The Republican Vice-Presidential Spectulation Thread.

[IDS Speaker Ben Kenobi]

Dick Lugar would be perfect, Winfield.

[Jayhawker]

Dick Lugar would be perfect, Winfield.

He would never accept, I promise you. Maybe 10 years ago, but not today.

Plus, Romney needs someone who can get the far-right pretty excited, and as Lugar's Senate primary has shown, he couldn't do that. Lugar is pretty uncharasmatic, pretty old, has low stamina. The only positive he brings is his foreign policy experience.

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

Let's face it: there really isn't a "perfect" candidate for VP this election. Unless it's someone completely out of left field with foreign policy experience and is conservative, but not conservative enough to scare away indies, the GOP is cooked, this one's over.

[MilesC56]

I could maybe consider Romney if he chooses Collins or Hagel, but the conservatives dislike him enough as it is...

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

Hagel

Oh how I wish.

[GPORTER]

I don't think that he should pick anyone related to the congress. Think about what happened in 1996 and 1948, among other elections probably.

Bob McDonnell, Susana Martinez

[RogueBeaver]

Heilemann's take.

http://nymag.com/news/politics/powergrid/romney-running-mate-heilemann-2012-4/

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

Bob McDonnell

Not exactly a great choice after his recent...existence.

[IDS Speaker Ben Kenobi]

Lugar is pretty uncharasmatic, pretty old, has low stamina.

And his flaws?

[Chris B]

According to this article from the Washington Post, per campaign staff, Romney is less likely to pick a 'game changing' pick and may try and get around picking a more conservative pick.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-veepstakes-begin/2012/03/30/gIQATWo8lS_story.html

[Jayhawker]

Lugar is pretty uncharasmatic, pretty old, has low stamina.

And his flaws?

All of that, plus the fact that he has a rather moderate voting record that many conservatives wouldn't be too keen on. I would love him to be VP - I just don't think it's good from an electability standpoint unless you're Obama. Lugar was also very favorable of Obama back when Obama first took office and had good things to say about him, so those soundbites would certainly be played over and over in a GE.

[IDS Speaker Ben Kenobi]

From what you're saying, he would put the O in GOP. Sounds like he'd be perfect. He'd make Romney look positively vivid.

[Swedish Cheese]

I've said it from the beginning. Jim DeMint, socially-conservative southern tea party leader with brains and years of experience who supported Mitt already in 08 would be the only sensible choice.

Now I get the love for Rubio, but he's to untried at the moment. Romney will not risk that so soon after Palin.

[Cory]

The more I think about it the better Jindal looks for Romney's VEEP slot. He's socially conservative, a (popular) Southern Governor, and ethnic. I don' think anybody really cares/remembers about the SOTU response in 2009 anymore. A good convention speech and it will be like it never happened.

I'm having a hard time seeing many flaws. Anybody else?

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

I've said it from the beginning. Jim DeMint, socially-conservative southern tea party leader with brains and years of experience who supported Mitt already in 08 would be the only sensible choice.

Now I get the love for Rubio, but he's to untried at the moment. Romney will not risk that so soon after Palin.

DeMint's the most conservative Senator in the Senate. Independents vote too, remember?

[TheGlobalizer]

I actually think Tom Coburn would be a rather brilliant pick as well.  I think Ron Paul could tolerate endorsing a ticket with Coburn on it.

[GLPman]

I've been thinking about this a lot recently, especially since it's obvious at this point that Romney will be the nominee. There are three people that stand out in my mind as the best picks for Romney at this point:

1) Bob McDonnell - A southern governor that will help Romney with the base of the party. He might even help swing Virginia towards Romney. He's proven to be an effective campaigner, as well. The only problem is that he might come off as a little too conservative to independents.

2) Marco Rubio - Obvious, perhaps, but nonetheless an overall solid choice. Rubio could help deliver Florida. He's conservative enough to help Romney with the base. Any Rubio-Palin analogy is flawed because Palin was fairly well unknown, plus Rubio actually has some experience. One flaw, though, is that Obama could tie Rubio to the "Do-Nothing" Congress.

3) Bobby Jindal -  Relatively popular governor of a southern state who would certainly help Romney with the base. In addition, his Indian heritage certainly doesn't hurt. While he isn't from a swing state, he is certainly more well-known than the other candidates. One set back is his SOTU response, though.

I'm convinced it will be one of these three individuals. All three of these men offer more than Martinez, Portman, Burr, Thune, or other discussed candidates.

[TheGlobalizer]

I'll say here, now:

It won't be McDonnell or Rubio.  Rubio is Palin and McDonnell is the vagina guy.

[milhouse24]

Name just one reason why Jeb would not be the best VP nominee?  And blaming his last name is a cop-out and if you're worried about last names, then "hussein obama" didn't scare away a majority of voters.  A majority of the voters will not be scared away from "bush".

Plus his better half is hispanic.

If Jeb is picked, the liberal media will be pooping their pants for the next 8 years, as will all liberals. 

[asexual trans victimologist]

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT JEB BUSH?

[Diabolical Minds Think Alike]

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT JEB BUSH?

Right? I wanna know why the right continues to wet themselves so much about him.

[5280/East California]

What about Paul Ryan?

[retromike22]

I've got it! What about Phil Gramm?!

[Cory]

3) Bobby Jindal -One set back is his SOTU response, though.

I don't think anyone really cares about that anymore. Like I said earlier he's a good convention speech away from it having virtually never happened.

[GLPman]

3) Bobby Jindal -One set back is his SOTU response, though.

I don't think anyone really cares about that anymore. Like I said earlier he's a good convention speech away from it having virtually never happened.

Except I'm not sure if Jindal could really pull off that good convention speech. He's not exactly very charismatic.