NBC News says guv isn’t on Obama’s list for VP

NBC News claims it has the list of potential vice presidential candidates that Barack Obama’s campaign is discussing this week with congressional Democrats. Gov. Bill Richardson isn’t on the list.

According to NBC’s Chuck Todd and Domenico Montanaro, writing in a Tuesday posting, among those being considered is Ret. Gen. James Jones, a former NATO supreme allied commander. Having him on the ticket could help Obama with the military and veterans — groups he is struggling to reach.

The others on the list, according to NBC News, include Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards, Evan Bayh, Kathleen Sebelius, Ted Strickland, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Jim Webb, Bill Nelson, Jack Reed, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Tom Daschle and Sam Nunn.

“You’ll notice a few names NOT on this list (that’s not my exclusion — hint hint),” Todd wrote in the blog posting. “Besides Jones, I’m told the two other names that invited extended discussion were Biden and Strickland.”

Richardson is one prominent Democrat who many have argued should be considered by Obama for the VP spot on the ticket because he’s Hispanic, a Western governor and has strong foreign-policy credentials that Obama lacks.

Take the list for what it’s worth. Lists can change. But Richardson was considered for the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in 2000 and 2004. He has an arguably higher profile this time, and the fact that his name isn’t on the list — assuming NBC News has it right — is significant.

During Richardson’s failed presidential campaign, The Politico ran an article detailing Kerry’s consideration of Richardson as his running mate in 2004, and reported that Richardson might have skipped the full VP vetting. You can read about that by clicking here.