico’s Mike Allen.

McCain is planning to roll out his VP choice in a large rally in Dayton, Ohio, at noon on Friday, followed by join appearances in Pennsylvania and Missouri, sources said.

Over the past few days, the media’s focus has been narrowed to three potential options for McCain: former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

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(DENVER) South Dakota Senator John Thune today said he is out of the mix to become John McCain’s vice presidential selection, the AP reports. Thune said he had not given any personal documents or information to the campaign of the kind used for vetting potential running mates. "I've talked to (the McCain campaign) a little bit about the issue but certainly not about me being in that mix," he said. “I would say I'm out of the running."

Thune was seen by some political watchers as a potential fall-back choice to help soothe concerns about conservatives in the Republican Party who are watching McCain’s selection process very carefully. Many conservatives has strong negative reactions to the suggestion by the candidate last week that he would not rule out a running mate who is a supporter of abortion rights, but a New York Times column by Bill Kristol today floated the idea of picking Senator Joe Lieberman. If McCain were to pick Lieberman, he could risk a backlash at his convention next week.

(DENVER) At 12:46 a.m. EDT last night, CBS News director of political coverage Steve Chaggaris hit “send” on his blackberry. He had typed out the subject line minutes before: “CBS News can confirm Biden will be Obama’s running mate.”

While most of the country was asleep at that moment, the CBS News Broadcast Center in New York City came alive. Kevin Hechtkopf, a CBSNews.com producer, sent out an email alert to subscribers, CBS radio broke into their regular coverage, and television correspondent Priya David took her seat in the anchor’s chair to interrupt Craig Ferguson’s show to let the network’s viewers in on the big political news.

All of this happened within ten minutes.

“Rightly or wrongly, it’s one of the few things in the campaign that people have no idea what’s going to happen, but it generates such a huge amount of interest,” Chaggaris, who broke the news for CBS News, said. “At the same time, we really wonder, is it going to be a game changer? People think it’s going to be a game changer every time but it usually turns out it isn’t.”

Chaggaris’ email was the culmination at CBS News of weeks of prodding phone calls, overanalyzing of Obama’s schedule and attempts (some of them, admittedly, ridiculous) to decipher any “hints” that might indicate when he would make his VP selection.

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As the waiting game for Barack Obama's running mate continues, the Associated Press tracks down some of the reported top contenders did today:

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine visited George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he watched his son participate in a Navy-Marine Corps ROTC program. Asked if he had signed up for the text message, Kaine said, "I haven't because I don't know how, but my son has.''

Sen. Joe Biden was at home in northern Delaware, where he met for about 30 minutes with his state director.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was in her office in Topeka, Kan., then left the Statehouse to address a meeting of Kansas AFL-CIO activists. She also planned to interview judicial candidates, meet with aides and prepare for the Democratic National Convention in Denver, her staff has said.

Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh went to his twin sons' tennis camp in Washington and planned to return to his home in the District to spend time with his family, Bayh spokesman Eric Kleiman said.

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton toured the New York State Fair in Syracuse. The senator planned to head back to her Westchester County house without a public schedule, said Jay Biba, regional director of Clinton's central New York office. She declined to say whether she had heard from the Obama campaign.

Texas Rep. Chet Edwards had lunch with his son in Waco.

So who's gonna get picked? Only time will tell.

• Take a closer look at some of the top Democratic contenders with our VP Hot Sheet.

What’s a game of vice presidential guessing without a big twist at the end? What everyone knows (or is at least very sure of) is that Barack Obama will unveil his running mate by tomorrow when he’s scheduled a large rally at the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois. What we don’t know is exactly when – or more importantly, who – the selection is to be.

The primary focus remains on Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, Delaware Senator Joe Biden and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. But a new name has suddenly been thrust into the mix. CBS News has confirmed that Texas Representative Chet Edwards was among those vetted by the Obama campaign and is “a finalist” for the running mate slot.

A rising star for the party in an extremely Republican state, Edwards has long been talked about as running mate material. But he is relatively unknown outside of Texas and political circles and may not mesh in the minds of many voters with the qualifications Obama told Harry Smith this morning he is most looking for. Obama said he’s looking for a potential president, saying, “the most important question is is this person prepared to be president?” It would take a massive effort to introduce Edwards as that to the voters.

On the Republican side, the tea leaves also continue to pile up. CBSNews.com chief political consultant Marc Ambinder reports there is “apparently going to be a major political event in Grand Rapids, Michigan on or about 8/31” – that’s Saturday, the day after McCain is expected to unveil his running mate. Of course Michigan is the former home of Mitt Romney, whose presence on the ticket could put the state in play this fall. But, as Ambinder points out, as a potential swing state, Michigan would be part of a VP tour with just about any potential candidate. There are hints that McCain will make his first appearance with his running mate in Ohio next Friday.

Meanwhile, Romney has moved back into the top slot on our GOP Vice Presidential Hot Sheet, with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty back in the number two position. Others moving are former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

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What’s a game of vice presidential guessing without a big twist at the end? What everyone knows (or is at least very sure of) is that Barack Obama will unveil his running mate by tomorrow when he’s scheduled a large rally at the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois. What we don’t know is exactly when – or more importantly, who – the selection is to be.

The primary focus remains on Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, Delaware Senator Joe Biden and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. But a new name has suddenly been thrust into the mix. CBS News has confirmed that Texas Representative Chet Edwards was among those vetted by the Obama campaign and is “a finalist” for the running mate slot.

A rising star for the party in an extremely Republican state, Edwards has long been talked about as running mate material. But he is relatively unknown outside of Texas and political circles and may not mesh in the minds of many voters with the qualifications Obama told Harry Smith this morning he is most looking for. Obama said he’s looking for a potential president, saying, “the most important question is is this person prepared to be president?” It would take a massive effort to introduce Edwards as that to the voters.

On the Republican side, the tea leaves also continue to pile up. CBSNews.com chief political consultant Marc Ambinder reports there is “apparently going to be a major political event in Grand Rapids, Michigan on or about 8/31” – that’s Saturday, the day after McCain is expected to unveil his running mate. Of course Michigan is the former home of Mitt Romney, whose presence on the ticket could put the state in play this fall. But, as Ambinder points out, as a potential swing state, Michigan would be part of a VP tour with just about any potential candidate. There are hints that McCain will make his first appearance with his running mate in Ohio next Friday.

Meanwhile, Romney has moved back into the top slot on our GOP Vice Presidential Hot Sheet, with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty back in the number two position. Others moving are former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

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