To keep up with the online torrent of chatter, speculation and argument over Barack Obama's pending announcement of a vice presidential candidate, we've created the "Obama VP Watch" widget, which will sit on the right hand side of the blog for the next few days.

The news of Obama's pick will almost immediately hit Twitter after it arrives in campaign supporters' e-mail boxes and cell phones via text message – so we thought this widget would be a nifty way to monitor how fast the news spreads across the internets.

In the meantime, you can amuse yourself with the stream of collective random watercooler thoughts of the Twitter community on who Obama should, and shouldn't pick.

Sens. Evan Bayh of Indiana, Joe Biden of Delaware, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius are among those who have been widely reported to be on Obama's final shortlist.