Talk Elections

A few months ago- Bob McConnell was discussed here and across the country as one of the most likely VP picks and one who most obviously wanted it... what happened?

You said it yourself. He publicly campaigned for the job worse than Edwards did in '04, plus the transvaginal ultrasound bill back in February.

Fixed the title.

Who said he isn't, still?  I'm not sure what names have or have not been eliminated from the VP list.

He almost signed a bill that would mandate doctors rape abortion patients with probes.

How does one "almost" sign something? 

He's less useful and more damaging to the Romney campaign than a Thune or a Pawlenty.

And that, at least in Pawlenty's case, is pretty bad.

Bob McConnell doesn't exist.

Mitch McConnell never was considered.

Bob McDonnell the abortion bill, though I don't think that will hurt the ticket as everyone thinks. Then again Ken Buck lost Colorado solely on abortion and that was 2010 when unemployment was even higher.

Oh my god at first I thought you were suggesting Mitch McConnell.

First rule of VP selection: do no harm.

Regardless of McDonnell's merits, Romney has plenty of other prospective to pick from with comparable benefits, but who won't allow the Democrats to bring the "War on Women" into the Presidential race.

I can imagine the ads: "Bob McDonnell threatened to veto a bill that would have required transvaginal ultrasounds before an abortion.  WAR ON WOMEN!!!!"

Much more important was his brazen campaigning for the job.

Sorry, but you really didn't pay much attention at all during that time did you? The law was tinkered with a little, but the law he signed is almost as bad.

He only threatened a veto, because the national media picked up on this and there was severe blow-back and so he backed down from what was wholehearted support beforehand.

There's other stuff from well before the ultrasound law that would have sunk McDonnell's prospects, most notably his Confederate History Month proclamation, and the stuff in his master's thesis about gays and feminism.  The latter being particularly unhelpful, given the "war on women" meme.

I recall some controversy over the fact that he admitted a few months ago that Obama deserved credit for the economic recovery.

I think his thesis from Pat Robertson's "university" on using public policy to punish "homosexuals, co-habitators and fornicators" probably would have bitten him also. 

Isn't that what I said?

Indeed, I scanned... apologies.

It only strengthens your point :P

Oh sure, I didn't pay any attention to a bill dealing with an issue I care deeply about in my own state.

From your perspective, any bill limiting abortion would have been "almost as bad."

I think the main issue with choosing McDonnell is that he's more of a social issues governor than a fiscal issues governor; or, at least, that's the reputation he has.


Yeah, that happened not too long ago.  That was probably the final nail in the coffin.

One thing that no one has picked up on was the controversy surrounding he Virginia primary process. Many have speculated, including PoliSci guru Larry Sabato, that McDonnell, a Romney supporter, might have had something to do with the failure of anyone other than Romney or Paul to make it on the ballot. That, and conspiracy theories surrounding Paul being Romney's wingman, might prevent either McDonnell or Rand Paul from getting the VP nod.

That's certainly not his reputation in Virginia.

I've honestly only heard about the abortion bill and the Confederate History Month issue, not his fiscal accomplishments.

I guess it's no surprise those are the things that gain attention in the national media.  He's definitely signaled for a while he's not interested in pushing social issue legislation - much to the consternation of some in the House of Delegates.