Above Photo: Senator Barack Obama with his wife, Michelle,
on Tuesday at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. See story below.
(Doug Mills/The New York Times)

Obama beginning search for VP mate (MSNBC)

WASHINGTON – Democratic officials say Barack Obama has begun a top-secret search for a running mate.

Democratic officials said Thursday the party’s likely nominee has asked former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson to begin vetting potential vice presidential picks. Johnson did the same job for Democratic nominees John Kerry in 2004 and Walter Mondale in 1984. Read More.

——
Obama Says Nomination ‘Within Reach’ (NYT)

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY

Published: May 21, 2008

DES MOINES — Senator Barack Obama took a big step toward becoming the Democratic presidential nominee on Tuesday, amassing enough additional delegates to claim an all but insurmountable advantage in his race against Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

While Mrs. Clinton’s campaign continued to make a case that she could prevail, Mr. Obama used the results from Democratic contests in Kentucky and Oregon to move into a new phase of the campaign in which he will face different challenges. Those include bringing Mrs. Clinton’s supporters into his camp; winning over elements of the Democratic coalition like working-class whites, Hispanics and Jews; and fending off attacks from Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, especially on national security. Read More.