国际英语新闻：Obama, McCain start searching for running mate

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has started searching for a running mate, sources closed to him said Thursday.

    A veteran Democratic activist was quoted by U.S. TV networks assaying that former Fannie Mae executive Jim Johnson has accepted Obama's request to begin a screening and selection process for a vice presidential candidate.

    Johnson performed a similar role for Democratic presidential nominees Walter Mondale in 1984 and John Kerry in 2004.

    However, Obama and his campaign declined to comment on the issue, saying they have yet set criteria for a running mate.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Barack Obama, (D-IL), arrives with John and Mary Blackfeet, his new Crow "parents" who adopted him as a member of the Crow nation, for a campaign rally in Crow Agency, Montana May 19, 2008

    The Democratic presidential nomination race is unfinished, but Obama already has an insurmountable lead over his rival, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.

    Obama's lack of a long record at the national level -- he has been a senator only since 2005 -- leaves him with comparatively little national security experience.

    That may make it less likely that Obama would choose a state governor as his running mate, since they tend to have few national security qualifications, analysts said.

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain is disclosing his list of potential running mates, by inviting them to a party at his ranch this weekend in Arizona, the New York Times reported Thursday.

    The invitees include Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Mitt Romney, a former rival of McCain in this year's Republican primary elections.

Comedian Seth Meyers (L) and U.S. Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain appear on the Weekend Update segment of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York May 17, 2008 in this publicity photograph released by NBC May 18.

    All of them have accepted the invitation, according to the report.

    Jindal, the country's youngest governor at the age of 36, could help counter McCain's image as an old man.

    Among other guests expected are senators Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, and Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican.

    Another governor often mentioned as a front-runner will not be there this weekend: Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota has a wedding to attend Saturday.

    However, McCain strategist Charlie Black insisted the gathering would be "purely social."