Mitt Romney’s ‘veepstakes’ begin

The Washington Post ^ | March 30,2012 | Philip Rucker

[no dems]

APPLETON, Wis. — Mitt Romney’s advisers and top supporters have begun informally discussing potential vice presidential candidates and although they are careful to note that the campaign is far from putting together a short list, key supporters and strategists said Friday that they are beginning to see the outlines of the kind of person Romney will choose — and the kind he will avoid.

The conventional thinking has been that after a long and divisive primary campaign, the challenge of uniting the GOP would force Romney to pick a running mate with strong appeal to tea party activists and evangelicals. But Romney’s team thinks he may be liberated from that pressure if he can finish off remaining rivals Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul in the next few weeks.

Romney’s high command in Boston, cognizant that he would be leading a divided party, are seeking ways to win over reluctant conservatives. Still, it is unclear whether several months from now, when Romney chooses a running partner, he would be under pressure to pick someone who is demonstrably more conservative than he is.

His advisers said they do not believe geography will play all that important a role, and that he seems unlikely to choose someone to court a single state or constituency. He does not, so far, appear to have discussed the need to pick a minority or a woman, for example, to appeal to certain kinds of voters.

Early indications are that Romney will not repeat the error of 2008, when John McCain sought a dramatic choice but failed to run a thorough vetting process in picking Sarah Palin. This time, one Romney adviser said, “politics will matter less than you’d imagine.”

[no dems]

All you have to do is read the excerpted part I posted to know that once RINO-Rom gets the nod, Conservatives (Newt Gingrich) Youth (Paul Ryan), Minorities (Marco Rubio) and women (Sarah Palin) can go to hell. He'll pick an old, white, moderate fart like Mitch Daniels or Jeb Bush or New Jersey Fats as his running mate. I'm betting right now, his VP choice will be Christie.

[Terry Mross]

Folks, we might as well go back to 2008 without Sarah.

[saganite]

Not Christie. Too much regionalism in the ticket and Republicans have no chance with two RINO’s on the ticket. It won’t matter to me anyway. If Romney gets the nomination I’m voting libertarian.

[Drew68]

Romney’s short list is going to be real short: Marco Rubio.

[johncocktoasten]

Romney/huntsman
Romney/pawlenty
Romney/Lieberman
Romney/powell
Romney/will
Romney/specter
Romney/McConnell
Romney/crist
Romney/snowe
Romney/Collins
Romney/Giuliani
Romney/voinovich

The possibilities are endless.....

[EGPWS]

This time, one Romney adviser said, “politics will matter less than you’d imagine.”

Since when has Romney ever done anything for political purposes?

Romney should FIRE that adviser!

[nhwingut]

This is the WaPo trying once again to divide.

The Romney people know (if anything has taught them this primary season) that he is not liked at all among the base.

So the WaPo idea that he will feel “liberated” is pure bunk. He would have felt liberated if he had won in a landslide after say Florida. Not now. This article makes no sense.

He knows if he picks a Daniels, or a Portman the base will yawn. And he’ll lose in a landslide. He needs to picks Rubio. Period. It starts and ends there.

[Old Badger]

He won't unite me and I suspect there are others on this forum, the TEA party, and conservatives at large who will not support this phony a$$hole who should actually be running as a democrat.

And for those of you who say not voting for Romney is a vote for Obama, a vote for Romney is a vote for Obama ......... their templates are the same and Obama will crush Romney in the general election. This whole situation is a result of "go along to get along" Republicans and GOP-E. It's disgusting to say the least!

It's time to turn out the lights on the GOP-E.

[Diogenesis]

FLASHBACK:

The McCain/Palin ticket was up ++4 to 10 pts
in some polls, days prior to Election 2008.
So rather than helping the GOP, Romney and
TeamROMNEY and the RNME (Republican National Media Establishment)
decided …to attack Gov. Palin to throw Election2008.

Romney, and the Van der Sloot RNME RINOs for Obama in 2008

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."

---

The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.

---

"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

---

"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign?
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

---

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

---

[9YearLurker]

I think it’ll be Rubio, which will be a mistake.

[Mercat]

I heard two possibilities last night that I had not considered - Petreous or Senator Ran Paul.

[MadelineZapeezda]

that’s why Ron Paul hasn’t attacked Myth...holding out for his son....and he said he would do the vp slot

[no dems]

He needs to picks Rubio. Period. It starts and ends there.
______________________________________________________________

Rubio is my choice.

[Caipirabob]

What’s the point? He’s going to get creamed if he’s permitted to be the candidate.

[X-spurt]

Someone please update me. When did we as conservatives thrown in the towel on Natural Born Citizen?

Yeah, Rubio is a Prince and would otherwise be fantastic, but unless there is proof otherwise, he is not a Natural Born Citizen.

[no dems]

Senator Ran Paul.
______________________________________________________________

Oh geesh!!! RINO-Rom is boring enough, but, Rand Paul has the charisma of a foot stool.

[Drew68]

When did we as conservatives thrown in the towel on Natural Born Citizen?

Nobody is buying that "2 citizen parents" crap that birthers made up.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

We may see a choice between Rubio or Newt. Either choice would make it a bit more palatable.

[no dems]

I read both sides of the Natural Born Citizen arguement. The Supreme Court is going to have to decide this sooner or later. But, if Rubio is chosen for the VP slot, and his NBC status is challenged, that would force a call from the media for Obama to prove that he is a NBC.

[moovova]

Mittens looked pretty chummy with Paul Ryan last night, sitting side-by-side, on the BOR show.

[Flintlock]

Very poorly reasoned article.
The ONLY reason mccain (lc.) got as far as he did was that conservatives considered Sarah an apology for his past misdeeds.
RINORomney will be the death of the party IMHO.

[IM2MAD]

Personally, I think the Tea Party should be working hard to see that each state has a constitutional eligibility requirement on the books. Keeping Obama off the ballot would be one way to further our cause. Then maybe a third party would have a chance.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks no dems; from September 9, 2008...

• Jim Robinson: Why I'm reversing course on John McCain

  Governor Sarah Palin! Or, actually, what she signifies.

[nhwingut]

Oh geesh!!! RINO-Rom is boring enough, but, Rand Paul has the charisma of a foot stool.

Never happen. Rand Paul and Rubio are both Tea Party types. But that's about where the comparisons end. Rubio is far more charismatic and would appeal to apolitical types. His father is not Ron Paul (imagine the libs tying the ticket to some of Paul's policies and past statements?). His background is truly inspiring. He brings in some Hispanic voters. He moves Florida (a must win) into our column. Etc. Rand Paul brings along none of these attributes.

[no dems]

RINORomney will be the death of the party IMHO.
______________________________________________________________

People have been saying that ever since 1964 when Goldwater lost in a landslide. The GOP will never die, it will just be impotent.

[blueunicorn6]

I’m betting he’ll ask Spongebob Squarepants.

[9YearLurker]

Nah, there’s always that military temptation, but it’s as risky as Stockdale was. Rand only if part of a deal after a floor fight.

[Kharis13]

What’s the point? He’s going to get creamed if he’s permitted to be the candidate.

Hmm, more than a little bias in this statement. You may not like him, and I may be wary of him, but as I've stated many times here BEATING OBAMA TRUMPS ALL this time around. I'm still a Rick guy but getting Obama out is my first priority. And I suspect millions of others feel the same way, particularly after looking at the possibility of another four years of "hope and change".

[X-spurt]

So you are saying Screw what the Constitution says about NBC????

No damn wonder we are in such a fix!

[Hawthorn]

>> Rubio is a Prince and would otherwise be fantastic, but unless there is proof otherwise, he is not a Natural Born Citizen <<

The same can be said of Gen. Petraeus, since his father was a Dutch citizen.

[Hawthorn]

>> Nobody is buying that “2 citizen parents” crap that birthers made up. <<

Looks like you’ve just insulted thousands of FR posters!

[Drew68]

Looks like you’ve just insulted thousands of FR posters!

Just the ones who don't have a clue of what they're talking about.

[WWRD]

My guess: The Governor of New Mexico, Susana Martinez

[Drew68]

So you are saying Screw what the Constitution says about NBC????

The Constitution doesn't define NBC the way birthers seem to think it does and they have a mountain of dismissed, denied and defeated lawsuits baking this point up.

I'm not going to debate this anymore. Birthers are no closer today in getting Obama removed on the basis of his father's citizenship than they were three years ago. Not a single reputable conservative legal foundation or influential conservative voice is buying the birther definition of NBC. And the courts certainly haven't.

[Drew68]

Personally, I think the Tea Party should be working hard to see that each state has a constitutional eligibility requirement on the books.

Why the Tea Party? Why not the NRA or Right to Life? Why is it that everyone thinks the Taxed Enough Already Party should embrace their pet conservative causes?

[LuvFreeRepublic]

Martinez is my guess too.

[Mr. K]

SORRY LAMESTREAM MEDIA

WE ARE NOT LETTING YOU DECLARE A WINNER YET

BROKERED CONVENTION!

[thestob]

if it’s not Rubio than he’s a bigger idiot than I think he is ....and I think he is a pretty big idiot....

[NavyCanDo]

I remember posting on FR about this time in 2008 that a McCain yard sign would never cast its shadow on my front lawn. I wasn’t going to sit out in November, but I certainly wasn’t going to lift a finger for him or show my support in any way. That changed with one helluva fantastic VP pick. Being a big fan of Palin long before he chose her, I was doing cartwheels when he picked her. I was immediately trying to find where I could get McCain/Palin signs, buttons and bumper stickers. And I was donating that very night.

Who I wonder could be Romney’s Palin? He better start giving that some deep thought.

[Diogenesis]

Two ineligible candidates are Rubio and Romney.

What could remove RomneyCARE and Obama’s ineligibility
better? NOTHING.

[NavyCanDo]

Susana Martinez Governor of New Mexico would be a good choice.

She is conservative and would devastate Obama’s campaign by drawing in the Hispanic vote to the GOP side.

[Graybeard58]

There is no V.P. pick in the entire world that would cause me to vote a romney ticket.

I did that with S.P., I WON’T do it again.

[Drew68]

if it’s not Rubio than he’s a bigger idiot than I think he is ....and I think he is a pretty big idiot....

I can't conceive of Romney picking anyone besides Rubio --unless Rubio tells him no and I don't think after last week's endorsement that this is going to happen. The gears seem to be in motion at this point.

Kinda bummed though. My state risks losing a great senator. But right now, removing Obama from the White House takes priority.

[X-spurt]

Correct. Either we stick to the Constitution or we don’t, there is no grey areas here.

Like many other “less than clear” things (with today’s eyes) the Founders wrote into the Constitution, we are seeing now their wisdom on who should and who should not be President.

[X-spurt]

You seem to have some definate ideas of precisely what the Founders meant by Natural Born Citizen. This is a forum for ideas. Instead of running away, tell us so we can judge that reasoning for ourselves.

[WalterSkinner]

..maybe he can ask my governor

I'm sure Jerry Brown still has a taste for national politics

On many issues they are birds of a feather / sarcasm off

[ngat]

This whole thread is a waste of time because if Romney is the nominee we gat four more years of Obama, no matter who they choose as VP. Whoever the VP selection is, Romney in the general election can’t be salvaged any more than McCainBushDoleFord could be saved by anyone.

[ngat]

“Kinda bummed though. My state risks losing a great senator.”

You have nothing to worry about. Rubio would not resign his seat to run as VP. After the ticket loses, he will still be your Senator.

[House Atreides]

I agree with you—stay solid for the Constitution.

While I don’t think he and his advisers would be savvy & intelligent enough to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate, I’d be ALL IN for the ticket if he did.

As things stand now, I’m still pulling for Santorum and will vote for him in next Tuesday’s Maryland primary. The funny thing is that while Santorum is on the ballot in my Congressional District (7), he HAS NO DELEGATES on the “select from” list on the ballot. So I’ll vote for the 3 Gingrich delegates listed. On the list of “Alternate Delegates” on my specimen ballot, Santorum only has two (instead of the three the other candidates have). So I’ll vote for those two plus the 1st Gingrich delegate on that “alternates” list.

[Drew68]

Instead of running away, tell us so we can judge that reasoning for ourselves.

Feel free to peruse my posting history. It's all there. At this point, the NBC debate is a dead horse I don't feel like beating anymore.