'I will win' Obama Vows, as VP Rumors Swirl (Kaine says he's not in the frame)

[tekisui]

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AFP) — Democrat Barack Obama piled up nearly eight million fundraising dollars in a single lucrative night, as anticipation built over his looming choice of White House running mate.

"I will win, don't worry about that," Obama told a crowd of 1,300 people at a fundraiser Sunday night in California, one of three back-to-back events which netted a staggering 7.8 million dollars, his campaign said.

Obama's vow opened a crucial week in his White House duel with Republican John McCain, the last before his party's nominating convention in Denver, with expectations high that he will soon name his vice presidential nominee.

Given the deteriorating economy, "bungled" foreign policy and unpopular Iraq war, Obama said it would be nice if voters would simply think "'Toss the bums out, we're starting from scratch, we're starting over.'"

"These are the knuckleheads who have been in charge -- throw em out. But American politics aren't that simple," he said, arguing people needed to be prodded into voting for change.

And he warned Republicans had a "whole machinery that they're cranking out" full of negative character attacks designed to scare people away from him.

(snip)

Possible Obama pick, Virginia governor Tim Kaine, said he didn't think he was in the frame, while Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, coyly told CBS there was nothing to report yet.

link: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQoaTsB4OpY94G8f4tvFSPGGlBtA