Obama and his choice for vice president to campaign Saturday

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Sen. Barack Obama’s newly minted running mate will join the Democratic hopeful onstage Saturday at a rally where Obama launched his White House bid, a campaign official said — a disclosure that narrows the window Obama has to announce his choice.

A senior Obama adviser said on condition of anonymity Tuesday that Obama and his veep choice will appear in front of the former state Capitol where Abraham Lincoln once served. The last time Obama appeared there, he announced he was running for president.

Obama’s plan could be similar to the one he followed in launching his campaign last year, when he posted a Web video to rev up supporters the day before his big speech. This time, Obama might choose to announce his vice presidential choice on Friday and then appear with the person in Springfield on Saturday.

The list of running-mate possibilities is widely believed to be whittled down to Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who planned to campaign with Obama on Thursday in his home state.

Obama strategist Anita Dunn wouldn’t respond directly when asked if the Springfield event would be Obama’s first appearance with his choice, but she suggested the two wouldn’t necessarily be related. The campaign has said it will announce the choice in a cell phone text message to supporters.

The campaign’s announcement said only that the Illinois senator would begin his trip to the party’s national convention at Saturday’s event. The Democratic National Convention begins Monday in Denver.

The running mate decision also looms for McCain.

His top contenders are said to include Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Other possible choices include former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, an abortion-rights supporter, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential pick in 2000 who now is an independent.

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