Romney to announce running mate on Saturday @9am ET in Norfolk, VA

[RogueBeaver]

Drawn out affair? The pick is never announced till 3 weeks pre-convention, minimum. They head-faked us about a possible July rollout.

[RogueBeaver]

Also from that Morrissey interview: the "Come back later" tag on his website means nothing.

Addendum: Pawlenty’s website now only has a cryptic message of “Please come back later,” but don’t read anything into that.  The site had been funded first by Pawlenty’s PAC, and then his presidential campaign.  A source on the latter tells me that when the campaign officially closed, so did the funding for the site, and a staffer put the message up.  The message may be changed to something more appropriate just to avoid unnecessary speculation, but there are no more plans for the site at this time.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Drawn out affair? The pick is never announced till 3 weeks pre-convention, minimum. They head-faked us about a possible July rollout.

haha, true say. I just happened to fall for it.

But I'm happy that Martinez's name has started cropping up in this thread a little more than usual. Maybe everyone's on to something. One can hope.

[For Oklahoma]

I think the pick will be either the end of the first week or the early second week of August.

[RogueBeaver]

Not during the Olympics IMO.

[RogueBeaver]

NPR has a short Ryan profile up.

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/157246809/budget-hawk-ryan-offers-romney-risk-reward

[RogueBeaver]

Myers name-drops someone who isn't being vetted.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/24/romney-vp-vetting-chief-mentions-mcdonnell/

Both McDonnell and Jindal stumping in Iowa for Romney. Rubio will be stumping in Nevada also.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/07/mcdonnell-hitting-iowa-for-romney-130008.html

[IDS Legislator Alfred F. Jones]

What happened to Rubio, by the way? Did they stop vetting him, and if so, why?

[RogueBeaver]

What happened to Rubio, by the way? Did they stop vetting him, and if so, why?

He was never vetted, Romney's comment a month ago notwithstanding. I'm sure he gets a primetime speaking slot.

[Mr. Morden]

We have some really important veepstakes news today: Kelly Ayotte was included in The Hill's "50 most beautiful people" list:

http://thehill.com/capital-living/cover-stories/239791-the-hills-50-most-beautiful-people-2012?start=11

That is, 50 most beautiful people on Capital Hill, not 50 most beautiful people in the world.  But note:

"Ayotte declined to participate in an interview for this feature."

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

[RogueBeaver]

Not much more than Jeb lobbying Romney to pick Rubio.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78998.html

[RogueBeaver]

Romney: next week will be the earliest time slot.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/79010.html

[Former Moderate]

We have some really important veepstakes news today: Kelly Ayotte was included in The Hill's "50 most beautiful people" list:

http://thehill.com/capital-living/cover-stories/239791-the-hills-50-most-beautiful-people-2012?start=11

That is, 50 most beautiful people on Capital Hill, not 50 most beautiful people in the world.  But note:

"Ayotte declined to participate in an interview for this feature."

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

It could mean that she finds the idea of being included on a "prettiest legislators" list pretty demeaning.

[Darius_Addicus_Gaius]

I'm not sure that Rubio would bring the success that Republicans are hoping it would bring. Yes, I can see Romney comfortably winning in Florida but as far as recruiting Hispanics, many will see Rubio as not authentically Hispanic due to his party registration. He does more help than harm to the ticket but it doesn't seem to be all it's been cracked up to be.

[RogueBeaver]

If you're arguing for a Veep based on hardware only then that's an automatic forfeit. They'll get tarred as an AA pick and badly damage their image, quite possibly their careers.

Back OT, here are the Fab Four schedules.

Jindal: Rally in Coral Springs, FL today.

Pawlenty: Raleigh, NC tomorrow.

Portman: OH tomorrow, PA Monday.

Ryan: WI Sunday.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/vp-audition-8-hopefuls-fan-out-for-romney/article/2503313

[For Oklahoma]

It'll be either Ryan or Pawlenty.

[RogueBeaver]

It'll be either Ryan or Pawlenty.

Yep. I still don't get all the hoopla about T-Paw. It boils down to "Generic Midwestern R who Romney likes." Politically he doesn't bring anything to the table and wouldn't raise any money, his own debts are being paid off courtesy of Boston. .

[Darius_Addicus_Gaius]

The Upper Midwest or Great Lake states is where I believe the election will be decided so it's not a bad idea to pick Pawlenty or Ryan. Leaning Democratic states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio will likely decide this race. Don't forget Iowa and Pennsylvania either. I consider my part of PA to be midwest. I still think Rubio can turn CO, NM, and NV if things are done right.

[Former Moderate]

Did a 'Follow Friday' list reveal the name of Mitt Romney's VP choice?

http://www.tecca.com/news/2012/07/27/mitt-romney-running-mate-leak-twitter/

I'm personally hoping it's Condoleezza Rice. Mitt needs to prove he won't make the same mistakes as McCain and pick someone capable of serving as president from day one.

[Lieutenant Governor Clinton1996]

The Upper Midwest or Great Lake states is where I believe the election will be decided so it's not a bad idea to pick Pawlenty or Ryan. Leaning Democratic states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio will likely decide this race. Don't forget Iowa and Pennsylvania either. I consider my part of PA to be midwest. I still think Rubio can turn CO, NM, and NV if things are done right.

Do Republicans not seem to get that Rubio just being on the ticket won't turn Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. Rubio is Cuba. A majority of Hispanics in this country are Mexican-American and don't identify with cubans because of their preferential immigration status. Polls have shown Rubio to have little to no effect on hispanics.

[Mr. Morden]

Did a 'Follow Friday' list reveal the name of Mitt Romney's VP choice?

http://www.tecca.com/news/2012/07/27/mitt-romney-running-mate-leak-twitter/

I'm personally hoping it's Condoleezza Rice. Mitt needs to prove he won't make the same mistakes as McCain and pick someone capable of serving as president from day one.

She tweets out 13 different names, and I don't think anyone is seriously thinking it'll be someone not on that list.  But the list is surely longer than the current short list.  I mean, Newt Gingrich as Romney's running mate?  I can't believe that that was ever considered.

[RogueBeaver]

It'll be one of the people in her first tweet but we knew that already.

Branstad endorses Rubio.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/28/13012808-rubio-picks-up-vice-presidential-support-from-iowas-gov-branstad?ocid=twitter

[For Oklahoma]

Branstad endorses Rubio.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/28/13012808-rubio-picks-up-vice-presidential-support-from-iowas-gov-branstad?ocid=twitter

Game changer.

[Reaganfan]

I'm hoping it's Condoleezza Rice.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I'm hoping it's Condoleezza Rice.

Same. It gets people talking. She's ready to be president. She isn't stupid. The right won't hate her. Obama will attack her for being close to Bush, which will probably come across as the most obivous distraction in the world.

I think it would be a good pick.