WASHINGTON - With the expectation that Democratic and Republican presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain will announce their vice presidential running mates any day (or hour) now, rumors are flying fast, many of them contradictory.

Taegan Goddard over at Political Wire has a good summation of who is saying what on the VP hunt, while the candidates themselves are keeping their lips sealed.

The Palmetto Scoop (from South Carolina) is citing a source saying that Virginia officials were called into an emergency meeting to discuss a line of succession for possible Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine if he’s picked.

Meanwhile, MSNBC’s Howard Fineman reports that after talking to two of the finalists for Obama and other sources, he believes it will be Delaware Sen. Joe Biden unless something surprising happens at the last minute.

On the Republican side, Time magazine’s Mark Halperin says former Pennsylvania Tom Ridge, who supports abortion rights, is no longer in contention to be McCain’s No. 2.

He also reports that top McCain officials are sounding out Republicans on a VP who might support abortion rights, but Halperin questions whether that’s a head-fake to energize party conservatives. And Politico suggests Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman may still be under consideration.

As for the truth, only a handful of people know and the question remains open whether voters will vote for someone based on a VP candidate. Will they?

Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.

- Photo credit: Reuters/Mark Avery (McCain and Obama briefly share the stage last weekend at Saddleback Church.)