Posted on 08/07/2012 10:24:33 AM PDT by Red Steel
Yesterday, I suggested there were some clues pointing to Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) as Mitt Romney’s VP pick. There might be clues leading to other figures (e.g. Mitt Romney will be in Ohio next week, Sen. Rob Portman’s stomping grounds). Anyone in the party or pundit class trying to influence the pick is probably barking up the wrong tree...
But a number of readers were puzzled: Why McDonnell? Rather than make the case for him, let’s look at how Romney, the only voice that matters, would see him and another frequently mentioned contender, remembering that Romney likes to gather a bunch of data and then make a decision. (Don’t expect any flights of fancy on a decision as big as this.) He and his staff know that while the pick itself might not win or lose the election, the rollout will be a critical moment when the undecided...
This means Romney is unlikely to choose anyone who hasn’t already been “road tested” as a surrogate and been interviewed by national media. He’s going to want to pound home his theme that he’s the experienced executive who has figured out where President Obama has gone wrong, is going to set aside Obama’s collectivist ideas and can revive the economy. He won’t want to wig out the base...
McDonnell resisted all entreaties to raise taxes as governor. He stuck to his game plan, namely make the state business friendly, balance the budget and reform government. All of this will have impressed Romney. McDonnell has worked rather well with Democrats...
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is another top contender, and for good reason...
-snip-
Romney isn’t likely to choose an inexperienced or an erratic candidate, and he sure isn’t going to pick someone who’s a stranger to him or the campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
If Romney wants to please his liberal base, he should go with a big-state female minority who shares his vews - Maxine Waters.
Thank you. I'm not understanding the Rubio hype. The "DREAM" act pandering was disgusting enough. After the Muslim pandering I was completely done with him. He'd be a terrible pick.
As to the person I think it will be (not my choice, but my guess), I’ve ranked them in four categories, and from most likely to least likely within each group:
Top tier, the finalists (1-4): Marco Rubio, Bob McDonnell, Paul Ryan, Rob Portman
Second tier, possible (5-8): Tim Pawlenty, Susana Martinez, Kelly Ayotte, John Thune
Third tier, not likely (9-10): Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal
Shed a tear, no chance: Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Condoleezza Rice, Michele Bachmann, Allen West, Herman Cain
"All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after April 11, 1899, and prior to January 13, 1941, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, residing on January 13, 1941, in Puerto Rico or other territory over which the United States exercises rights of sovereignty and not citizens of the United States under any other Act, are declared to be citizens of the United States as of January 13, 1941. All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after January 13, 1941, and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, are citizens of the United States at birth."
That would seem to say that Fortuno would be eligible, would it not? Born in Puerto Rico after 1941, to citizen parents, he is a "citizen of the United States at birth," i.e., a "natural born citizen."
No, this is called a statute or regulation or man-made law that makes a person a citizen at birth. There would be no need to have the law in the first place if he was a natural born citizen.
A handful of Supreme Court opinions tell you who are natural born citizens, unfortunately for Fortuno and Rubio, they both don't meet the natural born requirement in accordance with the intent and meaning to the US Constitution Natural Born Citizen Clause.
In two different occasions during Congressional hearings, the Puerto Rican born, New York Bronx Cong critter Serrano tried to get Supreme Court justices to say citizens born in Puerto Rico are natural born US citizens, and in both times the Supreme Court justices avoided and evaded his questions.
Puerto Rico has consistently rejected statehood, refusing to join the union.
Why should a Puerto Rican even be considered for President under those conditions? Furthermore, the U.S.Constitution doesn’t follow the flag into unincorporated territories.
Arizona, where Sen.Barry Goldwater was born, was an incorporated territory and considered a part of the contiguous U.S.A. Anyone born there of citizen parents was considered not just a U.S. citizen but a natural born Citizen.
Gov.George Romney, a very liberal Progressive who wanted to be President and campaigned as a Republican in 1964, was born in Mexico of U.S. citizen parents, and was not a natural born Citizen. He withdrew from the Presidential race. (Mitt Romney, his son, provided proof to the Republican Party that he is a natural born Citizen, as did Rep.Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich.)
Puerto Ricans have statutory citizenship. They cannot vote in Presidential elections unless they’ve permanently moved to the United States mainland.
A Puerto Rican who lives on the mainland and marries another citzen, and their children are born on the mainland, those children are considered natural born citizens.
Bobby Jindal.
N.B.C., but he has to move to the mainland to vote for himself, LOL!
In honor of tomorrow, I'd move the Fat Man from the third to the first tier.
Um let me see, someone who can step right in and fullfill his agenda:
Hillary.
the WashPost today published an article to General Petraeus why he should not be Romney’s VP
Possibly the democrat leak of “obamas” comments sent a signal to their dirty operatives to begin a whack job on the General - I think this is the guy the democrats fear the most, along with their buddies in Russia and China who are anxious for obama to destroy the US nuke deterrent by unilateral disarmament
IMHO given the above and the precarious nature of our national security and the middle east power keg, my selection would be Petraeus
The next VP is less important in the pro life and small govt debate in balancing the ticket with someone who has operated successfully on the battlefield vs islamism
Ask who the Chinese and Russians would NOT like to see as potus
Ask how many moderates and even conservatives are gonna overlook their quease over Romney and line up to pull the lever for Tim Pawlenty or Rob Portman (crickets) or a pro-DREAM Act amnesty man like Rubio
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