Posted on 04/19/2012 11:57:18 AM PDT by Kaslin
Some 20 million Americans in primaries and caucuses will take part in selecting the Republican presidential nominee. One person will choose the vice presidential nominee.
This has long struck me as absurd: One person choosing someone who, as a result, might become president for as long as 10 years. But just about everyone in politics says it's the only proper way.
Over the last 25 years, presidential nominees of both parties have engaged in conscientious consultation and have mostly made pretty good choices. No more picks at five o'clock in the morning to meet a convention deadline.
For even longer, every vice president has done constructive work of governance. Voters have come to expect a VP nominee who can contribute substance more than one who can balance a ticket.
Ticket-balancing suggestions have come in to Mitt Romney. He should endorse a fiery cultural conservative, some Republicans say, although he's not likely to name the undisciplined Rick Santorum.
He needs to name a Latino, say others. But the most obvious choice, the eloquent Sen. Marco Rubio, has reiterated his unwillingness to run. So has New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez.
The argument that Republicans need additional support from Latinos may be overstated. The 2010 exit poll shows Republicans won 38 percent of the Latino vote -- and that that was enough for a national majority, since they carried whites by a record 60 to 37 percent.
Anyway, ticket-balancing is not the only successful approach, as Bill Clinton understood. When he clinched the Democratic nomination in 1992 as a Southern moderate, it was widely assumed he would pick a Northern liberal, as Jimmy Carter had.
Instead, he chose a fellow Southern Baptist of his own generation with a reputation for moderation and congressional experience in national security issues, Al Gore. They were from adjoining Southern states, and when the ticket was announced they met on the bridge between West Memphis, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn.
This unbalanced ticket won two elections, carrying six of 14 Southern states in both 1992 and 1996. Democratic nominees from Massachusetts, both with Southern running mates, carried none in 1988 and 2004.
A similar approach for Mitt Romney would be what opponents might call a double-vanilla ticket, with another white male as vice presidential nominee.
Four possibilities come to mind. One is Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee Chairman who endorsed Romney and campaigned with him all over Wisconsin. Romney has praised Ryan's budget proposals and has endorsed the fundamentals of Ryan's Medicare plan.
Ryan's in-depth knowledge of budget numbers surely appeals to Romney. The strongest argument against a Ryan nomination is that a President Romney would need him championing his budget and entitlement plans in the House.
Another possible choice is Sen. Rob Portman, who campaigned all over Ohio with Romney. Like Romney, Portman comes from a family with Midwestern manufacturing management experience.
But he's also served in the House and as special trade representative and budget director. And he's had experience in presidential campaigns: He played Democratic nominees in debate prep for Dick Cheney in 2000 and 2004 and John McCain in 2008.
Two governors should make any short list, Mitch Daniels of Indiana and Bob McDonnell of Virginia. Daniels also served as budget director for Bush and is a crusader for entitlement reform. McDonnell has ties to the military as a longtime reservist and as the father of a daughter who served in Iraq.
All four of these potential vanilla running mates take conservative stands on cultural issues but are careful to show respect for those who differ. All have emphasized economics in their campaigns and have run especially well in affluent suburbs, as Romney has in Republican primaries.
Ryan wins big every year in Waukesha County west of Milwaukee. Portman ran well enough in suburbs to carry Ohio's three biggest metro areas in 2010.
Daniels won a higher percentage in Indiana's most affluent area, Hamilton County, than Ronald Reagan did in 1984. And in 2009, McDonnell carried Washington's Northern Virginia suburbs, where he grew up, though they had voted heavily for Obama the year before.
A double-vanilla ticket will be attacked as un-diverse by the media. But if the nominees have rapport and energy, as Clinton and Gore did in 1992, who cares?
The Clinton-Gore ticket regained Southern ground for Democrats. A double-vanilla ticket might enable Republicans to regain ground in affluent suburbs this year.
I am sure that Romney would be happy and work well with just about any democrat.
Hillary’s available.
Yeah, well it is personal with these toll projects. Kaine was worthless and got nothing accomplished. Wilder never reall did anything that personally affected me in this maner. Don’t fall for it. None of these tunnel/toll projects were ever intended to address congestion. At it’s core, this is an AUSTERITY MEASURE by VDOT on our backs. In the Midtown/Downtown Tunnel project, they’re forcing commuters to pay for their past financial mismanagement. When ERC (private company) assumes the maintenance & operation costs for the tunnels, VDOT will save millions a year in current maintenance costs, A BILLION in interest over the term of the plan, and many millions more in payroll and other operating costs. It will cost us $21 BILLION in tolls to make this happen, and they’ll keep charging us the same taxes, free to spend their savings on the Coalfields Expressway or anywhere else in the state, or even on another PPP giveaway.
Hillary’s available.................................... That’s a guaranteed win for Romney! But it won’t happen. If he is looking for all around support, pick West and make it a good fight.
West would be a good choice for who and what he is, but not for being black because IMO he would not pick up one additional black vote.
Oh, I fear that, too... that would NOT surprise me at all!
Why not Newt? His baggage has been discussed at length. What else can they say about him?
Wisconsin Barone calls Ryan “double vanilla” in the Veepstakes ping
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
Damn. That blouse looks like a rainbow on crack.
One person will choose the vice presidential nominee.
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They still have to be voted on and nominated by the Delegates to the Convention.
the eloquent Sen. Marco Rubio, has reiterated his unwillingness to run. So has New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez.
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Bull crap. As Larry Sabato said, they all say that. But, when offered, they accept in a heartbeat. When was the last time anyone on here knew of someone turning down the VP spot?
Out of the 4 “double-vanilla” possible VP picks (Ryan, Portman, Daniels and McDonnell, my first pick would be Ryan. My second pick would be Portman. I don’t see how the other two would be a big help to the Ticket; seriously.
Thaddeus McCotter is brilliant and has a “gift” of wit like Ronald Reagan. Not so sure he would “carry the day” so to speak. He’s very unknown. But, IF Thaddeus McCotter was the VP choice for the Ticket, I’D BE AS HAPPY AS BARNEY FRANK AT THE YMCA.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you - Rob Portman.
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Works for me. But, since you’re a Buckeye, tell us: Can Portman Deliver Ohio; seriously?
If Romney is smart, he will NOT go “double-vanilla” on his VP selection. If he is smart, he will choose...... a woman.....who is black.... with a Hispanic surname.... who is of the Jewish Faith.... but, her Mexican husband is a Catholic and ...... her Baptist son is married to an Oriental chick..... and her daughter is a lesbian.
Hell yeah; that’s the Ticket. Did I cover all the bases?
Nope.
You left out a hill billy gay bob.
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