With the conventions right around the corner, both presidential candidates are expected to make announcements regarding their VP selections. Ben Smith and Glenn Thrush of Politico note that Obama is likely to make his pick later this week or sometime over the weekend. This weekend on Meet the Press, NBC political director Chuck Todd suggested that the events in Russia may have changed the game a bit for Barack Obama. George Stephanopoulos indicated on This Week that Delaware Sen. Joe Biden was leading the pack. Biden made a trip to Georgia this weekend which he discussed with the Obama campaign according to the Washington Post. This morning on Today Andrea Mitchell indicated that Obama is looking for someone who can really stand up to the Republican attacks. Picking someone who is a novice to national politics would be problematic, she noted. According to the Financial Times, the short list includes: Biden, Tim Kaine, Kathleen Sebelius, Bill Richardson, Sam Nunn, Evan Bayh and John Kerry.

Over at Swampland, Jay Newton-Small reviews the released list of speakers. Interestingly, Sen. Jack Reed who traveled with Obama to Iraq, hasn’t been listed yet as a speaker. Neither has Kerry whom a Boston news station has also mentioned a legitimate candidate for VP or Gen. Wesley Clark. Clark is said to not be attending the convention according to Steve Clemons of the Washington Note because the Obama campaign informed him that there would be no role for him there. If you assume that those already announced to speak will NOT be the VP, Biden is out of the race. He’s scheduled to speak on Wednesday, the same day as the VP.

On the Republican side, Michael Kranish of the Boston Globe reports efforts by Mike Huckabee to diminsh the chances of Mitt Romney as John McCain’s vice presidential pick. Huckabee is quoted as saying, “”I think there are better choices for Senator McCain that have the approval of value voters. The issue is that in many ways, Mitt Romney has had very definite swings of position. Not just on one or two things, but on many of the issues.”

The same Financial Times story suggests Tom Ridge as someone McCain is closely considering. Previous reports have suggested Sen. Joe Lieberman, Romney and Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

UPDATE: The New York Times is reporting that an announcement could come as early as tomorrow morning regarding Barack Obama’s VP pick. The story indicates that Obama has made up his mind and it will be one of three candidates: Biden, Kaine or Bayh. This morning on Today, Chuck Todd indicated that all signs were pointing to Biden and that members of Biden’s staff felt confident that this was his best shot to make the ticket.

The Politico reports that John McCain will announce his VP selection on August 29th, the same day he turns 72. This is also the day after Obama accepts the nomination in Denver.

UPDATE II: All signs are pointing to Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as Obama’s VP pick. Mark Halperin of TIME notes that Biden’s staff sent out an e-mail requesting updated contact information for all of Biden’s supporters. Howard Fineman of Newsweek writes, “My bottom line is this: Barring a big surprise or last-minute change of heart, the choice is likely to be Sen. Joe Biden of Deleware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.” The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Obama campaign has reserved the Old State Capitol in Chicago to showcase the ticket on Saturday. This is the same place Obama kicked off his campaign in 2007. They will then embark on a tour of battleground states before heading to the Democratic National Convention.

UPDATE III: High level Republican sources tell Halperin that former Penn. Gov. Tom Ridge is out of the running to be McCain’s VP.

UPDATE IV: Biden tells reporters “I’m not the guy.”

UPDATE: V: Blogfather Jerome Armstrong of MyDD.com predicts that Tom Daschle will be Obama’s pick. Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas Zuniga is also predicting Daschle.

UPDATE VI: Is Joe Lieberman going to be McCain’s VP pick? The Politico reports that Lieberman is “very much in the mix” to be the No. 2 on the Republican ticket.

UPDATE VII: John Heilemann of New York magazine suggests that the backlash from the GOP around the potential for McCain taking a pro-choice VP will lead to Mitt Romney being selected as his running mate.  He wonders, “Isn’t it possible that McCain and his people are engaged in a bit of elaborate gamesmanship designed to make Evangelicals more grateful than they otherwise might be for the selection of that guy?”