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Now that Barack Obama has become the Democrats' presumptive nominee for the presidential election, he has begun the search for a running mate.
Whoever he chooses will become vice-president if he wins the election in November.
The BBC News website took a look at some of the people who might be on his shortlist.
Having come so close to the nomination herself, Hillary Clinton is being talked of as the most obvious running mate for Mr Obama.
Age: 60Status: New York senator, former first ladyAdvantage: Unites partyDisadvantage: Blunts "change" message
Adding her to the ticket would heal the divisions within the party, the argument goes, and help Mr Obama to hold on to Mrs Clinton's loyal supporters, some of whom might otherwise be tempted to defect from the Democrats.
This is an argument pushed publicly by many of Mrs Clinton's backers, although she has distanced herself from their calls.
Picking Mrs Clinton might, however, make Mr Obama look as though he was reneging on his central campaign message - to bring change to Washington.
He might also be wary of putting such a high-profile person - with an equally high-profile husband - on his ticket, who could overshadow him during the campaign and, if he wins, throughout his presidency.
John Edwards - another of Mr Obama's former rivals for the nomination - has also been mentioned as a possible running mate.
Age: 55Status: Former North Carolina senatorAdvantage: Attractive to white blue-collar votersDisadvantage: Failed to deliver swing states as John Kerry's running mate in 2004
His public endorsement of Mr Obama on 14 May - before the end of the primaries - was useful for the Illinois senator and will not be forgotten by the Obama camp.
On stage during the endorsement, the two men certainly seemed to have a rapport.
Mr Edwards - a North Carolina native, whose father worked in a steel mill - could help Mr Obama win over some of the white blue-collar workers among whom he has been performing badly in the primaries.
But Mr Edwards was chosen as John Kerry's running mate in the 2004 presidential election for similar reasons - and he failed to bring any new states for the Democrats'.
So Mr Obama will probably think hard before he gives Mr Edwards another chance.
Jim Webb's victory in the 2006 Virginia Senate race was one of the key moments of the Democrats' congressional takeover that year.
Age: 62Status: Virginia senatorAdvantage: Could help deliver swing state of VirginiaDisadvantage: Relatively unknownSince then, Mr Webb - a Vietnam veteran who served as Ronald Reagan's Navy Secretary in the 1980s - has built up a name for himself in the Senate as a man to watch.
Like Mr Obama, he opposed the war in Iraq , and with his military Scots-Irish background, picking him might help Mr Obama with white-working class voters.
But, more importantly, it would give him a boost in Virginia, a state which has been trending Democratic in recent years, and which - with his strong base of support among African-Americans - Mr Obama has a chance of winning in November.
Democrats might be wary, however, of creating a Senate vacancy by putting Mr Webb on the ticket.
And some observers have suggested that Mr Webb is still relatively unknown, which - with Mr Obama also a freshman Senator - could lead to criticisms that the ticket is too inexperienced.
Many observers have suggested that Mr Obama may well be keen to put a woman on his ticket - just not his erstwhile rival.
Age: 60Status: Kansas governorAdvantage: Executive experienceDisadvantage: Unlikely to deliver Kansas
If he does pass over Mrs Clinton, one possible female running-mate could be Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
Mr Obama has a warm personal relationship with Ms Sebelius, and she is well-rated for her time as Kansas governor.
Having someone with executive experience could help the presidential candidate, who has only ever served in legislative bodies.
But Ms Sebelius is unlikely to be able to deliver any states for Mr Obama - even her home state is likely to be out of reach for the Democrats.
Furthermore, some observers suggest that picking a woman other than Mrs Clinton, would serve only to alienate her - and her supporters - even further.
Bill Richardson's endorsement of Barack Obama after his own departure from the presidential race lost him plenty of friends in the Clinton camp.
Age: 60Status: New Mexico governorAdvantage: Executive experience, foreign policy experience, popular with HispanicsDisadvantage: Reputation as a loose cannon
But it will have done his chances of becoming Mr Obama's running mate no harm at all.
He has been a popular governor in the swing state of New Mexico, and he would be able to help the Obama campaign throughout the south-west, a part of the country where Mr Obama is hoping to make gains.
In this Mr Richardson will be helped by his Hispanic heritage, but this ethnic background might be an electoral hindrance in other parts of the country.
However Mr Obama might choose to emphasise his own historic candidacy - as the first African-American nominee - by choosing a running-mate who is also non-white.
But observers say Mr Richardson has a reputation for being something of a loose cannon. The Obama team may have to be prepared for one or two gaffes if they decide to put his name on the ballot.
Ed Rendell, the plain-spoken governor of Pennsylvania, was one Hillary Clinton's most prominent supporters during the primaries, and his advocacy - and campaign machine - helped her secure victory in the state.
Age: 64Status: Pennsylvania governorAdvantage: Appeal to white working class and Clinton loyalists, and would help hold PennsylvaniaDisadvantage: Too close to Clinton?
Picking Mr Rendell could allow Barack Obama to kill three birds with one stone - broaden his appeal to white working-class voters, improve his chances of keeping Pennsylvania's votes in Democratic hands, and mollify Clinton loyalists.
He would also bring some executive experience to the ticket.
But his close connection to Mrs Clinton could harm his chances. Mr Obama might feel more inclined to reward someone who backed him from the very beginning of the campaign.
Ted Strickland, like Ed Rendell, is a popular, Clinton-backing governor of a rust-belt swing-state.
Age: 66Status: Ohio governorAdvantage: Help to capture a crucial swing state, OhioDisadvantage: No personal relationship with ObamaThe difference is that while Democrats won Mr Rendell's state of Pennsylvania last time round, and are favoured to win it again, they narrowly lost Mr Strickland's home-state of Ohio in 2000 and 2004.
Having Ohio's governor on the ticket might just make the difference for Mr Obama between winning and losing the state.
But Mr Obama has said he will be looking for a running mate with whom he has a personal connection, and there is no indication that the two men have any such bond.
Age: 50Status: Virginia governorAdvantage: Help to deliver Virginia, a key swing stateDisadvantage: Relatively inexperiencedIf Mr Obama wants to choose someone who - like Senator Jim Webb - could help him win Virginia, then the Governor Tim Kaine could well fit the bill.
And picking Mr Kaine, unlike Senator Webb, would not leave the Democrats fighting to replace a senator.
Mr Kaine was a early backer of Mr Obama, and his loyalty might count for something.
But although popular, he has only been the state's governor since 2006, and Mr Obama may decide that the ticket needs to have a bit more experience on it.
Age: 69Status: Former Georgia senatorAdvantage: Experience, foreign and defence policy credentialsDisadvantage: The Obama ticket would look less young and newA well-respected former senator from Georgia who served as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sam Nunn has been suggested as a running mate who might reassure voters concerned that Barack Obama does not have enough experience, especially in military matters.
Since leaving the Senate, Mr Nunn has spearheaded attempts to restrict global nuclear proliferation, a cause that Mr Obama has also been heavily involved with, and he was an early backer - and unpaid adviser - to the Obama campaign.
But - although he is two years younger than John McCain - his age could be a drawback for a campaign which wants to project itself as youthful and new.
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