Want to be the first to know who Barack Obama chooses as his vice presidential contender? Just surf on over to his website and sign up with your cell phone. In an email to supporters tonight, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe offers supporters the opportunity to get the news via email or cell phone text message "the moment Barack makes his decision."
"Barack Obama is about to make one of the most important decisions of this campaign -- choosing a running mate," Plouffe writes to supporters in a Sunday evening email. "You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice."
Obama's campaign sought cell phone numbers via text message during the primary (Lucky for his campaign, the guy's last name has five letters, the number needed for special text-only lines). Once Election Day comes around, the campaign can contact voters less likely to head to the polls via their cell phones to boost turnout.
The offer highlights another aspect Obama's campaign thinks will help them win, the enthusiasm gap. Polls have showed voters backing Obama, especially younger voters, are much more excited about their candidate than voters backing John McCain. Interest in every aspect of Obama's campaign, including interest in and speculation about the vice presidential choice, is higher than ever.
So, does the email mean the vice presidential pick is imminent? Of course, Obama's on vacation this week, and the Olympics would take at least some of the attention away from the pick. But speculation that Obama spent part of the the end of last week in Chicago to deal with the vice presidential pick could mean the vacation is time for the Senator to settle on his choice.
Does anyone know what's on Evan Bayh's and Tim Kaine's calendar for the next few weeks?