The Republican Vice-Presidential Spectulation Thread.

[Big Wiggly Style]

I've got it! What about Phil Gramm?!

He's about as charismatic as a pile of twigs and dirt.

What about Paul Ryan?

I've been thinking this recently as well.

[Cory]

Except I'm not sure if Jindal could really pull off that good convention speech. He's not exactly very charismatic.

And come to think of it he did endorse Rick Perry, although I'm not sure there is any real bad blood there. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Jindal ever really came out swinging at Romney.

[A dog on every car, a car in every elevator]

While almost everyone insincerely deflects the VP question (Jeb said Rubio should be VP), Jeb strikes me as someone who might actually turn down an offer to be vetted. I think a losing VP run could arguably hurt his presidential ambitions more than others.

Obviously, Obama's middle name being "Hussein" is a different case because Obama isn't very ideologically similar to Saddam Hussein and never said he was proud of the job Saddam did leading his country.

[RogueBeaver]

Except I'm not sure if Jindal could really pull off that good convention speech. He's not exactly very charismatic.

And come to think of it he did endorse Rick Perry, although I'm not sure there is any real bad blood there. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Jindal ever really came out swinging at Romney.

He winked at Romney quite often (constant references to business and gubernatorial experience when asked about his preferences in a candidate) until Perry got in.

Ryan: I wouldn't at all be surprised if he made the final 2.

[milhouse24]

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT JEB BUSH?

Right? I wanna know why the right continues to wet themselves so much about him.

It might be fuzzy math, but every poll with Jeb shows that he can win the general election. 
Rassmussen did a poll that a Romney/Jeb ticket ties Obama/Biden which is better than all the other Romney possibilities.  You can not believe your lying eyes, but a 2 term governor from a swing state is a very valuable commodity to have in a close election.  All the liberals will be pooping their pants when Jeb is selected.  It will certainly be a field day for liberals with a little rope a dope.  The hispanics will never abandon Jeb and his wife.

[True Federalist]

Jindal is disqualified by being a governor.  Romney will not be helped by having a second governor on the ticket.

[RogueBeaver]

Jindal is disqualified by being a governor.  Romney will not be helped by having a second governor on the ticket.

Depends if Mittens wants to follow the "double up" (Obama/Biden, Dole/Kemp, Kerry/Edwards) model or "complimentary" (Clinton/Gore, GHWB/Quayle, Carter/Mondale) model. The former would (IMO) point towards McDonnell or Jindal, the latter Ryan.

[I'm JewCon in name only.]

I'd like to see Ryan as VP.

Right now, If I was Mittens, my list would be: (In Order):

1. Paul Ryan
2. Chris Christie
3. Bob McDonnell

[retromike22]

I've got it! What about Phil Gramm?!

He's about as charismatic as a pile of twigs and dirt.


That's why he compliments Romney

[milhouse24]

While almost everyone insincerely deflects the VP question (Jeb said Rubio should be VP), Jeb strikes me as someone who might actually turn down an offer to be vetted. I think a losing VP run could arguably hurt his presidential ambitions more than others.

Obviously, Obama's middle name being "Hussein" is a different case because Obama isn't very ideologically similar to Saddam Hussein and never said he was proud of the job Saddam did leading his country.

I don't think the Bush name is nearly as toxic as the liberal media makes it out to be.  Liberals will never vote for a Bush or any republican.  Indepedents however will recognize that Jeb is a different human being than George.  White Catholics will support Jeb.  Hispanics will support Jeb. 

Are you the type of person that believes the republican party was wiped out after Richard Nixon resigned?  Do you believe that republicans would never return to the white house after jimmy carter? 

Do you believe that the Democratic landslide elections in 2006 and 2008 would create a generation of Democratic Congress, and that Republicans would be wiped out of Congress forever.  The American People have spoken in favor of Democrats? 

Clearly whether its their own fault or not, Democrats lost the Congress badly in 2010.  Look it up.  Democrats are now the endangered species.  Maybe its blind arrogance, but Democrats are partying like its 2008 all over again. 

Republicans have regained control whether by luck or strategy or Democrat incompetence.  I don't want to wake you up from fantasy dreamland, but its 2012 and the country has changed beyond Dubya's faults. 

[Mr. Morden]

Does Romney really want to double down on Ryan's budget priorities by picking him as veep, or would he rather create some distance?  If he doesn't pick Ryan, he can say that he thinks Ryan is making an important contribution to the deficit debate, but that he (Romney) would find a way to balance the budget that doesn't necessarily involve all the same politically risky spending cuts.  Whereas if he picks Ryan, then he's pretty much stuck with Ryan-ism.

[True Federalist]

Jindal is disqualified by being a governor.  Romney will not be helped by having a second governor on the ticket.

Depends if Mittens wants to follow the "double up" (Obama/Biden, Dole/Kemp, Kerry/Edwards) model or "complimentary" (Clinton/Gore, GHWB/Quayle, Carter/Mondale) model. The former would (IMO) point towards McDonnell or Jindal, the latter Ryan.

Doubling up would encourage voters to look at what Romney did as governor and he'll want to keep that as hidden as possible.  Romney needs to run on his record at Bain and the Olympics and try to get people to ignore his time as the CEO of Massachusetts.

You'll also note that all of the double ups you mentioned are Senator/Senator combos. The last time a Governor/Governor duo ran was in 1948 with the Thurmond/Wright and Dewey/Warren tickets.  You have to go all the way back to 1912 and the Wilson/Marshall campaign to find a double governor ticket that won.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

There is no such person as the perfect VP choice.

But all things considered, Senator John Thune is as good as they get.

He has 13 years DC experience, he is younger than Romney, married with two daughters, describes himself as an evangelical Christian, is conservative, yet has likely appeal for independents and moderates.

[retromike22]

I'm starting to think Tim Pawlenty might be chosen.

[Cory]

I'm starting to think Tim Pawlenty might be chosen.

If I may ask, what exactly do you think he brings to the ticket?

[retromike22]

I'm starting to think Tim Pawlenty might be chosen.

If I may ask, what exactly do you think he brings to the ticket?

Normalcy. He's not a crazy pick, it shows Romney is serious. Look at the last 3 defeated vp candidates: Palin, Edwards, and Lieberman. They were all picked to win, not really to help govern.

Pawlenty is conservative enough to please the base, but appealing to independents. He could help in MN, WI, possibly MI.

[milhouse24]

I'm starting to think Tim Pawlenty might be chosen.

If I may ask, what exactly do you think he brings to the ticket?

Normalcy. He's not a crazy pick, it shows Romney is serious. Look at the last 3 defeated vp candidates: Palin, Edwards, and Lieberman. They were all picked to win, not really to help govern.

Pawlenty is conservative enough to please the base, but appealing to independents. He could help in MN, WI, possibly MI.

Palin, Edwards, and Leiberman were all worthless non-entities that supposedly would help win but really did nothing of consequence. 

The key is to find a VP that can actually help win a swing state, which often is the difference between winning and losing, which Al Gore and John Kerry can attest to. 

I think a dark horse candidate will be Governor Corbett of PA.  He's 62 which is not too old.  He can bring campaign volunteers across the border to Ohio.
He is a veteran of the Army, so he will appease the nation's veteran's and traditional republicans.  I think he's a white catholic, which will compete with Irish Joe Biden's constituency. 
He was Attorney General, so he's smart and knowledgeable about national security issues. 

[technical support]

I think it's going to be jeb bush or the rising star rubio.

[Big Wiggly Style]

I've got it! What about Phil Gramm?!

He's about as charismatic as a pile of twigs and dirt.

That's why he compliments Romney

Ahhhh I see what you did there.

[hopper]

VP Pick for Romney: thats easy. Susana Martinez because she can help Romney in the Southwest where he needs it. Right now Romney is trailing big in Nevada and Colorado.

[So the Heroes Fall]

I'm starting to think Tim Pawlenty might be chosen.

If I may ask, what exactly do you think he brings to the ticket?

Normalcy. He's not a crazy pick, it shows Romney is serious. Look at the last 3 defeated vp candidates: Palin, Edwards, and Lieberman. They were all picked to win, not really to help govern.

Pawlenty is conservative enough to please the base, but appealing to independents. He could help in MN, WI, possibly MI.

No he would not help in Minnesota, where no ones cares about him anymore except people who really hate him, or in Wisconsin and Michigan, where no one cares about him period, and probably no one knows who he is except a few who might remember him from his trainwreck of a Presidential campaign and silly movie trailer ads.

However he is a "safe" and non-controversial choice.

[retromike22]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/18/cnn-poll-republicans-divided-on-vp-choice/?hpt=hp_t2

CNN Poll:

Condoleezza Rice 26%
Rick Santorum 21%
Marco Rubio 14%
Chris Christie 14%
Paul Ryan 8%
Bobby Jindal 5%
Bob McDonnell at 1%

[RogueBeaver]

Name recognition to a p, I see.

[retromike22]

I'm surprised Rice is so high since she's pro-choice.

[Jayhawker]

I wish Rice was pro-life or Romneys pro-life record was more acceptable to the base. Romney/Rice would be difficult for Obama to defeat, though I doubt she would accept.

I wish Martinez had more time under her belt, but she's my top pick. Will do well with minorities, women, the west, and Tea Party, categories Mitt has to improve on. The pro's outweigh the con's.