London, June 6 : Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama has appeared publicly with three prominent vice-presidential contenders, resisting a defiant move by New York Senator Hillary Clinton to name her as his Vice President.

Commenting on his running mate to NBC News, Obama said: “We’re not going to be rushed into it. I don’t think Senator Clinton expects a quick decision and I don’t even know that she’s necessarily interested in it.”

Obama held events in Virginia alongside Senator Jim Webb, a Vietnam hero and former Republican, the loyal Governor Tim Kaine, one of the earliest top politicians to declare support for the Illinois senator, and Mark Warner, a former Virginia Governor with potent electoral appeal in conservative rural areas.

However, the Clinton campaign sought to limit the damage caused by the swirling speculation and to distance herself from it by issuing a statement, The Telegraph reported.

“While Senator Clinton has made clear throughout this process that she will do whatever she can to elect a Democrat to the White House, she is not seeking the vice presidency, and no one speaks for her but her. The choice here is Senator Obama's and his alone,” the statement said.

Aides to Obama have been dismayed by Senator Clinton’s recent behaviour, delaying pulling out of the Democratic nomination race until Saturday while simultaneously authorising allies to lobby for her to be his running mate.

In another indication of the grudging nature of her withdrawal, the Clinton campaign has signalled that the former First Lady would reserve the option of directing her delegates to put her name forward as Democratic nominee at the party’s August convention. (ANI)