Washington - The US Democratic presidential candidate, Mr Al Gore, neared his decision on his vice presidential running mate yesterday with speculation surrounding three senators, one of them an orthodox Jew.
Chief among the names rumoured were North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry and Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, who if selected would be the first Jew on the presidential ticket of one of the two major parties.
But the vice president, who has said he would make his selection public tomorrow, was keeping his thoughts to himself.
Mr Gore's aides said last week these three were among six finalists for the post, but the vice president said he also had a wild card in his hand who has not been identified publicly.