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I honestly believe that all the other GOP contenders are now running for Vice President.

If it’s Fred as the nominee I prefer that he not choose a VP running mate from the list of candidates. I’m not that enthaused of another Washington insider being selected for that spot. I guess Romney and Giuliana aren’t D.C. insiders per se and do bring some executive experience to the table. I don’t see any of the others bringing anything to the ticket.

If it’s Fred as the nominee I prefer that he not choose a VP running mate from the list of candidates. I’m not that enthaused of another Washington insider being selected for that spot.

The problem is, is that pickings are slim on the GOP Governor level. Jeb Bush? He's the logical choice but forget it. MN's Pawlenty, NY's Pataki, & TX's Perry are big-time Rockefeller Republicans. Schwarzenegger is ineligible, thank God. AK's Palladin is very popular, but she just got the job. She may be a VP in 2012. GA's Perdue doesn't balance the ticket out in the eyes of voters. That leaves Mark Sanford of SC or Mike Rounds of SD. Sanford is backing McCain though, so he's probably not interested in the job. That leaves Rounds. Rounds is a strong center-right Republican with a good-looking family who can appeal to independents. And he's only 53 years old. In fact, I don't know why Rounds didn't throw his hat into the ring to begin with. He'd easily be a contender.

If it’s Fred as the nominee I prefer that he not choose a VP running mate from the list of candidates.....I don’t see any of the others bringing anything to the ticket.

Well, the one thing I see some of them (Romney, Huckabee or Rudy) bringing to the ticket would be a "following". By the time the nominee is chosen they will have been campaigning close to two years and they will have met a lot of people, gotten a lot of support and that all-important; name recognition. Fred won't have to "break them in" on the American people.

That could be worth a 2 or 3 percentage point advantage, methinks. What say ye?

From a strictly political-strategy perspective, Rudy or Mitt would strengthen the NE Country Club Republican wing and give The Beast a run for NY and other more liberal Atlantic states....as well as proving successful in raising campaign cash.

I would like to see Huckabee considered since he also has fresh ideas and executive experience, but Fred doesn’t “need” him to win any southern states and he wont bring in any support from the north... so, I think Mike is out.

The congressmen (Tancredo and Hunter) would be good cabinet men, but unless Hunter could “lock” California (too conservative for California as a whole?), he brings little geographic strategy to the ticket, and mountain states won’t aren’t key.

McCain? He still has that crossover appeal, and if he does indeed come back as indicated from a strong NH debate showing, maybe Fred’s friend would get the nod — but I think he is too proud to take #2 from Fred.... and he is out of money and not likely to bring much to the ticket at this point.

And Paul? What about Paul. I am surprised he is even associating himself with any of the others on one stage. He wouldn’t accept it because (a)nobody will live up to his ideals/standards, and (b) you thought McCain was a maverick? Fred doesn’t need one like Paul as his veep.

But then there is always the Thompson-Thompson ticket. Now THAT would confuse the $h!+ out of people. But strategically, him helping to swing the upper MW red could take some of the eastern blue states out of their traditional “critical mass” position: ie. Ohio, Pennsylvania.

Sarah Palin, Republican governor of Alaska for VP. Why?

She brings balance to a Thompson ticket:

* Her youth/energy compliments Fred’s age/wisdom.

* A woman counters Hillary on the Dem ticket

* Governmental executive experience compliments Fred’s mostly legislative experience

Plus:

* She’s not connected to the current administration

* She’s compatible on the issues with Fred (Pro-Life, Pro-Gun, etc.)

* She’s a lifetime NRA member.

* She also served two terms as a city councilwoman, two as mayor and was Chairman of Alaska’s powerful Oil and Natural Gas Conservation Commission.

http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/2007/02/palin-on-issues.html