Veep watch drags on

Well, the most awaited text message in US political history still hasn't arrived.

Democrat Barack Obama says he has picked his running mate, but there's no word of an announcement, which is expected to come some time before a rally Saturday afternoon in Springfield, Ill.

UPDATE: Late today, several party officials told the Associated Press that said the text message announcement would be distributed Saturday morning, a few hours before the rally where the Democratic ticket would appear for the first time.

Obama did not have any public events today, but in an interview aired this morning on "The Early Show" on CBS, he reiterated the criteria he used to choose.

"Obviously, the most important question is: Is this person ready to be president?" Obama said. "Can this person help me govern? Are they going to be an effective partner in creating the kind of economic opportunity here at home and guiding us through some dangerous waters internationally?

"I want somebody who is going to be able to challenge my thinking and not simply be a 'yes person' when it comes to policymaking," he added.

Pundits are trying to dissect that description for who it might be, but the consensus short list is: Senators Evan Bayh of Indiana and Joe Biden of Delaware and Governors Tim Kaine of Virginia and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, with former rival Hillary Clinton as a longshot.

The Associated Press is now reporting that there might be a surprise entry in the veepstakes, quoting Democratic officials that little-known US Representative Chet Edwards of Texas was one of the few whose background was checked by Obama's campaign and that he was a finalist for the job.

The AP reports: "Edwards is a favorite of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who praised his 'extraordinary credentials' on ABC's 'This Week' on Aug. 3 and said: 'I hope he will be the nominee.' One Democratic official with knowledge of the conversation said Obama told Pelosi recently that she would be pleased with the choice. Other Democratic officials said he was on the short list. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss Obama's selection process."

And while buzz is building in some circles -- again -- for the "dream ticket" with Hillary Clinton, does this throw cold water on that notion?

Politico reports that she has not been vetted at all by the Obama campaign, though she has been put through the wringer as a candidate and first lady.

Two former Clinton aides said they were troubled by the Politico report, which they said would further anger some Clinton loyalists. Paul Begala said, if true, it seems to contradict Obama's reassurances that Clinton would be on anyone's shortlist.

There's two camps in Hillary land -- there's the peacemakers and the PUMAs -- Party Unity My Aunt Fannie," Begala said on CNN. "They're still not behind Obama. Some of them are stirring up a lot of trouble. I don't like it. I'm a peace maker.This story empowers the PUMA crowd because they see this, and I do too, as sort of disrespecting Senator Clinton and breaking Senator Obama's word."

James Carville said he was frustrated over reports that Obama had not consulted Clinton about his choice. "I think we suffered a big blow today to the hard-liners," he said on CNN. "I don't think he's spoken to Senator Clinton about the vice presidency or even sought her counsel."