7/13/00 5:05 p.m.
VP Day
The running mates might be picked earlier than expected.

By NR's John J. Miller & Ramesh Ponnuru

t looks like both George W. Bush and Vice President Gore will pick their running mates earlier than expected — with Bush possibly making his move next week.

All signs from Austin suggest that Bush will pull the trigger soon. Here's the thinking: Bush and the Republicans will dominate the media starting the weekend before the convention begins. This is traditionally a time for either speculating about who the vice presidential nominee will be, or gabbing about the choice itself. Bush would rather have the attention focused on him and his message. Selecting his veep at the buzzer makes this difficult. What's more, Bush may not opt for a nationally known figure; a pol like Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating might benefit from a few extra get-to-know-you days prior to the convention.

That argues for making the decision public next week — Thursday, July 20th, in fact. Here's why: It comes at the end of the week, just in time to generate excitement (and guests with talking points in proper order) for the Sunday morning shows, as well as splashy newspaper headlines on Friday the 21st, which is typically a day of increased readership. Then, the following weekend, with all the pre-convention shows already re-located to Philadelphia, Bush steps back into the spotlight, alone.

Gore may have his own trick ready. He will name his running mate immediately after the GOP convention, USA Today reports this morning. That's an interesting strategy, one meant to burst the Republicans' anticipated post-convention popularity bubble before it gets far off the ground. Within hours of Bush concluding his critical speech, all attention will turn away from him and toward Gore's choice.

That's all the more reason for Bush to name his veep early. Millions of Americans may hear Bush's voice for the first time from the podium in Philadelphia. He won't want all the atmospherics surrounding this moment to be drowned out by running-mate hype.

So mark your calendar. We think VP Day is only a week away.