Worries about the economy and higher fuel costs dominated talks today among US presidential candidate Barack Obama and Democratic governors, some of whom have been mentioned as his possible running mate.
The topic of Mr Obama's vice presidential search did not come up during his forum with the governors but it was very much on the minds of reporters who attended the session.
The names of several of the governors at the meeting, including Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, Pennsylvania governor Edward Rendell and Ohio governor Ted Strickland, have been raised as possible vice presidential picks.
Mr Strickland has publicly taken himself out of the running and reiterated that stance when asked about it. Ms Sebelius was coy about her prospects. Asked if she had met with Mr Obama's vice presidential search team, she replied, "There really aren't conversations with me at this point."
"This choice is Senator Obama's. I am confident that he will take everything into account and whatever choice he makes I'm going to support 100 per cent," Sebelius said, adding that Mr Obama had "wide array of talent" to choose from.
At the session in Chicago, New Jersey governor Jon Corzine, a former chairman of Goldman Sachs, gave a bleak prognosis for the US economy, saying he thought the country faced a deep recession that was "gathering momentum".
Mr Obama, an Illinois senator, hopes to make the economy a winning issue for him in the November election against Republican John McCain, an Arizona senator whose policiesMr Obama has linked to those of US president George Bush.
Mr Obama accused Mr Bush of fiscal recklessness and criticised Mr McCain's plan for increased offshore oil drilling, saying it would take decades to have any impact on fuel costs and posed environmental concerns.
Mr Obama and the governors also talked about the need to boost investment in infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges and rail.