Sen. John Kerry "sought to capitalize on the buzz over his candidacy yesterday by naming a close friend and party operative to launch the intensive search for Kerry's 2004 running mate," the Boston Globe reports.
Washington businessman Jim Johnson "accepted the post during a telephone conversation with Kerry yesterday morning, agreeing to head up a team that will vet and interview potential partners in secret and unearth any damaging information that might sideline aspirants."
The Washington Post says "the campaign had not intended to announce Johnson yesterday, but Kerry let the news slip, to the dismay of advisers."
The Los Angeles Times runs a profile of Johnson, noting that in 1984, Johnson "oversaw a search process that resulted in the selection of Geraldine Ferraro" as Walter Mondale's running mate.