WASHINGTON -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Thursday that she should not have commented on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and she regrets her remarks.

In a statement issued by the Supreme Court public information office, Ginsburg said: "On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised and I regret making them. Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future I will be more circumspect."

Trump, meanwhile, delayed a planned appearance today with his yet-to-be-announced running mate in New York, an event that had been timed to energize Republicans ahead of next week's party convention in Cleveland. He announced the delay citing the deadly attack in France.

"I haven't made my final, final decision," Trump said on Fox News Channel. He said that while his running-mate selection would "absolutely not" be changed by the France attack, he did not feel it was appropriate to hold a news conference in its aftermath.

Trump has not made a formal offer, said Republicans familiar with the discussions who spoke midafternoon Thursday on the condition of anonymity because the ongoing talks were confidential.

Last week, Ginsburg publicly slammed Trump and what his possible presidency would mean for the court.

"I can't imagine what this place would be -- I can't imagine what the country would be -- with Donald Trump as our president," Ginsburg said. "For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be -- I don't even want to contemplate that."

On Monday during a CNN interview, Ginsburg called Trump a "faker" who "really has an ego"and said she was surprised that the media have not pressed him more to release his tax returns.

Trump quickly fired back, posting on Twitter that the 83-year-old justice should resign and that her mind was "shot." In subsequent tweets, Trump called Ginsburg "incompetent" and wondered whether she would apologize.

"I think it's highly inappropriate that a United States Supreme Court judge gets involved in a political campaign, frankly," Trump said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I think it's a disgrace to the court, and I think she should apologize to the court. I couldn't believe it when I saw it."

Other Republicans chimed in, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who called Ginsburg's remarks "totally inappropriate."

"She ought to stay out of it," said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. "It hurts the court when she does that."

The court -- now at eight members after the death of Antonin Scalia in February -- is a major issue in the presidential race, with both Republicans and Democrats saying the appointment of the next justice could have a significant effect on future rulings.

The battle over filling his seat elevated the court's prominence even further. President Barack Obama nominated federal Judge Merrick Garland in March, but Senate Republicans have refused to conduct hearings or a vote on confirming him. They say Scalia's seat should be filled by the next president.

Ginsburg was appointed to the high court in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton, whose wife, Democrat Hillary Clinton, is running for president. She said in an interview that she expects the next president, "whoever she will be," probably will make several Supreme Court appointments. Two other justices in their late 70s, Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy, also could retire in the next few years.

Shortlist for VP

In Trump's search for a running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence emerged as a likely candidate, with Republican leaders saying they had been told to stand by for an announcement.

In addition to Pence, Trump's shortlist includes former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the candidate's thinking.

After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Pence traveled to New York late in the day, according to a Republican familiar with the process. Indianapolis television station WTHR posted a video showing Pence arriving at a private airport in New Jersey early Thursday evening.

Trump was in California on Thursday for several fundraisers. His schedule put him at a distance from many of his closest advisers, including campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the candidate's three oldest children.

Trump's adult children, as well as son-in-law Jared Kushner, have played an influential role guiding Trump's deliberations and gave him differing advice. Donald Trump Jr., the candidate's eldest son, and Kushner have advocated for Gingrich, even though Trump's political advisers prefer Pence, according to people close to the family.

Trump's advisers cautioned Thursday afternoon that the selection process remained fluid, and Republicans familiar with the celebrity mogul candidate's deliberations said he could spring a surprise.

Manafort was among those urging caution Thursday in assuming any decision, saying on Twitter that Trump's choice "will be made in the near future."

Spokesman Jason Miller tweeted, "A decision has not been made by Mr. Trump."

A Republican official in touch with Pence's associates said Thursday morning that Pence told those associates he was convinced after his Wednesday meeting with Trump that he was going to be the pick.

Pence is running for re-election, but Indiana law prevents him from seeking two offices at once. He faces a deadline today to withdraw from the governor's race.

The paperwork has been drawn up for him to take that step, according to a Republican, who insisted on anonymity because that person was not authorized to publicly discuss the plans. However, those documents have not been filed.

Christie, in New Jersey, said in an interview with MSNBC: "No matter what phone call [Trump] makes to me today, I will take a deep breath and prepare for tomorrow."

Kaine with Clinton

Clinton spent the day alongside U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, making an appearance before several hundred gathered at a community college auditorium in Annandale, Va., a Washington suburb, assailing Trump as unqualified, untested and untrustworthy.

Fluent in Spanish, Kaine showed off his language skills, laughed at Clinton's jokes and nodded energetically at her applause lines.

"Do you want a 'you're fired' president or a 'you're hired' president," asked Kaine. "Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?"

Clinton offered praise for Kaine.

"Everything Tim said is absolutely on the mark," said Clinton. "We are stronger together when we set goals for America."

The appearance comes as Clinton moves into the final stages of picking her vice president, with an announcement expected as soon as next week.

Earlier on Thursday, Clinton promised Hispanic activists gathered in Washington for the annual convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens that she would make action on immigration legislation a top priority of her administration.

She called on Hispanic voters to help stop what she called Trump's efforts to "fan the flames of racial division."

"Donald Trump is running the most divisive campaign our lifetime. His message is that you should be afraid," she said.

Information for this article was contributed by Robert Barnes, Brian Murphy, Robert Costa, Philip Rucker, Sean Sullivan, Kelsey Snell and Karoun Demirjian of The Washington Post; by Mark Sherman, Julie Pace, Jill Colvin, Erica Werner, Brian Slodysko, Lisa Lerer and Ken Thomas of The Associated Press; and by Michael D. Shear of The New York Times.

A Section on 07/15/2016