Vetters asked to find VP hopefuls' secrets

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Lawyers, accountants and campaign aides -- oh my! -- are shadowing major-party vice presidential contenders, digging up as much information on them as possible.

"Vetters," as they're called in campaign parlance, comb through the tax returns, campaign finance reports, financial disclosure statements and other personal information of potential vice presidential candidates in search of that potential bomb that could blow up a presidential campaign, USA Today reported.

One of the vetters' tasks is determining "how the crazy, cynical left or right of the (political) spectrum is going to misuse the information," said Washington lawyer Lanny Davis, who has vetted Cabinet candidates, including Janet Reno, who became President Bill Clinton's attorney general.

The campaigns of Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, respectively, won't discuss the process or even confirm

who is being examined. McCain's search is being run by Washington lawyer A.B. Culvahouse, while Obama's is supervised by Caroline Kennedy and Eric Holder, a former senior Justice Department official.

Issues of potential running mates' ethics and campaign finance likely will receive close scrutiny since Obama and McCain are self-described reformers who have strict ethical standards for their campaigns.