McCain VP choice will have busy start

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain's choice of running mate will hit the ground running this weekend with rallies in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Missouri, say campaign insiders.

Leading candidates to join the McCain ticket appear to be either former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. But sources say Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a political independent and abortion rights supporter, is still a long-shot possible choice, Politico reported Wednesday.

Regardless, the vice presidential candidate will join McCain. R-Ariz., on a whirlwind campaign tour designed to immediately offset Democratic candidate Barack Obama's Thursday night acceptance speech. The Republican ticket will be unveiled at noon Friday Dayton, Ohio, followed by a bus trip to Pennsylvania. On Sunday the pair will head to suburban St. Louis for an event being billed as a unity rally, because participants will include McCain, Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Politico said. The three were the leading GOP presidential vote-getters in Missouri's presidential preference primary.

A McCain aide, however, warned Politico not to read too much into McCain's planned guests.