By: Alexander Burns

With the Democratic National Convention keeping reporters occupied, John McCain isn’t building the same atmosphere of feverish anticipation about his vice presidential choice that the Obama campaign created last week.

But that doesn’t mean his decision isn’t surrounded by the same drama and confusion that kept Obama’s veep selection process at the center of the news cycle.

According to another Mike Allen-Jonathan Martin bulletin, McCain’s made up his mind:

“Sen. McCain has chosen his running mate and the person will be notified on Thursday, a senior campaign official said.”

If McCain’s campaign is on its A-game, we could be in suspense till mid-day Friday, when the ticket will appear at a rally in Ohio. But if someone starts leaking, the news will spread fast.

Meanwhile, Martin reports that rumors of Joe Lieberman’s demise have been greatly exaggerated — and that the Connecticut senator’s presence on McCain’s shortlist prompted an intervention from the Republican operative Democrats love to hate.

“Republican strategist Karl Rove called Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) late last week and urged him to contact John McCain to withdraw his name from vice presidential consideration, according to three sources familiar with the conversation.

“Lieberman dismissed the request, these sources agreed.”

This drama, of course, follows Wednesday’s back-from-retirement column by Robert Novak, describing Lieberman as a “pro-choice liberal from Connecticut” who Republicans would not tolerate on the ticket.
If Lieberman’s still a contender, though, that certainly doesn’t mean it’s time to dismiss the other VP prospects.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty continued his silence about the vice presidential process Wednesday, saying he “wouldn’t answer questions about whether he had been asked to provide financial and personal information from screening,” AP reports.

Har-de-har-har: “Asked by KTIS host Dave Clutter whether he had any announcements, Pawlenty said he was going to be vice president of his fantasy football league.”

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Pawlenty’s also up to more serious work :

“Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to be in Denver [on Thursday] morning, making the rounds of TV talk shows to lambast Barack Obama on the day the Illinois senator will accept the Democratic nomination for president.”

Will he keep up the snark on Joe Biden? Stay tuned.

Elsewhere: It may be too late to affect McCain’s decision, but a new poll out of Florida helps make the case for a McCain-Romney ticket.

The Miami Herald reports on a new Mason-Dixon poll of the Sunshine State showing Romney would draw Floridians toward McCain:

“About 32 percent of respondents said they’d favor McCain if he picked Romney. That’s double the number of those who said they’d be less inclined to back the ticket.”

The poll also has good news for Karl Rove: “Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman looks toxic to the ticket. Nearly twice as many people said they’d be less likely to vote for McCain if the former Democrat were on the ticket. Many Democrats see the former vice presidential candidate of 2000 as a turncoat. Conservative Republicans can’t stand his abortion-rights record.”

On the other hand, Romney’s not choosing his words as carefully as he might, saying in Las Vegas that Democratic attacks on McCain’s wealth represented “the politics of envy.” 

AP: “He said he saw the criticism as ‘the politics of jealousy or envy or a sense that somehow we’re going to be less likely to vote for someone because they’ve achieved economic success.”

It’s a pithy phrase, but doesn’t it also sound a little smug, given Romney’s personal affluence?

Overall, though, Romney’s visit to Nevada was a success, according to local news reports, which described the Las Vegas area’s reaction as a “huge welcome.” 

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal kept his eye on state government, taking steps to revitalize his state’s Ethics Board and preparing Louisiana for Tropical Storm/Hurricane Gustav.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports: “Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a pre-storm state of emergency this afternoon, announcing the mobilization of 3,000 National Guard with as many 5,000 call-ups possible depending on the course of Hurricane Gustav.

“Jindal also has asked for a federal state of emergency, a request that has not yet been answered.”

Even if Jindal’s not still in the VP chase, it’s crucial he respond well to this storm — both for his own future career and for the sake of the Republican National Convention, during which Gustav will be an unwelcome distraction.

Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska, could see her state descend into Florida-in-2000-style controversy as Rep. Don Young and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, rivals in the Republican primary for Alaska’s contressional seat, remain separated by less than 200 votes.

Palin endorsed Parnell in the primary and could be in an awkward position as the vote counting proceeds. If Parnell ultimately loses, it’ll take some of the shine off the political brand that vaulted Palin into the veepstakes.

Finally, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina tried out an “I feel your pain” sales pitch yesterday, reports the Philadelphia Bulletin:

“Carly Fiorina, economic adviser to presidential candidate John McCain, yesterday told Pennsylvania reporters the senator can win the state despite its economically ‘hurting’ residents …

“’I know, as John McCain knows, the people of Pennsylvania are hurting right now,’ Ms. Fiorina said. ‘They are concerned about their jobs; they are concerned about the ability to stay in their homes; they are concerned about the rising prices of food and fuel; and they are concerned about our continued ability to compete in this 21st-century economy. And that’s why I think John McCain will do very well in Pennsylvania.’”

Fiorina wouldn’t be the obvious choice to deliver this kind of message from the ticket, but it’s a message McCain wants delivered and Fiorina’s giving it her best shot.

A sign she’s still in the mix? As they say in the New York Lotto: Hey, you never know.

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