McCain prepares to announce No. 2 choice

Amid intense speculation about who he might have decidedon, one top contender, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, told aMinneapolis radio station he would not be in Dayton, Ohio, withMcCain for the announcement. The Fox News Channel reported thatanother frequently mentioned possibility, former MassachusettsGov. Mitt Romney, also was not McCain's choice.

There was speculation about other possible candidates onmorning U.S. television, including Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Shesurfaced as a result of a Fox report that said a private jetfrom Alaska landed at an airport about 25 miles from Dayton.

The McCain campaign refused to say who the Arizona senatorhad selected to join him in his campaign leading to theNovember 4 election against Democrat Barack Obama and Obama'srunning mate, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.

Palin, 44, would be a surprise choice, one aimed atappealing to women voters who might have been disillusioned byObama's decision to pick Biden as his No. 2 instead ofDemocratic Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York.

By announcing his pick on Friday, McCain was hoping todivert attention from the just-concluded Democratic conventionin Denver, where Obama on Thursday night opened a broad assaulton McCain, accusing him of following the policies of unpopularPresident George W. Bush.

McCain is preparing to accept his party's nomination forpresident at the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minnesota,next week.

He and his campaign have worked hard to remain in thepublic eye during the Democratic convention.

As Obama prepared to deliver a speech at a Denver footballstadium accepting his party's nomination, McCain issued atelevision ad congratulating him.

"Sen. Obama, this is truly a good day for America," McCainsaid in the ad. "Too often the achievements of our opponents gounnoticed. So I wanted to stop and say, congratulations."

He added: "Tomorrow, we'll be back at it. But tonight,senator, job well done."

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; Editing by BillTrott)