Did McCain Dupe Novak on VP Pick?

Conservative columnist Robert Novak triggered a frenzy of speculation that John McCain was about to announce his choice for runningmate just as Barack Obama was grabbing favorable headlines on his trip to Iraq. Novak now believes he may have been manipulated in a tactic to steal attention by the McCain campaign, reports the Los Angeles Times.

"I got a suggestion from a very senior McCain aide that he was going to announce" his vice presidential pick this week, Novak said. "They suggested I put it out. I've since have been told by certain people that this was a dodge—they were trying to get publicity to rain on Obama's campaign. That's reprehensible if it's true. " (More John McCain stories.)