That's pretty much what we've been doing here in the Cheap Seats as the August political death march grinds on slowly through the sultry Virginia summer.

Waiting.

Summer is usually a dead season politically, but with all the speculation about Gov. Tim Kaine possibly being Barack Obama's running mate, we've been waiting for the text message (how could a political junkie not sign up?) telling us who the number two man or woman will be.

The chattering class, especially the Virginia branch, has been speculating at high speed on the issue, with reporters staking out Sen. Joe Bide, D-Del., Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sibelius and other contenders looking for any sign that might tip Obama's hand.

Given the usual summer political doldrums, it's not surprising. Capitol Square is all but shuttered until January, and Washington is pretty much on hold until Congress comes back in September. Should Obama pick Kaine, things would get very interesting again in short order.

So will Obama pick Kaine? Here in the newsroom, there's a difference of opinion. From the Cheap Seats, it looks like Kaine is Obama's guy for lots of reasons... the two-day Virginia swing, the personal loyalty angle, Kaine's legacy problems after the transportation special session, etc.

On the other side we have the editors, who think I've got a carbon monoxide leak aboard Cheap Seats One. Both of my politics-watching superiors think Kaine's short tenure is just too much of a barrier to overcome for Obama to pick him.    

Personally, I've never seen much evidence that ticket balancing works, and I think Obama probably recognizes that. But I also thought Jerry Kilgore would cruise in 2005, too.

The waiting game continues.