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ELECTIONS
McCain stays mum about vice presidential choice
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his wife Cindy wave as they board the Straight Talk Air campaign charter airplane Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz.
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DENVER -- Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting John McCain stayed mum about his pick of a running mate Thursday and one top prospect, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, abruptly canceled numerous public appearances.
Without explanation, Pawlenty called off an Associated Press interview at the last minute, as well as other media interviews in Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention.
Others believed to be in contention for the No. 2 slot on the GOP ticket included former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who was meeting with donors throughout California, and Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who was vacationing on New York's Long Island.
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, too, was still a possibility, as was the idea that McCain would choose a dark horse from any number of names that have circulated.
McCain, however, was uncharacteristically silent.
As McCain and his wife, Cindy, boarded a plane in Phoenix bound for Dayton, Ohio, reporters shouted a barrage of questions at the senator about whether he'd made up his mind.
McCain wasn't biting. He flashed a double thumbs-up and boarded the plane.
The GOP nominee-in-waiting is widely expected to name his running mate in the coming days, perhaps as early as Thursday night or Friday. He and his No. 2 are expected to appear together for the first time at one or more rallies planned for Ohio, Pennsylvania and Missouri in the run-up to Monday's convention kickoff.
