Biden VP Final Four?

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(CNN)Joe Biden is entering the final month of his search for a running mate, a decision people close to the process say is now heavily influenced by a national reckoning on racism, as his search committee pores over records and conducts interviews before presenting a list of finalists to the former vice president.

The search is being conducted under strict secrecy, with most campaign aides, donors and even many longtime Biden friends intentionally kept in the dark. Yet CNN spoke to more than a dozen people close to the Biden search process who believe that four of the leading prospects are Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Rep. Val Demings of Florida and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

The search is a dynamic one, though, which has evolved significantly from when it started, and sources caution that it could change again as the vetting intensifies. The goal is to have an array of options for Biden, particularly if an early favorite runs into complications.

Former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice is being thoroughly vetted, two people familiar with the matter say, as well as Rep. Karen Bass of California, who was strongly recommended to Biden by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Clyburn confirmed to CNN that Bass "is being vetted."

Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois are also among a broader tier under consideration, sources say.

Since several of the potential contenders are barely known nationally, the Biden campaign is also conducting focus groups, with speeches and videos of the candidates shown to gauge voter reaction. This is typical of recent vice presidential searches, but advisers say the research could carry more importance this year because of the unique dynamics of this search.

The final decision is also expected to be kept tightly guarded before the announcement from the campaign, a strategy that Bauer and Dunn outlined in the 2016 report, saying: "The notification of selection should be made to the vice presidential nominee in advance of the public announcement, but with notice of only a day or two."

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