Today on the presidential campaign trail

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., leaves his home in Washington, Friday, Aug. 22, 2008. The Indiana senator is thought to be considered as a possible vice president choice for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

IN THE HEADLINES

Obama prepares to name vice presidential running mate ... Young evangelical accepts, then declines, invitation to say prayer at Democratic convention

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Obama prepares to name veep

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The secret holding, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday readied an announcement by text message of his vice presidential running mate from a list suddenly spiced by a dark horse from Texas.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's prospects remained a mystery on a day full of them, although senior aides said the Obama campaign had never requested financial or other records from her.

Three days before the party gathers in Denver to nominate Obama for the fall campaign, several officials said Rep. Chet Edwards, whose district includes President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, had made the roster of potential running mates. Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana were also in the mix, as were Govs. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas -- and any unknown others Obama had managed to keep secret despite intense scrutiny.

Obama went to the gym for a morning workout before heading to an office in Chicago to polish the convention acceptance speech he will deliver next Thursday night.

Obama told reporters on Thursday he's already made his choice. He has arranged a joint appearance for Saturday with his running mate at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill.

Several GOP officials said Friday that Republican John McCain had not settled on a running mate -- nor offered the job to anyone -- although former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty were under serious consideration.

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Young evangelical backs out of convention prayer

DENVER (AP) -- It was a coup for Democrats: An emerging young evangelical voice, a registered Republican no less, accepted their invitation to deliver a prayer at next week's Democratic National Convention.

But Cameron Strang, the 32-year-old editor of Relevant Magazine, had second thoughts and pulled out of delivering the benediction on the convention's first night, Monday. Citing fears that his bridge-building gesture would be wrongly construed as an endorsement, Strang said he instead hopes to take a lower-profile role, participating in a convention caucus meeting on religion later in the week.

"Through Relevant, I reach a demographic that has strong faith, morals and passion, but disagreements politically," Strang wrote on his blog. "It wouldn't be wise for me to be seen as picking a political side when I've consistently said both sides are right in some areas and wrong in some areas."

Little known to outsiders, the Strang name carries weight with evangelicals, especially in the fast-growing charismatic and Pentecostal branches. Cameron's father, Steven, who like his son is based in the Orlando, Fla., area, founded a magazine, Charisma, that spawned a publishing empire. The elder Strang has endorsed Republican Sen. John McCain.

In his blog post, Strang wrote that he initially accepted the benediction invitation, in part, so he could pray in a forum where faith isn't typically emphasized.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama has no public schedule.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain has no public schedule.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"You know, there are some things that even I don't know. And what Michelle is going to wear is a tightly held secret, more tightly held than who my vice presidential choice is going to be." -- Democrat Barack Obama, speaking on CBS' "The Early Show" about what his wife, Michelle, will be wearing on Monday at the convention.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who suspended her race for the Democratic nomination in June, slightly reduced her campaign debt, according to documents recently submitted to the Federal Election Commission. She cut it from $25.2 million at the end of June to $23.9 million at the end of July.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.