Who will be Mitt's running mate?

[joe]

Nah, just a drink or nine.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

even though the GOP tends not to pick VP candidates from swings states (and lately not even from big states- were they really worried about Wyoming and Alaska and those three electoral votes each that they needed to tab Cheney and Palin?) but this time I think they need to consider it. Romney needs to essentially run the table among Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. FL is the biggest in that group and the President taking FL makes things very difficult for Romney. That's why Rubio might be the best choice, especially given his tea party bona fides

If I had to pick a Florida republican, I'd take Crist (he was governor when I lived there and I always liked the guy), but the GOP already has a moderate at the top of the ticket so I doubt they would

Crist remains 'WAY off the national radar.

Skeletons. Closet.

 

[Double J]

 

[93Devil]

I voted other, only because I'm surprised Bob McDonnell isn't on the ballot. I know he took a hit with his vaginal intrusion issues, but he's still pretty popular here. Plus, he's got bonafide conservative credentials and a suprising streak of moderation (most of the time).

And if Romney's looking for another boring white guy, they don't come more milquetoast than McDonnell.

I think McDonnell is in trouble from the base on his waffling semi-evasive response to VaginalProbeGate, because the proper response from the Shiite Repubes is to stonewall, double down, counterattack and ram, ram, ram ram ram whenever any opposition arises to the ALEC agenda.

You are supposed to never ever acknowledge for even a split second the opponent could have anything even remotely approaching a valid point. When you have the sledgehammer in your hand, you are to ram ram ram ram ram, or be accused of not being sufficiently 'pure.'

Since if anything one of Romney's biggest problems with the base is his propensity to tiptoe around things, McDonnell will not help in this area.

McDonnell would not be a terrible choice. He can battle the gay rights issue, and he could swing VA back to the GOP.

But after 2008, anything is possible. God, was Palin just an amazingly poor choice. I still cannot get my head around how smart people, and these are smart people which I do not agree with on matters, could screw up something so badly.

 

[Football_Bat]

I voted other, only because I'm surprised Bob McDonnell isn't on the ballot. I know he took a hit with his vaginal intrusion issues, but he's still pretty popular here. Plus, he's got bonafide conservative credentials and a suprising streak of moderation (most of the time).

And if Romney's looking for another boring white guy, they don't come more milquetoast than McDonnell.

I think McDonnell is in trouble from the base on his waffling semi-evasive response to VaginalProbeGate, because the proper response from the Shiite Repubes is to stonewall, double down, counterattack and ram, ram, ram ram ram whenever any opposition arises to the ALEC agenda.

You are supposed to never ever acknowledge for even a split second the opponent could have anything even remotely approaching a valid point. When you have the sledgehammer in your hand, you are to ram ram ram ram ram, or be accused of not being sufficiently 'pure.'

Since if anything one of Romney's biggest problems with the base is his propensity to tiptoe around things, McDonnell will not help in this area.

McDonnell would not be a terrible choice. He can battle the gay rights issue, and he could swing VA back to the GOP.

But after 2008, anything is possible. God, was Palin just an amazingly poor choice. I still cannot get my head around how smart people, and these are smart people which I do not agree with on matters, could screw up something so badly.

McDonnell could swing Virginia, but it won't matter unless Mittens draws a royal flush on the swing states. Ohio or Florida alone is ballgame for Obama.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

even though the GOP tends not to pick VP candidates from swings states (and lately not even from big states- were they really worried about Wyoming and Alaska and those three electoral votes each that they needed to tab Cheney and Palin?) but this time I think they need to consider it. Romney needs to essentially run the table among Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. FL is the biggest in that group and the President taking FL makes things very difficult for Romney. That's why Rubio might be the best choice, especially given his tea party bona fides

If I had to pick a Florida republican, I'd take Crist (he was governor when I lived there and I always liked the guy), but the GOP already has a moderate at the top of the ticket so I doubt they would

I think it's safe to say nobody in the republican party would go near Crist after he ran as an independent in 2010.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I can't imagine that Romney would pick "a boring white guy" unless all of the people who don't fit that description turn him down which is possible, but probably not as likely as it would have seemed a couple months ago.

I don't think Romney is worried about being overshadowed by his VP if it makes him a stronger candidate. If he is, then he deserves to lose.

I'm assuming Rubio would all-but guarantee that Florida would go to the republicans. I don't know if Portman could deliver Ohio and I doubt Ryan could deliver Wisconsin.

If Rubio is the guy who could deliver a key state and make the base happy, he has to be the first choice. Jeb would be an interesting choice too, but I can't imagine Romney picking him or Jeb accepting.

 

[Starman]

Jeb would be suicide.

As it stands now the Repubes can snivel, "quit talking about Bush, Bush isn't president any more" (as if Romney doesn't completely endorse the Bush agenda) but not with Jebby Boy on the ticket.

All of a sudden it becomes all about Bush again.

 

[sportbook]

I voted other, only because I'm surprised Bob McDonnell isn't on the ballot. I know he took a hit with his vaginal intrusion issues, but he's still pretty popular here. Plus, he's got bonafide conservative credentials and a suprising streak of moderation (most of the time).

And if Romney's looking for another boring white guy, they don't come more milquetoast than McDonnell.

I think McDonnell is in trouble from the base on his waffling semi-evasive response to VaginalProbeGate, because the proper response from the Shiite Repubes is to stonewall, double down, counterattack and ram, ram, ram ram ram whenever any opposition arises to the ALEC agenda.

You are supposed to never ever acknowledge for even a split second the opponent could have anything even remotely approaching a valid point. When you have the sledgehammer in your hand, you are to ram ram ram ram ram, or be accused of not being sufficiently 'pure.'

Since if anything one of Romney's biggest problems with the base is his propensity to tiptoe around things, McDonnell will not help in this area.

McDonnell would not be a terrible choice. He can battle the gay rights issue, and he could swing VA back to the GOP.

But after 2008, anything is possible. God, was Palin just an amazingly poor choice. I still cannot get my head around how smart people, and these are smart people which I do not agree with on matters, could screw up something so badly.

McCain would have lost by double digits without Palin.

 

[zagoshe]

even though the GOP tends not to pick VP candidates from swings states (and lately not even from big states- were they really worried about Wyoming and Alaska and those three electoral votes each that they needed to tab Cheney and Palin?) but this time I think they need to consider it. Romney needs to essentially run the table among Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. FL is the biggest in that group and the President taking FL makes things very difficult for Romney. That's why Rubio might be the best choice, especially given his tea party bona fides

If I had to pick a Florida republican, I'd take Crist (he was governor when I lived there and I always liked the guy), but the GOP already has a moderate at the top of the ticket so I doubt they would

Pennsylvania is not a swing state. It is actually becoming a dark blue state in terms of the presidential race.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Speaking of Pennsylvania, I'd love to hear Tom Ridge's name mentioned more.

I thought so, too, at one time, but others have brought up his planned-parenthhood stance, and that won't float, given the inmates currently exercising their iron hold over the franchise.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

You guys still keep flogging O'Clownell, and most women with spines will crawl over ground glass to make sure the guy gets nowhere near the White House.