ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf & Matthew Jaffe report: Two candidates rumored to be in the mix to become Barack Obama's running mate have been given speaking slots for Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, the convention committee announced Thursday. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., will both speak on the night of Wednesday the 27th, the same night as the eventual vice presidential nominee.
But before the veepstakes rumor mill, desperate for even the slightest hints, rules out Bayh and Biden as running mate possibilities, sources close to the process note that anyone penciled into a speaking slot could be shifted into the vice presidential candidate's slot later that evening.
The speeches of Bayh and Biden, who both possess strong foreign policy experience, will help emphasize the day's theme of "Securing America's Future". Biden is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, while Bayh sits on the Senate Armed Services committee and the Intelligence committee.
Other lawmakers set to speak that night on national security issues include Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Col., House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, and one of Obama's rivals in the Democratic primary, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico.
Still, the top slot that evening will go to Obama's vice presidential nominee, who will speak following former President Bill Clinton's address to the party.
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, Obama's main competitor in the primary, will be the headline prime-time speaker Tuesday night, to be preceded by another rumored contender for Obama's number-two slot, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, who will deliver the keynote address.
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