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(CNN)Hillary Clinton was preparing to announce her vice presidential running mate as early as Friday, aides said, with their first joint appearance expected Saturday in Miami. But then an attack in Germany appeared to put their time line in flux. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia has emerged as a leading contender after a methodical search, several Democrats close to the campaign say, receiving the stamp of approval from President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton. But the decision is Hillary Clinton's and hers alone, and a critical one in her quest to defeat Donald Trump and win the White House in November. In light of a shooting rampage in Munich, the Clinton campaign is discussing how to balance their plan to pull the conversation away from the GOP convention -- and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's acceptance speech -- to her vice presidential pick, according to a source familiar with deliberations. The campaign was going to put out the name of Clinton's running mate Friday afternoon, likely by a text message to supporters. But now they are dealing with a conundrum: how to avoid a split-screen situation with Clinton announcing her running mate alongside the attack in Germany. They considered the difficulties the Trump campaign had balancing the announcement of his running mate, Mike Pence, with the Nice attack, to show he could not recognize the significance of what was happening in France. They're trying to avoid same optics, especially since one of her assertions in campaign is she is the steady hand more equipped to deal with serious matters of international affairs and national security. The former secretary of state slowly whittled down her list to four top contenders: Kaine; Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack; Labor Secretary Tom Perez; and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Clinton will call a number of the finalists who weren't selected for the vice presidential job before the pick is officially announced, according to multiple aides. John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman, will call some of the vice presidential options who did not make it into the top tier. In selecting the battleground of Florida to make her announcement, Clinton is hoping to seize the spotlight from Republicans after their convention in Cleveland. She is set to visit Orlando and Tampa on Friday, but her new partner is not expected to join her until Saturday at a rally here at Florida International University, where the student body is more than half Hispanic. The Clinton campaign watched the closing day of the Republican convention with great interest, particularly Trump's acceptance speech, in part to gauge the best timing of her announcement. Her campaign is trying to rally excitement around the Democratic ticket heading into the party's convention next week in Philadelphia, aides said, in addition to blunting Trump's post-convention momentum. For her part, Clinton has intentionally held her pick close to the chest since the vetting process ended this week, Democrats close to the process said, in hopes of keeping her choice a secret until the last possible moment. All the finalists met with Clinton at different times during this process, Democrats said, including Perez, Booker and Warren during one-on-one meetings last Friday at Clinton's home in Washington. Clinton started her vice presidential process before her primary fight with Bernie Sanders ended with what aides described as a "fluid" list, including several potential running mates. Several were eliminated through the process, including Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and James Stravidis, the former supreme allied commander of NATO and a retired four-star Navy admiral.

Source: Trump will likely make announcement on Friday Alex Wong/Getty Images/CNN INDIANAPOLIS (CNN) —As anticipation builds for Donald Trump to name his vice presidential pick, two hopefuls -- Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich -- appear to be the front-runners, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. Trump will likely make the announcement on Friday, the source said. Pence spent part of his day lavishing praise on the presumptive GOP nominee, comparing him to Ronald Reagan and using the phrase "make America great again" Tuesday afternoon when he spoke with reporters after an event in Indianapolis. "I think he is someone who has connected with everyday Americans like no one since Ronald Reagan," Pence said. "I think he has spoken into the frustration and the longings of the American people as no one since the 40th president, and I think you're going to continue to see him do that." Pence faces an important audition Tuesday night, the source familiar with the process said, appearing alongside Trump at a fundraiser in downtown Indianapolis and then a public rally in nearby Westfield. "It feels like Pence. But (Trump) likely wants to see the reaction tonight," a separate source familiar with the selection process told CNN, adding that when it comes to timing: "It would not be tonight unless Trump is like the guy with the engagement ring burning a hole in his pocket who takes the opportunity while the jumbotron is on at the arena." Pence and Trump had a private, one-on-one conversation at the fundraiser, according to a source who was there said. The Indiana governor and former congressman has already passed one important hurdle, the source said: "(The) Pence vet was completely clean and that mattered. No one needs an extra hassle." But Pence isn't the only VP prospect making headlines: Fox News said Tuesday it is suspending Gingrich's contract since the former speaker is also on Trump's vice presidential short list. Some of Gingrich's allies have been "heavily lobbying" the campaign, one of the source's told CNN. "Clearly Gov. Pence is deeply in the running, (New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie) is. I've been part of the process. We'll see what happens over the next two to three days. It's a little like 'Apprentice' -- you see in a few days who the last one standing is," Gingrich said. Pence and his wife Karen met with Donald and Melania Trump at Trump's golf course in New Jersey early this month -- a meeting Pence brought up Tuesday. "I will tell you that we've been honored to spend some time with Mr. and Mrs. Trump," he said. "We were very moved by how gracious and kind they were to our family. And I think he is going to be a great president." Former rival turned supporter Ben Carson told CNN's Erin Burnett Trump won't be making a rash decision -- but it also could bring the unexpected. "Well, I think that one of the things that you've seen throughout this whole process is that Donald Trump is unpredictable. He's going to be careful, he's going to be very, very deliberate," he said on Tuesday night.

(CNN)Newt Gingrich is "actively lobbying" to be Donald Trump's running mate, a source familiar with the process told CNN Saturday. The source added that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is very high on Trump's VP list and is getting the "full vet." But Pence isn't actively lobbying for the job because it's not his style, the source added. And retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is also being considered as a Trump running mate, but the source said it is "not clear how intensely," an indication the general is on the list but may not get the final nod. Sources have also said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, an active surrogate for Trump, is not yet out of the running. He will campaign with Trump in Virginia on Monday, campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said. Earlier in the week, Gingrich told Fox News that if asked, he would serve as Trump's vice president. "If Trump offers the position and is serious about it, which I think he would be after our conversations, listen, I would feel compelled to serve the country," Gingrich told Greta Van Susteren. The statement was a pivot for Gingrich: days earlier at the Aspen Ideas Festival, he called talk that he would be selected "wild speculation," saying that even if he were to be chosen, he would have to have a "very, very long talk" with his wife, Callista, and then "another long talk" with Trump.