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

[California8429]

If Romney ever thought she'd be good he's a lunatic. No one wants a SECOND New England moderate. Not to mention she brings a whole lot of baggage from her prosecution years past. She's inexperienced. As stated, if you want a woman who was just elected Martinez is the choice.

[California8429]

Right now I'm thinking first tier- Pawlenty and Portman (lean Pawlenty)
2- Jindal and Martinez (Martinez is Romney's game changer pick that won't backfire)
3- Ayotte, Thune, Rice (I'll explain her below)
4- McDonnell if he can't get these guys to say yes

The announcement is going to come between the end of the olympics and the beginning of the convention. Romney's last high profile campaign move will be his international trip, on top of the Olympics. I think he's going to pick someone with foreign policy experience, and the closer date to the end of the Olympics I think it will be more likely he/she will have foreign policy experience to a date closer to the RNC where his international trip was longer ago.

The reason I previously thought Portman had to be it despite his close Bush ties, was his vast foreign policy experience. I'm changing my mind now after reading an article from years ago about Pawlenty and a more recent one citing the old article and his foreign policy experience. Pawlenty has made international trips, 8 years as commander in chief of the national guard (no it isn't really a war in Minnesota, but it's still something), pressuring the Indian company not to invest in Iran. The key thing is Pawlenty is "his own" foreign policy, not an extension of Bush like Portman is. Portman has more experience in every area, and Romney should heavily consider a Senator if he's choosing a candidate to governor with not to win with since the Senate could be 50-50, and no matter what he needs a lot of friends in the Senate to get any agenda he wants through, Portman gives him that.

This is why Rice is still up on the list, and yes she has been looked at somewhat because she was invited to the speech audition, if you may, in Utah and stunned the crowd. If Romney is about to change this campaign to be about foreign policy then she's the pick, not Portman, not Pawlenty. But I doubt he'll make that move at all. Still, she isn't tied to Bush's domestic woes like Portman could be tagged as.

Jindal on the other hand hasn't made many trips, in fact none as Governor. He's the most conservative out of everyone at the top of the list (maybe next to Paul Ryan who I don't think Romney will pick because it guarantees a fight for entitlements and Romney is too weak and fearful of that fight), but he has the least foreign policy experience.

Romney wants his personality next to him that will be loyal and won't be running around making a name for himself or herself.

The reason he'd choose Martinez is because he would be serious about winning hispanics, women, the election, and focussing on the economy. She's a tough cookie. I've read her bio and just because she assumed the Governorship 1.5 years ago, does not mean she is a newbie at all. I would argue she's much better suited to shoot down the "she's as dumb as Palin" idea than Ayotte. Her vice is that as I view it today, Romney is looking for someone with some foreign policy experience. Sure you can argue dealing with Mexico (or Texas ) counts, but it isn't as large as the other guys in the race. I think she becomes a more likely pick if he continues to wait after the Olympics.

I think he'll actually decide after the Olympics because he's going to wait and see the reaction to how he did on the international stage. Will he need someone for whatever reason, with a foreign policy background or not. That will shift this whole mess around on who's at the top of the list.

[California8429]

It seems the 10th is the day. The olympics will be died down by then, I mean nobody really watches the closing ceremony, it sorta fades away. He doesn't have to wait until the actual close. I bet he'll kick it off on the bus tour so people watch, otherwise he finishes with it and nobody really cares until he finishes the tour and if he announces on the way it's giving the middle finger to the bus tour states he already went to.

[California8429]

Pawlenty's made the top 2 last time, presumably McCain's team knew about that. Though given how laughably incompetent they were in "vetting" Palin maybe not. Pawlenty is the least wealthy of this trio. Portman #1, Ryan #2.

McCain never seriously looked at him at all in the final round. He was simply used as a decoy and wasn't even told he was a decoy.

[California8429]

Bus tour officially announced. VA (11), NC (12), FL (13), OH (14).

Yeah, that's a change from the initial schedule.  It was originally August 10-13, now it's 11-14.  So it doesn't start until Saturday.  Will Ann be back from London by Saturday?    Also, if my Michigan announcement idea pans out, maybe Romney hops accross the OH/MI stateline either late on the 14th or on the morning of the 15th and announces his pick.

Finally, The Twitter tells me Romney will campaign with McDonnell in VA and with Portman in OH.

Cam this rule out McDonnell and Portman as VP then? McDonnell as lower on the list anyways even if this is starting in Virginia.

[California8429]

As adverted by the Jeffco party chair and Vice Chair of the state

[quote]RALLY 08/08/2012 WITH SENATOR ROB PORTMAN

SENATOR ROB PORTMAN WILL BE IN DENVER ON WEDNESDAY, 08/08/2012, FOR A 2:30 PM RALLY AT HOTEL VQ (RIGHT NEXT TO MILE HIGH STADIUM). COME JOIN THE CROWD, SEE THE ROMNEY BUS AND GET EXCITED!/quote]

Thune was here today or yesterday I believe to campaign for Joe Coors.

Just a heads up. Interesting note Romney's bus is here but not him.

[California8429]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/08/pawlenty-in-michigan-for-romney-well-know-soon-enough-about-v-p/

T-Paw names everyone he thinks is on the list.

Interesting that Martinez was one of the first he said even though she's been announced for a speaking spot. And Petraeus at the end...

Then again it's really Romney and Beth Myers and those being vetted that know who's being vetted.

[California8429]

Rice is a name if picked would cause me to write in Ron Paul. She's not pro-life. Like I've said he needs someone who will solidify the conservative wing to his cause. DeMint, one of the Paul's, Nikki Haley, Susan Martinez or Rubio.

You can't play it safe. You must play to win.

Those would not be a pick to win.

[California8429]

Again, sorry to throw cold water on this, but I wouldn't read too much into Romney's comments about "strength of character, a vision for the country that adds something to the political discourse about the direction of the country".  He has to say stuff like that.  Do you expect him to say that he'll pick a running mate who doesn't add something to the political discourse?

Anyway, at one point I was thinking that there was a chance Romney would make the announcement in Tampa, if he was there for the Florida leg of his bus tour, simply for symbolic reasons, because it's the site of the RNC.  But it looks like he *won't* go to Tampa when he visits Florida on Monday:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/08/romney-headed-to-miami-monday-to-launch-his-bus-trip.html

I still think there would be some logic to teasing the announcement at the beginning of the bus trip, and then making the announcement at the end, but I guess that would put us at perhaps Tuesday evening for the end of the bus trip now.  Or maybe it will be later in the week.

Absolutely, but here's the thing: Unless the candidate is with the running mate at the time of announcement, the candidate has to tell the Secret Service who the running mate is before announcing it publicly. The mainstream media is almost surely tagging all of the potential veeps right now just waiting for a sign of the Secret Service.

adds something though isn't your generic "my vp will be american and a republican". Adding something to the discourse means adding to the ticket, which means not a clone of himself. Sure, maybe I'm looking way to much into those words, or he hinted without even knowing that this person is actually going to add something to the ticket and isn't going to be a Portman or Thune

[California8429]

Romney schedule:

http://race42012.com/2012/08/10/romneys-bus-tour-incomplete-schedule/

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/08/romney-headed-to-miami-monday-to-launch-his-bus-trip.html

Friday, Aug 10
No events made public
Saturday, Aug 11
8:45 a.m. — Norfolk, VA
12:30 p.m. — Ashland, VA
3:45 p.m. — Manassas, VA
Sunday, Aug 12
9:30 a.m. — Mooresville, NC
12:30 p.m. — High Point, NC
4:00 p.m. — Morrisville, NC
Monday, Aug 13
8:00 a.m. — St. Augustine, FL
midday? — Orlando, FL
5:00 p.m. — Miami, FL
Tuesday, Aug 14
3:30 p.m. — Zanesville, OH
7:00 p.m. — Chillicothe, OH

So Romney picks the man today and meets in secret with him somewhere? Or at least a super long conference call with the staff assuming they've met bunch. Palin had to be flown out because she never had really met with McCain and staffers.

So if he announces in Virginia- McDonnell. If it's Ohio, Portman. Or of course anyone since it's the beginning and end of the bus tour which is why it starts and ends with Va and Oh and not Fl because we know he never looked at Rubio as he never should.

[California8429]

August 15th is for the Italy-England Friendly and nothing else. He better not announce that day.

Also, I heard rumblings today that Christie is emerging as a contender again. Any truth to it? I personally doubt it but a source of mine in NJ said he's hearing some things.

He turned down Vice-Chair of the NGA to prepare for 2013. There's no way Romney and Myers would want the same Palin mistake of a VP who's charisma overshadows the presidential candidate.

[California8429]

I had a dream Mittens picked Newt for his VP lol

Sounds more like a nightmare.

Sounds amazing

[California8429]

Thune is booked for CNN on Sunday. Will Romney play the McCain thing he did with T-Paw with Thune? Doing it twice to T-Paw just makes it a ritual.

[California8429]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mhastings/veepstakes-sen-kelly-ayotte-changes-travel-plans

Ayotte the new T-Paw let's pretend I'm VP for a day?

[California8429]

Drudge now says Romney was making calls late tonight to those shortlisters who weren't chosen.

Also:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/313677/boston-janesville-robert-costa

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Ryan as veep has shot up to 87.5 on Intrade.

What was it the night before Palin was announced? Pawlenty high on intrade?

Romney has done a great job at making it look like it could be Ayotte, McDonnell, Portman, and Pawlenty. Would he screw things up at the end? I mean why would someone fly from Boston to Wisconsin, unless it's another decoy? Shouldn't they fly from DC...I mean, was Myers in Boston until today?

[California8429]

The plane is there to pick up his son who was sent there to throw off people. It's not Ryan.

DO you have a link?

[California8429]

The plane is there to pick up his son who was sent there to throw off people. It's not Ryan.

DO you have a link?

jmf did this crap 4 years ago and was right, about planes and Palin

I wasn't too familiar with the forum then. As in he predicted it was Palin based on secret flights at night, or said planes had nothing to do with anything?

[California8429]

I'm going drop my jaws if it's Herman Cain.

You have multiple jaws?

I'm not sure which would be more shocking

[California8429]

Even though we've forgotten about him, Chris Christie has been traveling all across the country in the last two weeks, with a heavy emphasis recently on California. Maybe Romney was re-looking at him for a "shake up" after realizing a clone of Romney will be a disaster, still don't think he'll pick him.

[California8429]

Huffington Post just said Ryan

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/11/paul-ryan-mitt-romney_n_1684794.html

[California8429]

Students for Mitt Romney have a new FB page with Romney-Ryan

[California8429]

All these Ryan leaks are seeming... rather coordinated.

There's only two I believe. It's just being stated by everyone.

[California8429]

Wasn't McCain's Veep supposed to be Lieberman but his advisors wanted a right-winger? Although I dunno if it was leaked as Lieberman before hand...

(and before people say that Lieberman is a right-winger, on non-foreign matters he isn't even a moderate)

McCain wanted Lieberman, but a younger staffer was dead set on Palin for a while and convinced the team to look over her. Obviously McCain picking an independent would cause conservative to not show up.

[California8429]

The supposed Ryan plane, as cinyc noted, travels to Janesville regularly anyway, and more importantly, is still in Wisconsin. But as far as I can see the only suspicious private plane to Hampton Roads today is...

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One side of me says this plane stuff is crazy. But another side of me says - it's gotta be Christie, and this Ryan stuff is all a head fake.

Isn't it hard to sneak Christie places without being seen, or having his gravity detected.

But seriously, jmcrst did predict Palin based upon a plane.

If they wanted this picked up though to be a decoy, someone would have nudged a reporter in this direction. Everyone's looked at Wisconsin flight planes, but the world has forgotten Romney might have an ounce of reason not to pick a clone of himself. Then again we may all just be insane politicos

[California8429]

cnn just confirmed paul ryan

Sigh, we only can hope it actually does end up being Christie and that the power of the plane tracking works once again!