Anyone else catch Rubio's interview with Candy Crowley this morning?
He seemed to back-track from his previous promise to automatically reject a VP offer...
Rubio will not be the VP as Romney's choice or by his own withdrawal.
The reason Rubio is no longer "rejecting" VP is because he wants the Media Exposure and PR from being VP.
Basically, Rubio will be seen as another Palin, who is simply too young and NOT READY to be president on day one. Picking Rubio would be a huge desperation move on Romney for Hispanics/Florida voters, with great public uneasiness about Rubio becoming president possibly as early as 2013. Rubio will be seen as a dangerous maverick move that senile McCain would make. The question you have to ask yourself, Is President Rubio ready now, and the answer most Americans will say is "no."
So the Romney staff also wants to keep Rubio in the VP headlines because it will give the perception that Romney is targeting Hispanic voters and Florida voters. Its a PR game for the Romney camp to float Rubio's name as a leading contender. The Romney camp will float all the Swing State VP possibilities just to pander to Swing states, even if those men/women will not be serious considerations. Example, Obama wanted Tim Kaine as VP, but this was basically a ploy to gain Virginia voters and surrogates.
Rubio wants to keep his name in the VP headlines because it will help his gravitas when he runs for president in 2016/2020, improves his fundraising, helps his re-election, improves his Senate clout, and media clout. Rubio is playing the PR game plain and simple. He has no substance as a VP candidate in 2012.
Romney won't make a desperate high risk pick to pander to voters.
But Romney will make a pick for someone who he cannot win without and offers substance as a serious presidential possibility. The Romney VP will offer just the right ingredients to win the necessary independent and swing state voters. The question is finding the right person if he/she exists.
Agree. With the exception of Franklin Roosevelt who was a losing running mate in 1920, I don't recall any losing running mates in recent history going on to be President.
President Lodge? President Muskie? President Shriver? President Dole? President Lieberman? President Edwards? President Palin?
