Romney VP search begins

[RogueBeaver]

Led by Beth Myers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hunt-commences-for-a-vice-president-pick/2012/04/16/gIQAue9XLT_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/vice-presidential-candidates/

http://news.yahoo.com/romney-taps-longtime-adviser-head-vp-search-141359749.html

[RogueBeaver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYCb-UyHc90&feature=relmfu
Paul Ryan Challenges Critics

At some point you actually have to do something about problems.  If we aren't going to talk about solving critical problems, than how can we solve them?  We don't treat Americans like children, that's what we have democrats are for.   


Also, seniors being completely unaffected by ALL of Ryan's plans would flock to Obama why?

Remember the Clinton-Gingrich wars? That's what happens when you fumble the defense. Or farther from home, Australia '93.

[RogueBeaver]

Rubio and Martinez have said NO quite clearly. Christie is a social moderate, Sandoval is pro-choice and a tax-raiser, etc.

[RogueBeaver]

Why are all the pundits so convinced it'll be Rob Portman?  Isn't he unpopular in Ohio?

He's from Ohio (swing state), so Romney wants that. He was director of the Office of Management and Budget, which reinforces their economic as opposed to social message with the voters. And he's not a loose cannon and is unlikely to cause any issues.

Portman is the "SAFEST" choice in "do no harm" with a decent upside if he can bring in enough voters to win Ohio.  However, He's not a strong choice to guarantee Ohio because he's a new Senator and not as popular in Ohio as you need to win the state. 

The other VP possibilities all carry High Risk, with very little electoral upside.  The only risk for Portman is how much dirt the liberal media can tie him to with the Bush White House.  If they can tie him to some budget fiascos, then Portman is sunk as VP.

It is interesting thought that a lot of media pundits and liberals are talking up Portman, probably because he is such an obvious choice.  But another reason to talk him up in the media, is to see how he does with the Spotlight on him, and see what dirt bloggers can dig up.  He's still nationally unknown, and reporters are now seeing him as a valuable candidate for VP. 

If Portman survives the media spotlight for the next couple of months, without any past scandals, he will probably be the VP choice.  If the Portman possibility improves the Romney Poll Numbers in Ohio, then it will almost guarantee him the VP. 

I agree that the 2nd strongest choice on paper would be Jeb.  He's far more popular among republicans and indepedent catholics than portman, and he has no obvious scandals, besides his drug addict children. 

Portman isn't popular, but he's bland, and after Sarah, what they want is bland. As for Jeb Bush, the issue with him has been highlighted.

I think Bland White Guy is probably what Romney will go for -- it is after all the key demographic for the Republican Party, and no presidential candidate wants someone who will upstage him, seem more exciting than him, or highlight his weaknesses.

My free advice for Romney? Pick someone who grew up in a working-class family.

Which means Portman or Ryan.

[RogueBeaver]

Grey-collar should be sufficient, and at any rate the narrative is more important. (Obama doesn't qualify under the purist blue-collar label either. Nor was/is it relevant.) Both of them have the narrative.

[RogueBeaver]

Rubio and Martinez apparently both came from working-class backgrounds.

And both of them are Shermanesque. (Martinez is the legal guardian of her developmentally disabled sister)

It won't be a 20-monther. Especially not an unknown woman, given that the word "Palin" will (unjustly) appear somewhere in the first paragraph of every media story.

[RogueBeaver]

Barone makes some good points about suburbia.

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/article/win-burbs-mitt-may-pick-double-vanilla-veep/485831

[RogueBeaver]

This has what, exactly, do to with the Veepstakes? :puzzled:

[RogueBeaver]

Whatev. My bracketology remains remains unchanged: the final 4, alphabetically, are Jindal/McDonnell/Portman/Ryan.

[RogueBeaver]

I can't believe there are Republicans here who want to put a Bush on the ticket. It would be an early Christmas gift for Obama.

[RogueBeaver]

There's no perfect pick.

[RogueBeaver]

I'm beginning to think that Bobby Jindal would indeed be the best pick.

Glad to see I'm not alone.

[RogueBeaver]

Blitzer's one of my favorites, but I strongly disagree with him.