Veep Watch: What’s with Kaine?

Obama continued his swing through Virginia earlier today and spent considerable time with Governor Tim Kaine, chatting with him privately this morning and escorting him through the Richmond Omni hotel on his way out. Kaine is still considered a solid name on Obama’s Veep short list, but his stock is fading thanks to rumors from the inside and simple CW. No reporters camped at the edge of his driveway…

Kaine learned his lesson about chattiness earlier this month after the campaign rebuked him for acting so outwardly giddy about being a top name for inclusion on the ticket: He has toned down his media appearances and generally steered clear of any Veep talk. Today was no different - even with Obama literally at his side.

“I’m going to let the campaign speak for the campaign,” Kaine said afterward, when asked if Obama had talked to him about being his running mate.

But is this changed behavior only apparent in public? Kaine is still privately “excited” about his prospects as Obama’s mate and is thrilled to be hanging around the vaunted short list so late in the game.  Kaine was said to “think he has a chance” at the position as late as Wednesday, when West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin talked to him about the subject.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said Thursday that he spoke to Kaine about the vice presidential search Wednesday. Manchin said Kaine told him although he hadn’t heard anything from the Obama campaign on where he stands at the time, “he really thinks he has a chance at the short straw.”

So Obama has clearly made his VP choice today, according to that USA Today story covered earlier. He refuses to indicate whether he has informed his final choice of his new status, but one would assume that some info has passed between the two camps - that of Obama and the unknown Veep pick.

So did Kaine have an idea of his final Veepstakes disposition  yesterday as he chatted with Manchin? Wouldn’t we all like to know…

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