Romney VP search: free-floating speculation and wish list thread

[Wisconsin+17]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

This is why he should go with Christine O'Donnell.

[AmericanNation]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

Let's say you were serious, just promise Haley Barbour and Jeb Bush whatever job they want.  Problem solved. 

[milhouse24]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

This is why he should go with Christine O'Donnell.

She's not married.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

This is why he should go with Christine O'Donnell.

She's not married.

Also, I'm pretty sure she's a witch.

[AmericanNation]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

This is why he should go with Christine O'Donnell.

She's not married.

Also, I'm pretty sure she's a witch.

As I recall, the definitive point of her campaign was that she is NOT a witch.  I believe her.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I maintain that Burr is an excellent pick.  He's Southern but not Haley Barbour Southern; he's from a swing state; conservative but not Jim DeMint crazy; he's won multiple elections; and he's scandal free.

[tpfkaw]

Randomass suggestion:  What about Jaime Herrera?

[Kevin]

I personally think Romney should chose someone with alot of foreign/security experience to be VP. For the sake of balancing out the ticket policy wise. Ex. Michael Hayden, Rice,  Jim Talent etc.

[milhouse24]

I maintain that Burr is an excellent pick.  He's Southern but not Haley Barbour Southern; he's from a swing state; conservative but not Jim DeMint crazy; he's won multiple elections; and he's scandal free.

I like Burr as well, and he can probably deliver strong GOTV in NC and VA.
But I think Thune is more popular with Evangelicals and has a higher national prominence. 
Burr has never seemed to indicate he has national aspirations, and therefore, he might not be well prepared to handle the VP media attention. 

I see this election similar to 2004.  Kerry could have won with General Clark or someone else besides Edwards.  All he needed was a few more votes in Ohio. 

Romney is very similar to Kerry in many ways, and he will face similar problems.  Are there any Republican Generals available for politics? 

[AmericanNation]

I maintain that Burr is an excellent pick.  He's Southern but not Haley Barbour Southern; he's from a swing state; conservative but not Jim DeMint crazy; he's won multiple elections; and he's scandal free.

I like Burr as well, and he can probably deliver strong GOTV in NC and VA.
But I think Thune is more popular with Evangelicals and has a higher national prominence. 
Burr has never seemed to indicate he has national aspirations, and therefore, he might not be well prepared to handle the VP media attention. 

I see this election similar to 2004.  Kerry could have won with General Clark or someone else besides Edwards.  All he needed was a few more votes in Ohio. 

Romney is very similar to Kerry in many ways, and he will face similar problems.  Are there any Republican Generals available for politics? 

Petreus is the only one with enough 'gravitas.'  Some wouldn't consider him 'available' though.   

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I maintain that Burr is an excellent pick.  He's Southern but not Haley Barbour Southern; he's from a swing state; conservative but not Jim DeMint crazy; he's won multiple elections; and he's scandal free.

He's not an excellent pick, tho I don't think there is an excellent pick that would be a game-changer for the Mittbot.  Burr would be a safe pick, which is why I am surprised he doesn't get more press.  Mitt likes to play it safe.  He only leaves his comfort zone if he feels the need.  Right now he doesn't feel the need to take risks, which is probably one reason The Mitt won't call out The Donald for being an idiot.  If the June jobs report is similar to May's, the chances Romney makes a safe boring pick go up.

[AmericanNation]

He's not an excellent pick, tho I don't think there is an excellent pick that would be a game-changer for the Mittbot.  Burr would be a safe pick, which is why I am surprised he doesn't get more press.  Mitt likes to play it safe.  He only leaves his comfort zone if he feels the need.  Right now he doesn't feel the need to take risks, which is probably one reason The Mitt won't call out The Donald for being an idiot.  If the June jobs report is similar to May's, the chances Romney makes a safe boring pick go up.

Game changers List: Rubio, Ryan, (Christie) end of list.  

edit: add Christie

[milhouse24]

He's not an excellent pick, tho I don't think there is an excellent pick that would be a game-changer for the Mittbot.  Burr would be a safe pick, which is why I am surprised he doesn't get more press.  Mitt likes to play it safe.  He only leaves his comfort zone if he feels the need.  Right now he doesn't feel the need to take risks, which is probably one reason The Mitt won't call out The Donald for being an idiot.  If the June jobs report is similar to May's, the chances Romney makes a safe boring pick go up.

Game changers List: Rubio, Ryan, (Christie) end of list.  

edit: add Christie

It just seemed, at least in the past, that so-called risky, game-changing VP with shock value and surprise are just a bunch of hot air that quickly loses steam.  It doesn't seem to translate into consistent votes.  I think in general, humans don't like surprises or change, and are unsure how to react to sudden changes before accepting and adapting to the new situation.  Surprises make humans uneasy and put them in flight mode. 

Rubio is so unknown, that while some hispanics will vote for him just because he's hispanic, other hispanics might not even be paying attention/don't care about politics.  His rawness might also scare away non-hispanics and whites who don't want a senate rookie as vice president.  If Rubio were truly a game-changer, it would need to change the swing vote states, not the popular vote. 

Romney would only choose rubio if he were desperate. 

Besides, Biden and Gore were very important game-changers that helped win elections and voters, even though on the surface they seem boring to the media. 

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Biden wasn't a game changer. Democrats were going to win in 2008 no matter what. Mike Gravel probably could've beaten whoever the GOP nominee ended up being.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

He's not an excellent pick, tho I don't think there is an excellent pick that would be a game-changer for the Mittbot.  Burr would be a safe pick, which is why I am surprised he doesn't get more press.  Mitt likes to play it safe.  He only leaves his comfort zone if he feels the need.  Right now he doesn't feel the need to take risks, which is probably one reason The Mitt won't call out The Donald for being an idiot.  If the June jobs report is similar to May's, the chances Romney makes a safe boring pick go up.

Game changers List: Rubio, Ryan, (Christie) end of list.  

When I mentioned game-changers I was thinking of people who would help Romney, not people who would end up helping Obama overall. Ryan and Christie would definitely hurt Romney.  Rubio is meh.

[Frodo]

After tonight, Scott Walker should be on this list. 

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Actually, after the media buzz of this primary and the way he was able to turn out Republicans, Walker could actually put the state in play for Romney. The effect of walker in WI would probably be stronger than the effect of Rubio in Florida or Portman in Ohio.

Having Wisconsin in the GOP column would really help Romney.

Personally, I'm not a fan of Walker. But I think he could be a net positive.

[RogueBeaver]

Actually, after the media buzz of this primary and the way he was able to turn out Republicans, Walker could actually put the state in play for Romney. The effect of walker in WI would probably be stronger than the effect of Rubio in Florida or Portman in Ohio.

Having Wisconsin in the GOP column would really help Romney.

Personally, I'm not a fan of Walker. But I think he could be a net positive.

If Romney picks a Badger it will be Ryan, not Walker.

[WhyteRain]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

This is why he should go with Christine O'Donnell.

Obama has not had a single Southerner (black, white, or otherwise) in his cabinet -- probably the first President ever to show so much contempt for a region that holds 30% of the U.S. population.  I think even Lincoln had a Southerner or two (wasn't the slaveowning Blair the Postmaster General?) and he was in war against the South.

[Wisconsin+17]

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Obama doesn't have to care, he's got a free card as a black man. Do you really think that the media is going to call him out for ignoring the South? No. But what they will be selling 24/7, is the proof that Obama cares about hispanic people because he's black.

Obama doesn't have to win the south, Romney does, and the fact that Cheezy Grits was shutout there, demonstrates that he's not going to have an easy time winning votes.

[Wisconsin+17]

'quote]Let's say you were serious, just promise Haley Barbour and Jeb Bush whatever job they want.  Problem solved.[/quote]

President? 

[Wisconsin+17]

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And your point? Having a pretty single lady VP? She's everything Mitt ain't.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Thune is winning?

[Bull Moose Base]

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He needs a southerner on the ticket. Going with Thune will show that Romney doesn't give a **** about the South.

This is why he should go with Christine O'Donnell.

Obama has not had a single Southerner (black, white, or otherwise) in his cabinet -- probably the first President ever to show so much contempt for a region that holds 30% of the U.S. population.  I think even Lincoln had a Southerner or two (wasn't the slaveowning Blair the Postmaster General?) and he was in war against the South.

Whatever happened to the former first lady of Arkansas?  Wasn't she in the mix at one point?

[Bull Moose Base]

Thune is winning?

Oh, board.