At some point this week, Senator Barack Obama is expected to choose his presidential running mate. As Ben Smith of the Politico puts it, this will be “a key decision about the direction and narrative of his bid for the White House.” Will he amplify his message of change with a reform-minded candidate like Virginia Governor Tim Kaine or Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius? Or will he look to a candidate with experience in Washington like Indiana Senator Evan Bayh or Delaware Senator Joe Biden? On Bloomberg News, The Nation’s own Ari Melber sifts through all the rampant speculation to separate the contenders from the pretenders and shed some light on the stakes of Obama’s decision.

–Will Di Novi

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