Who will be Romney's running mate?

One thing is I think they're going to be verrrrry careful this time. They want to avoid a Palinesque trainwreck.

That refers to the process (this veep is gonna be vetted up the wazoo) but also personality.

I think it's also likely to be someone relatively boring. There's the Palin factor (look what happened last time they got a charismatic base-firer-upper) but also the Kerry factor.

Romney has very similar problems to Kerry -- too plastic, reserved, boring, Northeastern. And picking Edwards (young, Southern, charismatic) didn't work out well for Kerry. There were a lot of clashes.

And I just don't think Romney wants to be outshone. That wasn't an issue that McCain (fiery, cranky, but plenty charismatic) or Obama (!) had to deal with.

That's why I'd tend to think Rubio is out.

A female veep is possible if Romney's problems with women persist, but I don't think it would be Bachmann. She's more disciplined than Palin (not that the bar is high) but otherwise is very similar.

I re-read the thread to make sure, but is it possible that no one's mentioned Chris (if you interrupt me I'll devour you with one bite) Christie?

I actually fear his brand of fired-up (not always well-informed, but effective) bombast, and the effect it might have on a dispirited GOP electorate.

I would have thought that another North-Easterner wouldn't look so good on the ticket, but you're in a better position to tell than me. You're in Virginia, right? What do people think of Christie in this Southern swing state?

In a race between Palin and Bachman to find their way out of a paper bag I think Palin would win (but not by much).

I d like to see Newt get the GOP nomination,
but failing that, I wanna see him nominated for VP, in hope of his being elevated.





David

I think Santorum's more likely than Gingrich.

Even Paul's more likely than Gingrich. (Paul and Romney evidently get along quite well.)

I agree. As a future citizen who prefers Obama over the Republican candidates, I would love to see Gingrich on Romney's ticket.

I'm in NC. I get the feeling that the conservatives see him as their kind of tough guy - someone who could "take it to" Barack Obama.

Vote Generic White Guy!


"I fear people who look different from me!"

That 's an ugly thought.
He may have been born in America,
but he is no American. He is a theocrat. Freedom woud not be safe in his hands.





David

I agree with that sentiment and also think that Christe has the advantage of not upseting the middle. Santorum and Gingrich have some real negatives with independents while Christie doesn't. The practical side of Romney is not going to select a radical right candidate when he knows the radical right has absolutely no where to turn. He is going to tack to the perceived middle right and that is where Christie is.

Not sure - I don't think Romney is a risk taker and Rubio may be a risk - in that he has not have national attention before.

I have actually heard as a long shot Condoleezza Rice

isn't it too soon to have another black man in the white house

I do not think it is "fear" that is the motivating emotion. I think it is just wanting one's grandchildren to be knock-offs of oneself. That means that the dominant genes of Blacks are anathema to many whites. The alien religion of Jews makes their religion anathema to many whites.

However, the non-dominant genes of Asians and their willingness to adopt Christianity in any of its forms, makes it less threatening in the sense that one's grandchildren can still be like the white grandparents, in looks and religion.

So, in one-hundred years, I would expect many people to have an Asian in their family tree. Not so much others, for said reasons above.

I've thought Cristie but not posted that as I'd nothing but instinct to back that view - but now, engineer, you put words to that instinct of mine.

Although he was adamantly against running for president, I think he's recently said he'd be open to joining the ticket in the VP slot. I'm not sure anyone's convinced he could deliver New Jersey for Romney, though.

BTW, Robert ...PPP (Public Policy Polling) has a new poll out today showing that putting Rubio on the ticket would likely expand Obama's lead in Florida.

If Christie wants to run in four years, he will have to avoid the honor of running for VP.

I would love to have Christie be on the Romney ticket--and for New Jersey to be rid of him.

He has been a disaster for New Jersey...and one of the most obnoxious bullies ever to hold public office.

I seldom hold anyone in contempt, but I make an exception for him.

Do New Jersey Republicans agree with you? Wondering also about Republicans in the hinterland.

He actually is quite popular right now across the spectrum. The editorial staff of the state's largest newspaper thinks he is a jerk. I tend to agree with the. I can almost guarantee he would be more a liability than an asset to the ticket...and if the ticket won anyway, he would be more likely to engender outrage than respect…both from Americans and people from other lands.

He is a boor.