Four rules of the VP process - latimes.com

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Reported by Doyle McManus

First

( Huckabee photo by Christopher Gannon; Nunn photo by Michael Conroy. Both from Associated Press )

Reported by Doyle McManus
Los Angeles Times staff writer

First, does the candidate bring balance to the ticket -- not geographical balance but resume balance? McCain probably wants someone who can shore up his standing among social conservatives, the Republican "base" that provides millions of volunteers and voters but has been relatively unenthusiastic about him. Obama may be looking for someone with deeper national security experience than a first-term senator who didn't serve in the military.

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