UNITED STATES:BARACK OBAMA prolonged the suspense about his choice of running mate yesterday, saying he had already made his decision, outlining the qualities he sought in a vice-president, but delaying any public announcement.
Mr Obama, who is expected to appear today with his running mate in Springfield, Illinois, where he launched his presidential bid last year, said he wanted someone who would not be afraid to challenge his thinking.
"Obviously, the most important question is: Is this person ready to be president? Can this person help me govern? Are they going to be an effective partner in creating the kind of economic opportunity here at home and guiding us through some dangerous waters internationally?" he said. "I want somebody who is going to be able to challenge my thinking and not simply be a 'yes person' when it comes to policy making."
As reporters staked out the homes of those believed to be frontrunners, it emerged that Texas congressman Chet Edwards, who represents President George Bush's home district of Crawford, had made the shortlist. Mr Edwards, who is serving his ninth term in Congress, is an expert on military affairs who has the backing of House speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Other runners were believed to include Delaware senator Joe Biden, Indiana senator Evan Bayh and Virginia governor Tim Kaine. Some of Hillary Clinton's supporters still held out hope last night that she would be chosen, despite reports that Mr Obama's team had not even bothered to vet her for the post or asked her to hand over a single document.
Mr Obama had promised to reveal his choice in a text message to supporters and his decision to delay the announcement may have been aimed at gathering more phone numbers and email addresses of potential voters.
Apart from speculation about the vice-presidential pick, yesterday's political news remained dominated by Republican John McCain's admission that he did not know how many homes his family owns. In a new television ad yesterday, Mr Obama accused his opponent of being out of touch and poked fun at him for his gaffe over how many homes he owned.
"Call it 'Country Club Economics'. How many houses does he own? John McCain says he can't even remember anymore. Well, it's seven. Maybe McCain thinks this economy is working . . . for folks like him. But how're things goin' . . . for you?" the ad said.
Most of the homes are owned by Mr McCain's wife Cindy, a brewing heiress with a personal fortune of more than $100 million and the McCain campaign accused Mr Obama of breaking his promise not to attack a candidate's spouse.
Next Monday sees the start of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, which Mr Obama hopes will give him a boost in the polls, which have shown the race narrowing to a dead heat in recent weeks. Mr McCain is expected to introduce his running mate next Friday.