We are likely months away from Romney picking a running mate, but that should not impede us from guessing and hypothesizing who the best pick is, and who the VP candidate might actually be.
Normally, I am hesitant to wade too deep into political waters, however, this discussion seems innocuous enough, no?In the comment section, please leave the name of the person you think Romney should pick as his VP. After we receive enough comments–and provided I can remember how to do it–I will do another post with the top 5-10 names on which everyone may vote. We’re Mormon…that is how we do this kind of thing…by common consent (no affiliation intended to that liberal behemoth blog that shall not be named), right?
Conservative, Moderate, Liberal, Libertarian…all are welcome to participate and comment. I am an equal opportunity offender. Even those that read BCC are welcome to comment. 🙂
Condoleeza Rice.
I’m for Rob Portman. Not so much that I would actually vote Republican with him on the ticket, mind you. But if there has to be a Republican VP, I would sleep best at night if it were Portman.
I’d feel good about Condoleeza. Colin Powell, maybe. I’m mad at him, but…….
It’s pretty tricky, I imagine.
I’m not sure Condaleeza Rice would be a good pick for Romney. Condi is too closed to GWB and I think it would be wise for Romney to maintain distance from GWB and his policies. Any GWB neocon on the ticket invites unwanted scrutiny and would prove to be a distraction.
Last Lemming- I don’t know much about Portman. I will have to trust you on your assestment of the man.
In order to court the evangelical vote (and because so many evangelicals still hate Mormons), Romney is going to have to pick a super-right crazy bible-thumper to shore up the base.
And while it won’t be the death sentence to his campaign that Palin was to McCain’s, it’ll help drive the moderate, independent voter away from him.
Braeden, I’m not sure he needs to go that far to win over the evangelicals. In my opinion, he simply needs someone who aligns with Evangelicals on moral issues. Bible thumping won’t garner any votes from the independents or moderates, as you rightly observe.
You may be right – they may not be explicitly “evangelical”, but they’ll have to tow the party line. I think he’s bound to pick a Santorum-esque person. And personally, I can’t wait. It’ll be a beautiful train wreck.
If he picked Christie, is it likely he’d win NJ and NH? Where would he lose as a result of picking Christie? Not the deep south… I bet Christie would help more in areas like WI, MI, CO, and NM than it would hurt in the south… Not that I agree with Christie on most of his politics, but he’s certainly a rhetorical presence on the stage like Gingrich, but without all the hard-right conservative baggage.
It will probably be Mitch Daniels, the IN governor. He’s a Bildeberger man, etc. and they’ll instruct Romney who his running mate will be.
Portman and Rubio seem to be on top of most lists. I could see Rick Perry getting close scrutiny, but some Texas acquaintances have told me that there is something wrong with Gov. Perry the last couple of years. In other words, some of his mistakes during the primary would not have happened back in ’06 or ’04. Mitt’s team would smoke that out very quickly.
I think that Paul Ryan also has a good shot, and would certainly bring a certain emphasis to the campaign.
I like Bobby Jindal.
Braeden, I am certainly on the edge of my seat, waiting for the political theater that is likely to come with Romney’s VP pick. I am certain that Team Obama is preparing strategies for whom ever Romney picks for the number two roll.
” He’s a Bildeberger man, etc. and they’ll instruct Romney who his running mate will be.”
Sounds like an exciting conspiracy theory, Monte. Haven’t heard Daniel’s name mentioned much, but that doesn’t mean he’s not on the list, or being vetted.
If the Bildebergers are that powerful, then they played a prank when they gave us Biden.
El Oso, I just don’t see how Rick Perry could even make the long list for VP. He seems more like a liability to the campaign.
I think Portman, Rubio, or Ryan will be on the short list.
mormonchess- That was quite the joke. I actually enjoy having Biden as the VP. You never know what he will say next!
JA- I like Jindall as well. He definitely will play a role in the Romney administration.
Oops! Looks like I glossed over the proverbial “elephant” in the room- Christie! 😉 I like the guy and his “straight shooter” approach on the issues, or, as you put it, “his rhetorical presence”. That said, I don’t think there is a snowball’s chance in hell of him being the VP. I would love it, but it ain’t happening!
I am hoping for Rand Paul, but I doubt it will happen. I am guessing Rubio or Jindal or Christie. Of those three, I would prefer Christie.
The phrase is “TOE the line”, not “tow the line.”
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toe_the_line
and: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-toe2.htm
Grammar-cop out.
I think it depends on whether Republicans are more worried about Southern voters or Moderates. Since I come from Oregon, where there are just as many “nonaffiliated” voters, as members of either party, all elections come down to those who don’t identify with either party in a manner that makes them want to join.
I certainly think that all of the previous suggestions will be on the short list, but last time Palin was picked, and I can’t remember her being on anyone’s short list. I think it would be a tactical advantage to add Ron Paul as his running mate, but I am not sure the Republican establishment could stomach that.
I think the biggest thing is to choose someone that has been thoroughly vetted (Not Wasilla mayor vetted, but on a national level) and for them to be able to claim, and back up, a consistent record for working with both political parties. I personally think that is the only hope for Mitt to win the election.
Great comments, AIS. While the conservative wing of the GOP is not fond of bipartisanship, I think it will be critical for this and future elections.
I am not beholden or registered to either major political party, so I am looking for someone who will bring balance and bipartisanship to Mitt’s run for president.
Bipartisanship is overrated. Bipartisanship gave us our current debt problems and the Patriot Act and most of the worst legislation in history. What counts is sticking to Constitutional principles.
22 – you raise an interesting question… what’s more likely Ron Paul fans will empty their stomachs at the idea of Paul endorsing Mitt or Republicans will barf up a lung if Mitt selects Paul.
I asked my husband, who has been a Republican since birth. (His godparents include a former Republican President and he personally met almost every major Republican national figure before he turned eight.)
When I asked him who he thought should run with Mitt, his pick has kind of a surprise: Any 4 Star General who has been out of the military for at least two years. His thinking is that Mitt can’t relate to the general public, even though his childhood “friends” relate to him just fine. Most generals have to have worked with a wide swath of Americans who choose to join the military, and while that is a fairly small percentage of Americans, Republicans strongly identify with the military.
If the Republican establishment can accept a Mormom/military ticket, then it gives the South, Christian Conservatives who tend to be very pro-military, and a bulk of LDS voters. It also of course is likely to have a higher turn out by military personel who general have a lower turn out rate than the general population. (Some of this can be explained by deployments and not being in touch with local races that appear on their absentee ballots, but not completely.)
It is an interesting thought. If you can’t get Colin Powell, then choose someone with similar military credentials? Personally I am not sure who that would be, but then I didn’t know who Sarah Palin was 5 years ago.
Geoff, I think we need people in office who are willing to work together to eliminate debt and unconstitutional practices. This is my idea of bipartisanship, which I think, on some levels, is possible.
Chris, What an exciting visual! Barfing up a lung! 🙂 Got pictures?
Ya it looks like this 🙂
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/27/article-2092653-0618DC29000005DC-634_468x342.jpg
I love it, Chris!
The GOP is decidedly not worried about Southern votes. According to the latest polling, Obama is tanking in North Carolina and is dead even with Romney in Virginia. If Romney takes those two states back from the Obama 2008 win column, Obama is going to find it very difficult to get to 270 electoral votes.
Since Romney doesn’t have to worry about the South, it makes it easier to focus on Wisconsin and Michigan, where they are tied in a dead heat. Obama was hoping that those two “blue” states would be securely in his column by now. The fact that they aren’t means that Obama is legitimately in trouble.